Sometimes we tend to overcomplicate things, and especially so with IoT-based projects. Yet there are examples of some very effective IoT-based deployments that can be both simple and inexpensive to deploy. A prime example of this is a partnership created by LA County and California State University, Los Angeles senior students. What they have built together will change the way the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department manages its entire vehicle fleet. Once implemented, the system will eliminate paperwork, improve use of county resources, decrease maintenance costs, and simplify the process for authorizing and reporting usage of county vehicles. What is compelling about this story is not just the project itself, but the win-win scenario that is created by this type of partnership between enterprise organizations and students who aspire for a career in the IoT. Apparently, there is a lot that the teachers can learn from the students in the IoT economy.
Public-sector employees know the drill only too well: Before taking an official vehicle on official business, set aside some time for paperwork: filling in forms with one’s name, employee ID number, time, date, current odometer reading, starting address, destination address, reason for trip and several other fields.
