Ellen Perlman was a GOVERNING staff writer and technology columnist.
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Fuel Economy
The public works department in Clemson, S.C., is saving 350 gallons of diesel each month by using GPS systems in garbage trucks, according to USA Today .
Yes, we've written plenty about GPS. But in the frenzy to save fuel costs, government officials are looking to the left, to the right and under rocks for more ideas on how to squeeze out fuel savings. Perhaps they haven't thought lately about the potential of GPS in various government vehicles.
In Clemson, garbage collectors who drive the regular routes make note of where big items have been dragged to the curb. When the trucks go out to pick up those large items, they know exactly where to head. They use a touch screen to find the exact locations. That saves random driving around.
The story lists other places getting into GPS or considering it, including several other South Carolina cities, and municipalities in Georgia. Maybe this reminder will nudge other states and municipalities in the GPS direction.
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Written and compiled by staff writers and editors, GOVERNING View is an on-the-ground, and sometimes behind-the-scenes, look at the topics we're covering in print and online. From notes on what's up in statehouses, county courthouses and city halls, to encounters with people, places and things, GOVERNING View is a window into the side of state and local government you don't always see.
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