GPS for paper boys
April 30th, 2007 at 7:22 am by David FarrarPMP which delivers much of NZ’s unaddressed mail and community newspapers is looking at using GPS to be able to check deliveries are actually made.
As a previous user of their services, I think that would be remarkably helpful. Almost every time one arranged for delivery of some brochure into an area, and you would get significant numbers of people complaining they never got one. And the delivery agent often couldn’t reassure you about how many did get delivered.
So long as PMP put protocols around access to the tracking data, such as only to look at it if they received complaints about non delivery, then it seems a good way to verify if their staff and contractors did actually deliver the material they were paid to do so.
Related posts:
- Labour now wants to unionise paper boys!
- The Christchurch Schools announcement
- Girls vs Boys
- Failing Boys
April 30th, 2007 at 7:53 am
I think this sort of technology should be imbedded into career criminals who have a solid track record of antisocial behavior.
Vote:April 30th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Well if we can put “ankle” bracelets on Home detention prisoners its not too big a step to putting a micro chip in them. Repeat Sex offenders on parole would be a good place to start.
Vote:April 30th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
“I think this sort of technology should be imbedded into career criminals who have a solid track record of antisocial behavior.”
Thin edge of the wedge.
Vote:April 30th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
I think our legal system is quite capable of sorting out the wheat from the chaff on this sort of thing. The problem, law abiding people face is their lives are made a misery by people who commit crimes. A career criminal’s right to go out at night is their opportunity to do burglaries which affect the rights of everyone else. Those career criminals can be easily indentified (with marginal cases requiring careful balanced thought) and dealt with.
Vote:April 30th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
So long as PMP put protocols around access to the tracking data, such as only to look at it if they received complaints about non delivery…
What would the point of these protocols be? If those employees are aware ahead of time of this new technology they are perfectly entitled to work elsewhere.
This technology would simply subject delivery people to the same level of monitoring faced by office employees, who face tougher monitoring only because they happen to be within sight of the boss at all times.
What’s the problem?
Vote:April 30th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
What a load of bollocks. The cost of running all the GPS units, lost/stolen units, batteries, training time, the time taken to check them when a paper is reported missing etc… It would probably be cheaper to do a daily helicopter sweep of the city when the calls start to come in.
Stap a GPS unit to the ankles of all truants. That would be much better use of the technology…. funny we tolerate the idea in employment law but not in the justice system…
Vote:April 30th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
i’ve got a suggestion – start paying delivery people more, its probably a cheaper solution and will probably motivate staff a lot more to complete deliveries.
We all know paper boys earn an absolute pittance.
Vote:April 30th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Way to simple Morphyoss. No increased role for the unions, employment lawyers, HR Departments and middle management in that plan.
Whaaaarp. Thanks for playing!
Vote: