Clarification: Wisconsin GPS Tracking Ban

Clarification: Wisconsin GPS Tracking Ban

 

The Wisconsin Assembly has recently passed a bill banning GPS tracking. The bill now heads to the Wisconsin Senate for approval…

We at GPS Trackit want to clarify exactly what this ban covers and how the bill will be used, as other states will probably soon follow suit.

The bill language is very simple and straightforward (hard to believe, we know). The proposed Wisconsin GPS tracking ban is specifically for “using GPS to secretly track someone.”

Meaning, this bill is about putting a GPS tracking device on another person’s vehicle without their knowledge or obtaining information about their movement using a GPS tracking device. If found guilty, it would be a misdemeanor and punishable by up to $10,000 in fines and nine months in jail.

GPS tracking for business use is different. A business can put a GPS tracking device on vehicles they own in order to track and monitor them.

There are many advantages to GPS tracking for businesses, such as:

  • Improve driver efficiency

  • Improve driver safety

  • Improve driver to office communication

  • Reduce gas usage

  • Reduce labor costs

  • Route optimization

  • Reduce maintenance costs

  • Historic vehicle history

  • Vehicle recovery in case of theft

  • More accurate billing to customers

  • Better customer service

  • Monitor after hour usage

Businesses have no obligation to notify their employees that they are using GPS tracking devices to monitor their work vehicles.

The Wisconsin bill addresses only the “covert” tracking of individuals.