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sparkey600

WHY?

46 posts in this topic

I'm wondering why is everything so difficult these days.

I'm lucky enough to have a brand new company truck, I can take it where every I want...Grocery store, Church, Home Depot, Sears, an evening at the worst restaurant you can think of,   BUT with the GPS installed, wherever I want might might not be what the company likes. Problem is they look at EVEYTHING. I have more "get outta jail" answers than most in my company, but really? It's a bothersome experience to say the least.

Makes me angry to say the least. Any thoughts?

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21 minutes ago, sparkey600 said:

I'm wondering why is everything so difficult these days.

I'm lucky enough to have a brand new company truck, I can take it where every I want...Grocery store, Church, Home Depot, Sears, an evening at the worst restaurant you can think of,   BUT with the GPS installed, wherever I want might might not be what the company likes. Problem is they look at EVEYTHING. I have more "get outta jail" answers than most in my company, but really? It's a bothersome experience to say the least.

Makes me angry to say the least. Any thoughts?

You may want to alter your route from day to day..

FC3F0FB0-5223-47D1-8FF2-F044B31FA8CF.png

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Idea: gift your GPS to a very devout religious person at your church, then that person will go where your company approves and you can go where you want.

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Don’t use the company truck for personal use?

I guess I don’t understand the anger with this one. It’s a company vehicle and it appears they allow some leeway on its use but really I wouldn’t use for much. This is coming from someone having had a company vehicle at a previous employment. It’s no different than using your work computer to do some personal things but I’m sure you’re not using it to view TOB or other questionable sites. 

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Wow that sucks! I don’t know if I could handle that🤔But honestly I would stop using it for personal use. 

Edited by Leena_rose
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Time changes... now Mr. Google knows everything about us: at what time to you wake up and go to bed, what do you eat, where are going before you even have decided to go, the ladies you visit and your underwear size. So there's nothing we can do about it. The concept and paradigm of "private live" have definitely changed.

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You have a company vehicle that you are able to use as you please when you are not at work.  Grocery store, movies, church etc.  That being the case, why do they care where you are when you are not at work?  Is there a list of places that you are not allowed to take the truck?  A certain number of miles you can't go above? If they let you use it for personal reasons, you'd think those things would remain personal, but they obviously don't.  You could always get your own car.

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Don't know if this works...but worth a try (keep receipt) :) :D
Quelima Car Cigarette Lighter GPS Signal Shield Jammer Blocker / $11

20180820170945_90664.jpg?v=1537714610

 

 

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I have a work truck and  a work phone.  But I also have my private vehicle and my  personal cellphone that I keep and use for personal stuff IE this place. I wont even connect my personal phone to the company wifi while at work. They gave me the option to use my personal phone and they reimburse me for the bill, and alot of managers at work take that option, but I like my privacy too much to go that route. Short story is, company truck and phone for company business only. 

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22 hours ago, Kaduk said:

You may want to alter your route from day to day..

FC3F0FB0-5223-47D1-8FF2-F044B31FA8CF.png

I wish!

Perhaps you should get back to reality. But this was a fun tease! LOL!

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8 hours ago, Mustang87 said:

You have a company vehicle that you are able to use as you please when you are not at work.  Grocery store, movies, church etc.  That being the case, why do they care where you are when you are not at work?  Is there a list of places that you are not allowed to take the truck?  A certain number of miles you can't go above? If they let you use it for personal reasons, you'd think those things would remain personal, but they obviously don't.  You could always get your own car.

They care because they like poking around in peoples lives. They can "ping" the GPS and see wherever the vehicle has been and for how long... No mileage restrictions, no gas allowance. All is paid. Except if you "happen" to be at an address that isn't yours you may be questioned about it. I have given up using the company truck for things outside of Home Depot and etc. and started using my own ride, life is simpler as a result. However.....I've had a few "heated" arguments with upper (lower too) management about their system of tracking and I really think I'm winning the argument! YAY me! We shall see!

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8 hours ago, Juanmotai said:

I have a work truck and  a work phone.  But I also have my private vehicle and my  personal cellphone that I keep and use for personal stuff IE this place. I wont even connect my personal phone to the company wifi while at work. They gave me the option to use my personal phone and they reimburse me for the bill, and alot of managers at work take that option, but I like my privacy too much to go that route. Short story is, company truck and phone for company business only. 

Always!

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16 hours ago, JoDoe27 said:

Don’t use the company truck for personal use?

I guess I don’t understand the anger with this one. It’s a company vehicle and it appears they allow some leeway on its use but really I wouldn’t use for much. This is coming from someone having had a company vehicle at a previous employment. It’s no different than using your work computer to do some personal things but I’m sure you’re not using it to view TOB or other questionable sites. 

Read my response to how the "company" tracks you position and your where abouts.

They track the GPS and hammer you with it.

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16 minutes ago, sparkey600 said:

Read my response to how the "company" tracks you position and your where abouts.

They track the GPS and hammer you with it.

I guess I’m still confused about the situation and could very well be overlooking something. Your use of quotes is also kind of throwing me off. 

The company seems to make it absolutely clear they’re tracking you and maybe even given you some guidelines as to where the vehicle can and can’t go. As well as how they intend for you to use it.  It’s a company asset that you don’t own or pay anything to on.  So them tracking the asset and making you aware they’re tracking you doesn’t really seem like an issue to me. I could see if they were on your personal vehicles/equipment but that’s not the case. 

To me, if I’m using anything company related I’m assuming its use is being tracked and logged somewhere. Whether I’m told or not that’s my assumption. And maybe because I work in IT I’ve come to expect this so I know not to abuse those devices. Maybe that’s just me. I understand the idea of privacy and them peeping into your personal time, but you’re willfully bringing them into the mix and upset when they remind you they’re there. I could even see if they were forcing you to use the vehicle, and maybe even give some slack if it were your sole mode of transportation but even then you don’t own it.

TL;DR 

Company asset means forfeiture of any semblance of privacy short of logging sensitive information like your SSN. Beyond that expect them to know exactly what you’re doing. This isn’t Big Brother. This is business you willing signed up for. 

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16 hours ago, JoDoe27 said:

Don’t use the company truck for personal use?

I guess I don’t understand the anger with this one. It’s a company vehicle and it appears they allow some leeway on its use but really I wouldn’t use for much. This is coming from someone having had a company vehicle at a previous employment. It’s no different than using your work computer to do some personal things but I’m sure you’re not using it to view TOB or other questionable sites. 

The problem is this:

A company vehicle is a BENEFIT, an adder to one's salary. When the company adds restrictions to a part of your representative salary and starts adding conditions, there is a problem! In your case, a work computer that the employer could ping to see what else you might be looking at for instance: JC Penny, Best Buy, Sears, or one of a hundred sites you may have visited when you where on "company time" Or in my case on my own time..Perhaps your time on sites that the company  might be in offence or wondering why you were there in the first place might. This is my argument. Salary PLUS benefit. Not benefit with restrictions.

Get it now?

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6 minutes ago, JoDoe27 said:

I guess I’m still confused about the situation and could very well be overlooking something. Your use of quotes is also kind of throwing me off. 

The company seems to make it absolutely clear they’re tracking you and maybe even given you some guidelines as to where the vehicle can and can’t go. As well as how they intend for you to use it.  It’s a company asset that you don’t own or pay anything to on.  So them tracking the asset and making you aware they’re tracking you doesn’t really seem like an issue to me. I could see if they were on your personal vehicles/equipment but that’s not the case. 

To me, if I’m using anything company related I’m assuming its use is being tracked and logged somewhere. Whether I’m told or not that’s my assumption. And maybe because I work in IT I’ve come to expect this so I know not to abuse those devices. Maybe that’s just me. I understand the idea of privacy and them peeping into your personal time, but you’re willfully bringing them into the mix and upset when they remind you they’re there. I could even see if they were forcing you to use the vehicle, and maybe even give some slack if it were your sole mode of transportation but even then you don’t own it.

TL;DR 

Company asset means forfeiture of any semblance of privacy short of logging sensitive information like your SSN. Beyond that expect them to know exactly what you’re doing. This isn’t Big Brother. This is business you willing signed up for. 

No, it isn't Big Brother.

There is no contract, there is no use it here or don't use it there.

Nothing other than use it and take care of it as it belongs to you.

And that I've done to the full extent of what that might mean.

 

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3 minutes ago, sparkey600 said:

No, it isn't Big Brother.

There is no contract, there is no use it here or don't use it there.

Nothing other than use it and take care of it as it belongs to you.

And that I've done to the full extent of what that might mean.

 

Got it. My final take is still pretty much I’m not surprised they’re tracking it, BUT it’s ridiculous they say to use it at your leisure and discretion, and then attempt to use that against you in some weird way. 

I wish you’d have included these tidbits in your OP! LOL! 

One last question; did you know it was being monitored from the beginning or only after someone asked about a specific log? 

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Look into ways of disabling or temporarily turning off your GPS.  I believe its a line of sight antenna so maybe covering the antenna would work?

 

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I am not sure it can be disabled. I was responsible for coordinating the intallation of these devices in the company owned vehicles I was responsible for. Depending on the type of device some hook directly into the vehicle computer and can monitor all vehicle information and diagnostics. That being said they are supposed to be for monitoring company assets and employee safety but once they are installed companies tend to go to far and use them for diciplinary actions. Yes, I have experienced this as well.

The units we had would send an email anytime something out of the ordinary happened and disconnection or no signal was one of them. Hope it works out for you, all I can say is use at your own risk.

They do have their benefit but have their negatives as well.

I will tell you I was able to use it to locate a couple employees that didn't report back to work when they were supposed to. One had been in a wreck and was unable to call, the other was passed out high on crack. But I have had to use it to track employee activity when people would accuse them of different things, sometimes things were proved in the employees favor and some were not.

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On 3/5/2019 at 11:16 PM, sparkey600 said:

I'm wondering why is everything so difficult these days.

I'm lucky enough to have a brand new company truck, I can take it where every I want...Grocery store, Church, Home Depot, Sears, an evening at the worst restaurant you can think of,   BUT with the GPS installed, wherever I want might might not be what the company likes. Problem is they look at EVEYTHING. I have more "get outta jail" answers than most in my company, but really? It's a bothersome experience to say the least.

Makes me angry to say the least. Any thoughts?

The company you work for has provided you  with a work benefit of a company vehicle that you are free to use for personal use on non-company time...if I read you correctly.

Since it is a company paid for and insured vehicle which is more than likely leased, they have every right to track the GPS for mileage, use for work during the work day, etc. The checking for mileage during non-work hours is necessary as well.

They will have to report the use and mileage of the vehicle to the IRS every year for tax purposes. Just like you are required to report this benefit on your taxes.

Since they are providing the vehicle, they have an expectation that it will be used for work purposes during the work day and will not be used for illegal purposes or for you to stop off at a local strip club during the work day.

Where you go on off work hours is probably not one of their concerns.

None of us like big brother watching, but it happens.

If you don’t like them monitoring your usage, I would think you have the right to not accept the vehicle unless it is required for you to complete your company work.

In that case, use it only for work and not personal use.

It is a work benefit that comes with “strings”. These strings are normal for benefits like this. Like it or not.

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On 3/6/2019 at 11:40 PM, sparkey600 said:

The problem is this:

A company vehicle is a BENEFIT, an adder to one's salary. When the company adds restrictions to a part of your representative salary and starts adding conditions, there is a problem! In your case, a work computer that the employer could ping to see what else you might be looking at for instance: JC Penny, Best Buy, Sears, or one of a hundred sites you may have visited when you where on "company time" Or in my case on my own time..Perhaps your time on sites that the company  might be in offence or wondering why you were there in the first place might. This is my argument. Salary PLUS benefit. Not benefit with restrictions.

Get it now?

Get over yourself.

The company has every right to know where the vehicle has been, especially if they pay the insurance on the vehicle.

If you don't like the restrictions on the vehicle, then negotiate for a different benefit.

 

At least your company cares enough to even to give you a vehicle to use.

Most of us don't even get usable healthcare from our employer's due to huge glaring holes in the law that says they have to give us healthcare.

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On 3/6/2019 at 11:40 PM, sparkey600 said:

The problem is this:

A company vehicle is a BENEFIT, an adder to one's salary. When the company adds restrictions to a part of your representative salary and starts adding conditions, there is a problem! In your case, a work computer that the employer could ping to see what else you might be looking at for instance: JC Penny, Best Buy, Sears, or one of a hundred sites you may have visited when you where on "company time" Or in my case on my own time..Perhaps your time on sites that the company  might be in offence or wondering why you were there in the first place might. This is my argument. Salary PLUS benefit. Not benefit with restrictions.

Get it now?

I don't get it either COMPANY property is still COMPANY property... PERIOD they should be able to put any "restrictions" they want. The "benefit" is NOT having to use your own resources to do COMPANY business that is ALL, the benefit DOESNT need to be extended to PERSONAL matters in any way. To me it's one of those things where someone seems to be trying to abuse something past a certain line and bitching when they get in trouble for crossing that line..... You asked for opinions and mine is to grow up.....

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I can see the companies side because- Company vehicle is insured by the company with the company name attached to it. So if anything happens, ie... Accident, theft by chance, said person gets pulled over/caught doing stupid.... Then the company is liable for it and they get their rates raised not the person driving/ using the vehicle. Just throwing that out there too

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You mad coz you can't drive your company truck to your hos?

Don't worry your wife is gonna soon find the nice monthly summary that Google provides every month tracking your whereabouts.;)

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I feel your pain Sparky.  IRS considers the car, company phone, etc. to be taxable income - a benefit equal to actual pay.  But then the company (after favorable tax breaks compared to paying you more to buy your own damn car and mileage!) wants to track, snoop and dictate.  If you drive company car to work it is a major pain to avoid doing anything personal with it, let alone going cross town for a nooner!! Precisely why I refuse company car, phone, etc.  Just fucking pay me, "K?  

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On 3/7/2019 at 7:02 AM, ilovewomen said:

The company you work for has provided you  with a work benefit of a company vehicle that you are free to use for personal use on non-company time...if I read you correctly.

Since it is a company paid for and insured vehicle which is more than likely leased, they have every right to track the GPS for mileage, use for work during the work day, etc. The checking for mileage during non-work hours is necessary as well.

They will have to report the use and mileage of the vehicle to the IRS every year for tax purposes. Just like you are required to report this benefit on your taxes.

Since they are providing the vehicle, they have an expectation that it will be used for work purposes during the work day and will not be used for illegal purposes or for you to stop off at a local strip club during the work day.

Where you go on off work hours is probably not one of their concerns.

None of us like big brother watching, but it happens.

If you don’t like them monitoring your usage, I would think you have the right to not accept the vehicle unless it is required for you to complete your company work.

In that case, use it only for work and not personal use.

It is a work benefit that comes with “strings”. These strings are normal for benefits like this. Like it or not.

Um, then why, when that the company "safety person" comes to town and offers to buy "all of us guys beers" does the local bar "ping" a thousand times, OK 30 times, and that's OK. Drinking a beer or a few is OK as long as it is "team building"  I'm not OK with that. REPEAT I'm not OK with drinking and operating a company vehicle and I'm...  Something out of the ordinary is not OK.

I stand by my previous thread, it's BS! in my opinion.

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On 3/8/2019 at 8:09 AM, 2Big said:

You mad coz you can't drive your company truck to your hos?

Don't worry your wife is gonna soon find the nice monthly summary that Google provides every month tracking your whereabouts.;)

Nope, she likez Hos too Bro! Only the classy ones I have to admit!

Nice try tho,

Try again!

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On 3/8/2019 at 2:05 AM, Coloseeker said:

Get over yourself.

The company has every right to know where the vehicle has been, especially if they pay the insurance on the vehicle.

If you don't like the restrictions on the vehicle, then negotiate for a different benefit.

 

At least your company cares enough to even to give you a vehicle to use.

Most of us don't even get usable healthcare from our employer's due to huge glaring holes in the law that says they have to give us healthcare.

And that's why you don't support Unions.(off on a tangent) (my friends know) You don't have good heath care? Why, I have FANTASTIC heath care. You don't have a good retirement? I have a FANTASTIC retirement. I'm on track to be retired to making more money than I'm making now! negotiations are through the UNION I belong to. 

"You"...I don't need a  UNION because "my boss will take care of me because I'm a hard little worker". Right..... Check with someone over 50 years old....

Get over yourself your Own damn self. You have no idea what you happen to about arguing in your own petty way against. Do you think for yourself or do you think or someone might? I wonder. And I doubt.

Your are nothing special and it will prove to be true when your knees are giving out, your back is bad and you are finally ready to retire and there is NOTHING but a hundred thousand in your 401k to retire on. Think about it!

I'm treated like a  KING in my company. Anything I want is mine for the asking. Truth be told I don't ask for a lot. I don't have ask. (beauty for being a Union) and a very productive employee...

But why you, who have stated that you don't have good health care or a company vehicle, or many of the benefits  that a Union can offer would argue against me when all I'm doing is trying to "right" a something that is "wrong" So you think offering a company vehicle to "use as your OWN vehicle, wherever you choose, even out of State" is subject to being pinged by the GPS? I think NOT! Again, if the Company vehicle is offered as part of base pay. Even a person like like you might thin this is a bum deal.

But, 

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Facts formyou to keep in mind:

1. You are an employee of this Company

2. The Company has supplied you with a tool to do your job 

3. The tool that they have provided is a Company Vehicle which is a Company Asset not a personal vehicle they have given to you 

4. The Company has a right to control and know how this very expensive tool is being used, just like a hammer, wrench, power drill, etc.

5. If you abuse, mis-use, lose this Company tool, they can at their option take away the tool and make you buy your own tools or replace the tool

6 If the Company wants to use GPS to track where and how this tool is being used, that is their right. Ask any attorney. Ask your union. You don’t have to like it, but that is their perogative.

7. You are an employee of the Company. Never forget that you are an employee and are replaceable.

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