Chickasaw supervisors ask staff to study GPS tracking for county equipment

Chickasaw County supervisors directed staff to further study GPS and equipment-tracking systems after Safety Director Renee Carey presented survey data showing most responding counties use tracking for secondary roads and fleet operations.

Carey said she solicited information from other counties and received 26 replies; 24 said they use vehicle tracking. Vendors mentioned in the meeting included Dynamic Data and Verizon Connect with pricing examples ranging from less than $5 per unit per month to several hundred dollars per unit depending on features such as cameras and telematics. "It can all be tracked — plow up, plow down," Carey said, noting benefits for insurance claims, blade maps and DOT compliance.

Supervisors and department representatives discussed who would pay for a system — department budgets, an IT centralized model, or a mixed approach — and whether the sheriff's office already has compatible technology. Several supervisors supported getting formal presentations and cost comparisons before committing county staff time to implementation.

What happens next: Staff will arrange vendor demonstrations and return with detailed cost estimates and options for centralized vs. departmental funding.