Getting There: County taps GPS for real-time plow tracking
A real-time tracking system for Spokane County snowplows got a big test two weeks ago when 10 inches of snow blanketed the area over two days.
The county is testing the digitized system that will tell the public which of its 2,500 miles of roads have been plowed during and after winter storms.
Drivers can call up a county map on the Web to get minute-by-minute updates.
“I think it’s going to be a valuable tool,” County Engineer Bob Brueggeman told county commissioners last week.
The map can be found at snowplowing.spokanecounty.org.
Officials said GPS satellites and telecommunication connections feed plowing data into computers. Each of the county’s 85 plows, sanders and deicers is equipped with GPS technology that is linked to the vehicle’s mechanical systems.
When the plow goes down, the truck’s electronics transmit that information to the computer of a private vendor. That information, in turn, is relayed to the county’s computer, which converts it onto the county’s geographical information system. It then ends up on the website plow map.
Startup: Portland-based BikeTrak helps owners track down their stolen bike ...
Kris Akins moved to Portland for its bike-friendly culture. Three and a half years later, she's riding her third bike. Thieves stole the others, even plucking one right out of her garage.She hasn't tracked down either, but if No. 3 goes missing she'll know where to find it.
Akins' frustrations led to BikeTrak , a small gadget that can pinpoint the movement of stolen bikes through GPS technology. Owners can use BikeTrak's data to track down their bikes and share the details with police.
The idea has drawn support from Portland's cycling community, especially among shop owners and bicycle manufacturers who see it as an added guarantee for buyers. It also beat out two other startups at this month's Seed Oregon PubTalk championship sponsored by the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network. The win gives her a chance to spotlight BikeTrak at the Angel Oregon investors conference in April.
Akins recruited local entrepreneur Monty Goodson to help develop BikeTrak's technology
