o many operators, ehicle tracking systems re exotic gadgets of
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enefit only to those arrying high-value loads, uch as drinks and lectronics. Attitudes are hanging fast, though. nformation on where our vehicles have been, s well as where they are, now considered vital nowledge that can be sed to deliver other enef its. Tracking ystems are also losing their expensive price tags, hanks to companies such as Vehicle Solutions and linorplanet. Equipment can he leased for various eriods and location fixes cost as little as 2p a time. baron Clancy reviews the IT equipment that can oost your efficiency.
Vehicie tracking is now often called automatic vehicle location (AV1), reflecting the change in emphasis from constant live tracking to tile ability to locate a vehicle at any point on its journey, either in real-time or historically. AVL can work in a variety of ways. Several companies offer satellite vehicle tracking but they almost all use the US government's Global Positioning System (CPS). The 24 GPS satellites were put into orbit for military use, but the Americans reckon there are currently four million civilian users worldwide.
The GPS receiver compares signals from a number of satellites; this locates the truck by its latitude and longitude. The GPS system is capable of location to within one metre, although civilian signals are downgraded: 100m was the closest, but now the Americans are allowing 20m accuracy.
Euteltracs, which is a joint venture between satellite company Eutelsats and French communications company Alcatel, uses satellites for communication as well as location. Alcatel offers a series of options, including messaging and mapping systems; this system is available as an option on Renault trucks.
Vehicles equipped with communications software can be located using the GSM cellular telephone network, although accuracy depends on the density of the network's transmitters at a given point. Dolphin Telecom offers Wave Telecom's FleetTrack AVL applications on its TETRA network.
Yet another tracking method is used by Datatrak, which locates vehicles via low-frequency radio waves sent from 14 transmitters covering 95% of UK roads. Datatrak was developed by Securicor for its cash-intransit vehicles but it was bought last August by electronics and communications group Siemens.
Vehicle-based location units receive the signal every two minutes, transmitting data on the vehicle's position, speed, direction and status to a base station. The signal is relayed to one of five Datatrak computer centres which pass it at pre-defined intervals to the customer's display system via dedicated phone lines, or the Internet.
Satellite tracking has traditionally been the most expensive option, partly because communication as well as positioning had to be via satellite. Today, however, many vehicles use the satellite just to position themselves, transmitting the data back to base via the GSM network, radio and wireless data networks or the Internet. At around 5p a time data transmission is relatively cheap—it's the voice calls home that can send costs rocketing.
You can usually pre-set how often a vehicle updates its position. If you're tracking vehicles for route analysis, for example, you might only want an update at each delivery point.
Some tracking systems automatically interrogate the vehicle about its location according to predefined parameters, so no action is required by the driver. On other systems, however, the driver or an on-board communications unit must respond to a prompt from base.
The location data is then superimposed on mapping systems which track the vehicle's movements, either live or as a report. Maps can show various levels, from A-roads right down to street level.
What's available
Siemens Datatrak Location and Information Systems is the arm of Siemens which produces Datatrak, Trakbak and Easitrak vehicle location products.
The best known secure tracking systems for highvalue loads on the market are Tracker (produced by a company of the same name) and Datatrak.
Siemens Trakbak incorporates a vehicle immobiliser and battery motion sensor which automatically sends a signal to the Trakbak Bureau if the vehicle is moved illegally. It in turn alerts the customer and liaises with the police, while tracking the vehicle's position to effect a recovery.
Datatrak offers various levels of tracking. The Commbase real-time vehicle status and location reporting system costs from E15 per vehicle per week; Easitrak at £11 per vehicle per week is aimed at fleets with up to 10 vehicles.
Multicomms Locator gives Datatrak users international coverage for the first time by switching automatically to GPS-GSM when a vehicle leaves the Datatrak radio-controlled area.
Tracker's stolen vehicle recovery network relies on vehicle tracking, and it remains the only company able to claim that all 52 UK police authorities have at least one Tracker-equipped vehicle in their fleets. Tracker has also developed the Tracker Communicator fleet management package which combines GPS and tSM technologies. Rental agreements start at £30 per month for a 12-month contract.
Vehicle Solutions incorporates ISDN technology in its V-Sol 2000 tracking and communications system. Systems are sold on three, four or five-year leases: on a five-year plan the vehicle unit costs from £45 for basic tracking to £63 per month for the full system, with depot-based units costing from £68.
lsotrak has added a lowercost entry-level version to its incab units. All the services associated with vehicle tracking including route planning and data processing are handled via the Internet. The actual applications such as routeing are not held in the transport operator's office but on Isotrak's own server. Operators download services and information via the Web.
Global Telematies is making its Orchid tracking system available to smaller fleets via a bureau service; operators pay a monthly subscription for each vehicle.
Trafficmaster's Fleetstar GPS-based vehicle tracking and fleet management system feeds tracking data directly into a software system installed on the user's PC. Prices start at £29.95 a month, including mobile communication costs.
Trafficmaster says there are no airtime fees, software licences or mapping charges.
Trailer tracking
Checking the whereabouts of every trailer in a multidepot company can be a time-consuming job, but trailer utilisation is vital for optimum efficiency.
Susie-Track, from vehicle tracking specialist TMC Innovations, is a GPS-GSM trailer tracking system comprising a sensor that detects coupling and uncoupling and a control unit called the Trailer Power and Signal Information Conditioner (TraPaS1C) which passes on all sensor and signal information.
The integral tracking unit stays in sleep mode until it is activated, either by its report timer or if a status change occurs. When active it can be polled by sending a position request message, or it can receive a command from base to trigger a pre defined action. If the trailer data satellite is stolen the After-Theft Recovery option tracks the trailer.
Susie-Track has its own 144 sealed lead-acid battery and DC charger; the battery automatically charges when connected to a tractor.
Trailer builder Schmitz has developed a tracking system in collaboration with Euteitracs signals bounce back and forth between the truck and the satellite. Minorplanet. Tracking systems an reefers evolved as way to download temperature data at regular Intel vals via the Internet; Thermo King has pioneered h extension to vehicle tracking.
Truck manufacturers
The major manufacturers have started to offer veh cle monitoring systems as options on new model DaimierChrysler developed its in-house FleetBoar system to remotely download vehicle operating dal but has since added other functions.
Volvo's Dynafleet can be fitted in any truck, not jw Volvos, and it is modular, so you can start off with basic package and add more sophistication as yot operation demands it—Volvo reckons it can save up I 15% in fuel costs alone.
MAN has established a separate telematics divisk to exploit the potential of its TG-4 range, while Renau operators can now specify the Alcatel system.