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Live/Real Time Mapping
As you might expect from the name, live/real time mapping means that the location of your vehicles is plotted against a map as they move, therefore providing you with the exact location of where they are 24/7.
Most of the different pieces of software will allow the user to specify how they want to view the position of a vehicle, usually by simply zooming in and out, therefore meaning that it is much easier to plan routes and keep tabs on the safety of the vehicle. Every time the user computer receives an update from the vehicle, the page will usually refresh and the vehicle will display its new position. So that you can further track a vehicle’s progress, most systems will also allow a retrospective look at the vehicle’s route, therefore giving further information about how the journey has gone and whether the route could be improved.
Live mapping is one of the most basic features of any tracking system and as such it is included in nearly all of the tracking systems on sale. If you don’t feel that you need it though then you can make some massive savings by not using it or by picking a company that doesn’t offer it.
Satellite Overlay
A satellite overlay is basically what you see if you use something like Google Maps: an aerial photograph of the land, which has a road system plotted over the top of it by the software. In fact, most of the tracking systems actually use Google Maps for their satellite pictures, although some use the rival service offered by Bing instead. Obviously the biggest benefit of this feature is that it is possible to further understand exactly where your vehicle is. For example, you might think that your vehicle has broken down on a motorway, as it is not moving, however using the satellite imagery you will be able to see that the vehicle is in fact in a petrol station and not broken down as you feared.
Reports
Reports are perhaps the single most important part of any vehicle tracking system, as they mean that you can analyze all of the different data from a vehicle’s journey, therefore meaning that you can make improvements in efficiency based on the information received. There are a massive amount of different types of reports available, but some of the most popular ones are:
- Daily Activity – This shows all of the activity that a specific vehicle does in a certain day. This will include data such as: where the journey started and finished, the times that the journey started and finished, the distance of the journey and how long the vehicle was idle for. This type of report will also usually provide a general report as well, meaning that it is easy to read and act on quickly.
- Daily Visits – This will shows the places that the different vehicles have visited and the time that they spent there. This is obviously very helpful in ensuring that drivers are meeting their quota and that they are spending the correct amount of time at each location.
- Driver Performance – This is very helpful, as it will help you analyze the way in which a driver has driven. Details such as their idling time, journeys that exceed their maximum allowance, any instances of speeding and the times that they started and finished work.
- Vehicle Idling – Vehicle idling is something that can cost a company a huge amount in fuel, but it is something that can easily be avoided. You can set a range of the amount of time that a vehicle can be idle for – usually about 5 minutes – and reports will be generated whenever a vehicle exceeds this amount.
Alerts and Notifications
Alerts are a feature that many users of tracking services have come to rely on, as they are incredibly helpful when trying to monitor the way that vehicles move or are driven. They are able to be delivered in a large amount of different ways – email, SMS, “in application” messages – therefore meaning that you will never miss an important alert, regardless of where you are. Below are some of the more common alert types that tracking systems offer their customers:
- Location Based – This will send an alert whenever a vehicle enters (or exits) a predefined area. This has many uses, such as whether the driver is making unauthorized visits – maybe to their home – or whether a driver is approaching a job
- Late/Early – As the name suggests, this will show when a vehicle arrives at a location either late or early, so that you can ensure that they are punctual and therefore providing good customer service.
- Idling – As already mentioned, idling is something that can cost a business a lot of money. This type of alert will notify you when a vehicle goes over a predefined amount of time while idling, therefore allowing for fuel to be saved.
- Driver Activated – These are otherwise known as “panic buttons” and are very useful for drivers who often attend jobs alone or during unsociable hours. As soon as the button is pressed, an alert will be delivered, therefore meaning that assistance can be arranged.
Geofence/POI/Ring Fence/Landmark
Four different names, but in realty the difference between them is negligible. In reality, they are just different names used by manufacturers to describe a certain system. The POI system basically means that you can add a landmark or building to the mapping system that is relevant to the business – such as a depot or a customer’s address – and when the vehicle gets close, an alert will be sent.
A Geofence/Ring Fence is essentially the same system, but there is one small difference; as well as being able to assign a name to an area, it will also monitor the area to provide alerts regarding any vehicles that enter in or out of the predetermined area. This is usually used for places like your office or home.
CAN-bus Integration
The vast majority of vehicles made these days will have a CAN-bus system built into them, which is a system that means that all Electronic Control Units (ECUs) can communicate with each other easily. It works by allowing the tracking system to be connected to it, which then means that it is able to communicate with the tracking application. Huge amounts of different data can be found out through using the CAN-bus integration, such as the MPG, odometer readings and the engine revs, which will all help to save money if they are monitored. It will also allow you to ascertain how well a vehicle is being driven, so that employee safety can be maintained.
One thing that you should look out for is whether your vehicles do have CAN-bus integration, as this is not always the case for vehicles manufactured before 2001. If this is the case, then make sure that you do not end up spending extra money on a system that supports this, as it will obviously turn out to be money that is spent on something that can’t be used.
Driver ID
Driver ID systems are different depending on the tracking company that you choose to use, but they all have the same purpose. They all mean that the driver must carry a special tag with them that emits a radio frequency, or occasionally a card that contains data on it. When the system detects this device, it will report back regarding the person currently driving the vehicle in real time, therefore meaning that you can keep good records of the vehicle’s usage. It is even possible to set it up so that the vehicle will not start unless a driver ID is present, which will protect against theft.
Driver Terminal/MDT (Mobile Data Terminal)
This is an invaluable tool, as it allows drivers to communicate with the office without having to pull over and therefore waste time on their journey. It is a screen that sits on the dashboard, which has the facility to allow two way messaging, which can be used for giving directions to the driver or possibly for the driver to update the office as to when they are getting close to a location. There are also a number of predefined messages usually stored on the system, which makes it easy for drivers to send messages quickly.
Temperature Monitoring
This is a very simple device that senses the temperature of the inside of a vehicle or trailer. This means that certain goods can be transported in the correct environment and should the temperature get too hot or too cold, a notification will be sent, therefore meaning that action can be taken to remedy the problem.
Panic Button
As you probably already know, this is a button that can be pressed by the driver in the event of an emergency. This is then relayed in real time back to another member of staff, either as an email, SMS or on the actual application being used (or all three). This is obviously an invaluable tool for increasing the safety of staff and ensures that all staff are correctly protected.
PTO (Power Take Off)
This is a lesser known attribute to some tracking systems, and it essentially allows the user to monitor whether a certain electrical feed is being used on a vehicle, such as those that operate tail lifts, tippers or cranes. When these are used, the PTO will let the user know in real time, therefore meaning that they can monitor the event and make notes regarding when it occurred.
This feature is incredibly popular with places such as councils, who want to make sure that their road sweepers and gritters are covering the area evenly. Building companies also often use the feature, as it allows them to know what type of work was occurring in what location at any time of the day. They can even use it to work out where different materials were loaded and unloaded, so that they can keep a track of their assets.
Remote Immobilization
This is a feature that means that a stationary vehicle can be immobilized from a remote location, simply by using the application installed on the computer (or through the web application). This is particularly useful for companies that hire out vehicles a lot, as it means that they can prevent any unauthorized use of the vehicle and also discourage any vehicle thefts.
