Staff at the City of Lockport, Ill., have recommended the city begin a pilot program to install GPS units on 14 public works vehicles, which include all snow plows. The City Council is scheduled to vote on the project at a meeting tonight.

The goal of implementation is to help personnel gather data and improve routine maintenance for snow removal and street sweeping. The system is also expected to aid in fuel costs, provide dispatch ability to find the nearest vehicle in an emergency, and provide reports.

The lower of the two quotes came from Synovia, with an initial cost of $3,038 for the hardware and first month. The five-year service agreement would include data hosting, installation, training, software updates, and an engine diagnostics GPS hardware kit. The city has agreed to spend $238 per month, or $2,856 per year, for the service contract covering the 14 vehicles.