Commercial trucking is big business. At any moment, tens of thousands of trucks are at work all over America, hauling goods from place to place. They’re often active at all hours of the day and night. Trucking has existed for many decades, and it will doubtless continue to do so. There are self-driving trucks in the works, but for the moment, companies need human operators to drive these big rigs and get them safely to where they’re going. Technology is always coming out that can help truck drivers, and GPS is the perfect example. Let’s take a closer look at truck driver GPS and what it can do for the modern trucker. History vs. Today Before we get into what you want to look for in the best truck driver GPS, you should know about the not-too-distant past out of which truck driver navigation comes. Not many years ago, truck drivers would rely on paper maps to get around. They would stop to consult them at diners and weighing stations, sometimes taking into account construction projects and road closures. A trucker would have to learn the country pretty quickly. They would need to know how to shave minutes off their routes and what roads to take if construction closed a particular one. It was an imperfect system, but the average trucker did the best they could with it. They had no viable alternative. The Onboard Infotainment System Many vehicles these days feature infotainment systems, not just commercial trucks. These systems usually have GPS capabilities. However, the companies did not create all of them equally. Some of them can instantly find routes to virtually any destination within the continental United States. Others are slower, and truckers probably won’t care for those as much. Truckers make their living delivering their payloads as quickly as possible, and they chafe whenever they encounter a delay. The best onboard infotainment system that also includes a GPS feature is the one that allows a trucker to plug in the coordinates and hit the road with no delays. They should see a clear route materialize on the screen in front of them. They should never have to do anything more than glance at that screen to see where they need to go next. What Else Might a Trucker Expect from a GPS? The GPS should also give the trucker instructions on when and where to turn in a clear, understandable voice. If it speaks with a thick accent or garbles some of the words, that’s not helpful. The best unit will also feature information about where commercial trucks can and cannot go. In that respect, trucker ones differ from systems that someone driving a family sedan would most appreciate. A trucker’s GPS should feature real-time traffic information. If the GPS knows that there’s a traffic jam up ahead, it might be able to instruct the driver on where they can go to avoid it. Are There Any Other GPS Features a Trucker Might Want? Some truckers may also look for trip logging capabilities. If the GPS can log a trucker’s route before they leave, they will know approximately what to expect along the way. The trucker’s company can also refer back to the trip log if they want to know what route the trucker took and how long it took them to get to their destination. The screen size can be a more critical issue than you might think. Some GPS screens are relatively large, and that can distract a trucker and cause an accident. Commercial trucks are enormous, so distracted driving is not something the trucker or their company will ever want to occur. The screen should not be too small, either. If the trucker has to squint at it to make out when they should turn and where, that can be just as lethal as having too large of a screen. Some GPS options show places where a commercial truck can stop and refuel. Most truckers considered that to be advanced technology not long ago, but now, it is much more common. Knowing where to stop and gas up can save lots of time and trouble on a long trip from coast to coast. What most commercial truck drivers come to realize is that there is no single answer regarding what GPS to use. They may have to experiment with a few different ones before coming across the ideal model for their needs.

A construction site has a lot going on all at the same time. Some of the workers are busy mixing cement, some are working on the structure, some are operating the heavy machinery, and so on. Given how many tasks are simultaneously going on at a construction site, there are a lot of things that can go wrong in an instant. Hence arises the need for proper logistical planning at these sites. In construction, the term ‘logistical planning’ refers to the utilization of all the resources (materials, equipment, and manpower) in a planned way. This sort of planning is very essential to any type of construction work. To understand its importance, here’s a short discussion on how logistical planning can help things run a lot smoother at a construction site. Staying on schedule Construction work is very time-consuming. Even a small-scale project, like building a stretch of road, can take months. Larger projects, like the construction of buildings or bridges, can take years. Hence, time is very valuable in such construction projects. Even the slightest of delays can set you back by days or weeks. To make sure that your project is on schedule, you need a proper logistical plan and stick to it. Otherwise, you’re bound to run into delays and have to keep extending the project deadline. Your construction equipment needs to be at the site before the arrival of your workers. The arrangement should be such that the construction workers need not sit idle and wait for their equipment to arrive. Workers must also maintain a work schedule of their own that aligns with that of the project. They need to complete their daily workload before the end of the workday. The only exception for which delays should be considered is bad weather. Since nature’s force is out of your control, you can’t do much about it other than pushing back the project deadline. Selection and maintenance of construction equipment Different projects require different types of construction equipment. And while some of this equipment is common in almost every construction site, most of the equipment varies from project to project. Diesel generators, for instance, are used in almost every construction site. A diesel generator benefits the project in a lot of ways. They have a low maintenance cost, great fuel efficiency, and service, and can continuously supply the construction site with the necessary power for hours. Apart from the main diesel-powered generators, the site should also have a backup generator for emergencies. On the other hand, heavy machinery, like cranes, diggers, etc. is chosen based on the type of project. For example, you won’t usually need a steamroller for the construction of a building and a crane for fixing a road. Maintaining the equipment also falls under logistical planning. Since most projects are bound to take weeks or even months, you have to find a way to keep the equipment at the site. You also need to provide overnight security for the equipment and make sure that they’re operational when work resumes the following day. Cutting down on unnecessary expenses A study by McKinsey suggests that the construction industry can save almost $1.7 trillion annually by boosting productivity. That there’s a lack of planning in construction sites which eventually leads to unnecessary expenses. A lot of these expenses can be saved by ensuring proper logistical planning. This includes maintaining a strict work schedule, bringing in the right type of equipment, proper maintenance of the equipment, and so on. Sometimes, the expenses increase after the project is over, and that’s also due to poor logistical planning. This happens mostly because of using poor construction material and low-end tools. As a result, once the project is completed or nears completion, certain problems start popping up here and there. Besides, due to poor planning, workers might even make costly mistakes that need to be fixed before you can hand over the project. For instance, they might have mistakenly fitted an 8-inch pipe instead of a 12 inch one. Thus, when the problem is discovered, not only do they need to replace the pipe, but to do so they need to break the plaster and redo it. If the plans were properly followed and the workers were working efficiently, this scenario wouldn’t have existed.

As one of Europe’s largest business hubs, London is a great place to do business. With the right strategy, you can be sure to grow your brand name from oblivion to an internationally acclaimed brand. One of the challenges that most businesses face as they enter the expansion phase is storage space for manufactured goods and scale up your day to day operations. Ordinarily, you’ll require a warehouse. But what if you don’t own a warehouse just yet? Well, this should not be a stumbling broke to the rapid growth of your business. You can take advantage of a warehouse for rent as a perfect temporary storage location without blowing up your budget. Warehouse rental is a strategic move that will enable you to expand gradually while maintaining a healthy bottom line as you don’t have to handle extra costs. Whether you need warehouse space for a day, week, month or an entire year, there are many benefits you can enjoy renting warehouse space. Warehouse rental allows you to not only connect with your customers better but also monitor important trends while allowing them to reach you directly. This means better relationships with your customers as they have a front line opportunity to see your brand in action. Renting warehouse space also allows you to test new markets that you hope to expand into without risking resources. You can tell if the market is receptive as these rentals let you monitor specific areas as well as a range of products without having long term commitment. Should you realize that expanding into a specific market is not a good move then you can consider a different location. Warehouse also helps to confront the financial risk involved in establishing a presence in a new location. You can lease warehouse space on a budget for a month so you set up operations without hurting your budget. How to Find Warehouse for Rent Here are some tips to help you if are looking for warehouse space for rent: ·         Define your needs Before you begin your search for warehouse space for rent, you must have a concise and clear idea of how you will use the space. This is important because it will help you to get just enough space. When you don’t have your needs defined, you might either end up with too little or too much space. ·         Think about the warehouse Layout Warehouses have different facilities for different kinds of needs. Therefore, as you look for warehouse space have your preferred layout that will fulfil your business needs. You can request a floor plan or a virtual tour of the warehouse interior so that you have an idea of how best you can use the space. ·         Location, Location, Location When you are looking for warehouse space keep location in mind. Do you prefer to rent warehouse space closer to your other business locations or closer to your home? What about proximity to the transport network? How easy will it be to move goods to and from the warehouse? Is the area easily accessible? You also need to establish if there are specific warehouses for specific industries. You don’t want to find your food warehouse is in the middle of industrial products as this can be a turn off for your customers. Being in the right zone helps to build the confidence of your customers that you are indeed committed to the industry standards. ·         Property Features Equally important are the features that can be found in the warehouse for rent. Think about the number of customers and employees that will be coming to the warehouse. Does the warehouse have adequate parking space for vans, social amenities, security and other important features? ·         Know the terms of the lease When looking for warehouse space to rent, you need to determine the terms. This includes the duration of the lease. If you foresee a situation when your business may undergo rapid expansion then you need a short term lease. On the contrary, if you see your business remaining the same for a foreseeable future then you could opt for a longer-term lease. Additionally, you also must pay attention to other terms of the agreement before signing. Make sure you ask questions if you need to clarify anything Warehouse for rent presents a perfect opportunity to experiment with different markets before you launch. The rental experience will help you to tell the most receptive markets before expansion. These short term rentals help you to access crucial information without having to opt for a long-term commitment. Moreover, it makes it possible for you to make a huge impact for a short period on a budget.