GPS World

Tag: fleet tracking

  • Sensor Fusion by STMicroelectronics Enables 3D Navigation for Drivers

     

    STMicroelectronics is bringing next-generation satellite navigation to today’s drivers with the launch of enhanced, always-available, always-accurate 3D positioning on its TESEO III automotive-navigation integrated circuits (ICs).

    The new TESEO DRAW firmware for ST’s multi-constellation positioning chips enables navigation devices to provide continuous, accurate location and turn-by-turn instructions even when satellite signals are poor or unavailable, such as in tunnels, covered car parks, or multi-level highways. TESEO DRAW also enhances performance in built-up areas, such as in urban canyons, where conventional navigation systems can lose accuracy.

    TESEO DRAW merges the satellite information with data from vehicle sensors such as the gyroscope, accelerometer and wheel-speed sensors, to calculate location accurately in three dimensions including elevation. If the satellite signal is poor, TESEO DRAW compensates for the loss of accuracy, and if the signal becomes unavailable, navigation continues uninterrupted based on calculated location (dead reckoning). Road tests carried out by ST in difficult under-cover and urban environments have demonstrated continuous tracking from entry to exit in complex multi-level car parks, and at street level between tall buildings, where conventional systems have been unable to track the vehicle.

    By enabling high-accuracy 3D dead reckoning, TESEO DRAW expands the opportunities for developers to commercialize new applications, the company said.

     

    “TESEO DRAW strengthens GNSS performance and eliminates barriers to continuity, enabling exciting new services to emerge,” said Fabio Marchiò, Microcontroller and Infotainment Division general manager, Automotive Product Group, STMicroelectronics. “Users can also experience significant improvements in existing services such as fleet tracking, eCall, or ERA-GLONASS emergency response, usage-based insurance, road tolling, and anti-theft systems.”

    TESEO DRAW firmware has multiple modes and is capable of referring to sensors on the vehicle’s CAN bus or discrete sensors such as the odometer, reverse sensor, MEMS accelerometer and gyroscope, or MEMS inertial module connected to the TESEO III IC.

    ST is a supplier of MEMS motion sensors for automotive navigation, telematics and vehicle alarm systems, and is a provider of navigation engines with its TESEO IC family. With the launch of TESEO DRAW firmware, ST is able to provide a unified platform comprising navigation engines, 3D positioning capability and motion sensors.

    TESEO III ICs loaded with the new TESEO DRAW firmware are sampling now, and will enter mass production in Q1 2016.

  • Omnitracs Subsidiary XRS Features Integrations to Transportation Management Software

    XRS Corporation, a subsidiary of Omnitracs LLC and provider of mobile trucking intelligence solutions, has announced integrations with Innovative IES and Appian DirectRoute transportation management software, both from TMW.

    The newly integrated solutions are in addition to existing XRS integrations with TruckMate and TMWSuite software, also from TMW, and deliver enhanced operational visibility to fleets using both XRS and TMW platforms.

    The integrated XRS solutions with TMW offer tangible benefits to drivers and to back-office personnel. Fleet managers can access vehicle and driver-specific data sourced from the XRS mobile fleet management solution directly through their TMW applications.

    The streamlined information delivery saves time and eliminates the need to flip from one screen to another to access data from different systems. Furthermore, the availability of driver hours of service data from the XRS electronic logging device application within the TMS itself can help fleets improve driver and tractor use, as well as ensure they are HOS-compliant.

    Also, drivers can now view routing and other driver-specific information from TMW software on their mobile devices. This simplified information delivery can streamline back-office to driver communication, reduce the likelihood of error, and lead to improved driver satisfaction and enhanced customer service.

    “We continue to expand our stable of integrations, so that we are able to work with all major TMS solutions in the market. Our driver-centric integration with TMW solutions delivers significant value to our shared customers. Working with our industry partners, we’re continuing to make accurate data, including critical dispatch and routing information, easily accessible and even easier to share,” said Jon Van Winkle, vice president of product management for XRS. “These integrations allow drivers to focus on driving, without being bogged down by the cumbersome — and error-prone — task of manually entering data, while ensuring dispatchers have real-time updates to keep customers happy.”

    “We have a long-standing relationship with XRS and these new integrations round out the suite of combined solutions available to meet and exceed the expectations of our shared customers,” stated Brian Larwig, VP and general manager, Appian, for TMW Systems. “The integration of the XRS Trip Management application with our Appian routing and tracking solutions makes possible the automatic route import and real-time trip activity updates from XRS Mobile, to deliver added value to the fleets we serve.”

    The XRS platform, which runs on certified smartphones, tablets and rugged handhelds, provides drivers with a familiar interface for day-to-day operations and compliance. There are no additional, up-front hardware costs when the certified mobile devices are already in use, allowing fleets to immediately adopt the technology.

  • WorkWave Launches Fleet Management App for Transportation Companies

    WorkWave, a provider of cloud-based field service management and “last mile” fleet management software solutions, has unveiled WorkWave Fleet, its mobile-first flexible route planning solution.

    WorkWave Fleet helps field service and transportation and logistics businesses save time and costs while increasing capacity by better managing their mobile workforce with unique mobile capabilities.

    “WorkWave Fleet allows for automating the dispatching and monitoring process to help keep our service levels high, with less overhead. Real-time dispatching gives us the flexibility we need to manage a dynamic environment,” said Ryan Walter, Co-founder of The Compost Crew, a Maryland-based organization aimed at collecting organic materials from local communities to be composted and used to replenish soil.

    Typical productivity improvements for businesses that adopt WorkWave Fleet include:

    • 20% reduction in drive time
    • 30% reduction in mileage
    • 25% reduction in overall costs
    • 22% increase in capacity

    “WorkWave continues to help its clients by saving them time and costs, while increasing capacity and on-time performance with the rollout of WorkWave Fleet,” said Chris Sullens, president and CEO of WorkWave. “Our new cloud-based application is designed to be simple to use and deploy, making it ideal for small to medium sized fleets, yet powerful enough to be used by enterprise clients. It enables businesses to easily make competitive commitments to customers while boosting responsiveness to last minute requests thanks to advanced functionality that raises the bar for mobile workforce productivity and instantly delivers savings, ROI and allows our clients to delight their customers.”

    In addition to WorkWave Fleet’s core flexible route-planning capabilities, the new solution also features:

    • What-if Scenarios: Drag-and-drop functionality visualizes how changes impact performance to enable rapid scheduling and smarter planning.
    • Mobile Execution: Automatically updates progress from drivers, logs arrival and departure times, and allows for rescheduling requests.
    • Intra-Day Planning: Reschedule in real-time to avoid problems, update customers with courtesy calls, integrate with your system to provide ETAs via text or dispatch another vehicle.
    • Dramatic improvements to user interface, schedule management and path to ROI.
    • Rapid Deploy: An intuitive design and user interface that allows customers to learn the application in hours and deploy almost instantly after purchasing with no expensive and time consuming professional services.
    • Robust API: Connect directly to your own ERP, WMS, CRM or Customer Database to receive real-time updates within your own system and automate import/export operations and changes seamlessly.

    WorkWave plans additional enhancements to WorkWave Fleet in 2015, including full integration with WorkWave GPS, its cloud-based telematics solution that tracks vehicle location, monitors drive behavior, and provides instant events-based alerts from any device.

  • PodsystemM2M Announces Partnership Program at CTIA

    Gurtam, Betaar3 and Gosafe to Participate

     

    PodsystemM2M, which specializes in multi-network data solutions for the M2M and Internet of Things (IoT) industries, announced a new partnership program for providers of M2M and IoT hardware and software that aims to fast track solutions to market by providing tried and tested components for companies looking to develop end-to-end solutions. The announcement was made at CTIA Super Mobility 2015, held in Las Vegas Sept. 8-11.

    The program has the support of software solutions providers Gurtam, Betaar3 and Gosafe, who provide hardware for fleet management solutions. The aim is to create a community in each sector enabling developers to choose the best components for their product and get advice from M2M experts. The first sector covered is GPS tracking for fleet management and logistics.

    Gurtam provides a powerful fleet intelligence software platform called Wialon, which allows GPS tracking solution companies to deliver a feature-rich and cost-effective service to end-user fleets globally. The platform is used by more than 650 solution providers on five continents.

    Betaar3 is a global provider of mobile workforce solutions for service-based businesses of all sizes delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS).

    Gosafe develops and distributes GPS fleet management products including hardware and software solutions that utilize existing wireless network infrastructures to provide web-based vertical applications to commercial customers as well as consumers. Gosafe’s products are sold in more than 100 countries.

    “We are excited to partner with Podsystem and be in a position to recommend them as a connectivity provider with an excellent track record for reliable service and outstanding customer experience,” Gurtam Managing Director Sergei Leuchanka said in a press release. “Choices for connectivity are vast, but not many providers can boast the same level of staff dedication and technical capabilities that many of our customers in North America have come to expect from Podsystem.”

     

  • DIRECTV Subscribes to Fleetmatics for Service Fleet

    Fleetmatics Group PLC, a global provider of mobile workforce solutions for service-based businesses of all sizes delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS), has entered into a master subscription services agreement with DIRECTV to enhance tracking, driver safety and on-time arrivals for its fleet of vehicles that are making service calls.

    Fleetmatics says its REVEAL is a powerful yet simple-to-use fleet management solution designed to drive cost savings and improve productivity for mobile workforces. Fleetmatics REVEAL+ enables enterprise customers with larger fleets, such as DIRECTV, to manage complex organizational structures and large numbers of users, as well as to deliver actionable executive level business intelligence across the entire enterprise.

    “Fleetmatics’ advanced tracking system offers the ideal mobile workforce solution for DIRECTV’s field-based operations,” said David Baker, senior vice president of Field Services for DIRECTV. “This partnership will help our business operate more efficiently while continuing to deliver on our promise of industry-leading customer service.”

    “With more than 6,200 new subscriptions, we look forward to delivering actionable business intelligence to DIRECTV,” said Jill Ward, president and CEO of Fleetmatics. “By arming thousands of DIRECTV vehicles with the most powerful telematics solution for the enterprise, we’re helping the company drive cost efficiencies and increase field service worker productivity.”

    DIRECTV is a provider of digital television entertainment services to more than 39 million customers in the U.S. and Latin America.

  • Fleetmatics’ Intelligent Routing Tool Coming This Summer

    Fleetmatics’ Intelligent Routing Tool Coming This Summer

    Fleetmatics_Routist_Screen-O

    A new routing program from Fleetmatics Group is coming this summer. Fleetmatics Routist is an intelligent routing optimization solution that systematically builds the most cost-effective, customer-friendly routes for fleets.

    Fleetmatics Routist seamlessly calculates and deploys route plans to drivers in the field, and features real-time and historical data that gives users the most holistic view into routing performance, the company said.

    Fleetmatics Routist operates by taking locations, vehicles, time windows, technician skills, and costs and capacities into consideration, among other inputs, while remaining simple and intuitive for customers to use. Fleetmatics Routist also incorporates historical traffic data into its algorithm, elevating traffic and routing optimization effectiveness for customers operating in metropolitan areas.

    “Inefficient routing wastes minutes, miles and money, leaving on-time arrivals and important elements of customer satisfaction to chance,” said Jill Ward, president and chief operating officer of Fleetmatics. “Customers that choose Fleetmatics Routist won’t have to worry about manual or time-consuming routing, and we fully expect the benefits will extend to their customers, as well.”

    Fleetmatics Routist’s robust feature set, offered to customers as an add-on module, will integrate into the Fleetmatics REVEAL fleet management solution, helping it to become one of the most effective routing optimization solutions known to be available today. Customers can import work orders from electronic files or integration with their order management software, select the drivers involved in the plan, and get a cost efficient and customer satisfying route, Fleetmatics said.

    Route planners can make adjustments to the plan based on their own business insight, and then deploy to the field. Route plans can be delivered effortlessly to drivers via the Fleetmatics REVEAL Field Application for smartphone and mobile devices, via Garmin integrated devices or simple route sheets printed at the office.

    Once the routes are live, dispatchers and managers stay current on a driver’s progress against route stops in real-time on the Fleetmatics REVEAL live map and can make real-time adjustments as needed. When the day is done, actual versus plan analysis is available to compare the stops made by drivers against the work orders provided, so managers can provide appropriate coaching around route deviations and the impact of field activity on customer satisfaction.

    Register here to receive additional information and notice of Fleetmatics Routist’s availability.

  • Fleetmatics Report Shows Retail Sales Correlate with Fleet Activity

    Fleetmatics has released the second edition of its FleetBeat Report, an in-depth analysis of tens of billions of data points extracted from thousands of commercial fleets managed using the company’s Software as a service (SaaS) platform over a span of four years. The report, “FleetBeat, Vol. 2: The Economy in Motion,” was co-authored by Stephen Fuller, Ph.D., professor and director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University.

    Fleetmatics says the data included in the report reveals that performance of small businesses in the services industry directly reflects the health of the economy.

    “It has long been said that retail sales trends are often impacted by the health of small business,” said Jim Travers, chairman and chief executive officer of Fleetmatics. “Fleetmatics is uniquely positioned to analyze small business services activity given we have one of the largest fleet management data clouds in the world. Also, our customers are typically in the earlier phases of consumer consumption, such as distribution of goods and home deliveries.”

    fleetmatics_infographic_fleetbeat2

    As outlined in the report, the data extracted from Fleetmatics fleet management data cloud suggests that performance of small business services companies can be a highly credible indicator of national and regional economic health, even under changing conditions. The report also looks at small business services performance and retail sales in four Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), and concludes that geographic features can significantly define regional small business activity profiles.

    “This is truly a groundbreaking new report, viewed from the perspective of the fleet management industry,” said Fuller. “Based on Fleetmatics’ FleetBeat second edition report, Fleetmatics data explains much of the variation and growth in retail sales. Furthermore, when comparing the Fleetmatics’ small business service fleet activity data with the retail sales data from Moody’s and the U.S. Bureau of Census, it’s clear the two data sets exhibit an extremely high correlation. I believe the ability to analyze real-time telematics data can now be considered an accurate data source on the small business flow of goods and service.”

    With a dataset of over 10.7 billion telematics-generated data points from commercial vehicles managed with the Company’s SaaS platform in the United States, the report used regression analysis to compare the data with national monthly retail sales data.

    There were eight telematics-derived, independent parameters considered in the analysis, both in aggregate and at the per vehicle level, including those related to mileage, number of vehicle stops, mileage per stop, number of active vehicle days per month and number of vehicles active in a month. The data was drawn from small business customers defined as entities having fleets from 5 to 100 vehicles, and only fleets from business types that were related to or supporting retail and service sectors were considered.

    The report also examined regional differences that drive activities of small business services companies in four markets: New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Miami. The result was an in-depth breakdown of the most prominent indicators of small business economic activity and correlation to retails sales in each core market.

    Fleetmatics’ first FleetBeat report highlighted the economic impact of telematics adoption and quantifiable benefits of business intelligence-driven fleet management. The report found that the total estimated economic impact of commercial fleet vehicles armed with telematics – assuming everyone had the same results as Fleetmatics’ optimized customers – would amount to $2.2 billion in fuel savings, a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions by 5 tons per year and $34.9 billion in total cost savings due to decrease in payroll hours.

  • GPSTrackIt.com Fleet Manager Now Supports Multiple Vehicle Groups

    Photo: GPSTrackIt.com
    Photo: GPSTrackIt.com

    GPSTrackIt.com has added the ability to allow vehicles in Fleet Manager, its fleet and mobile workforce management system, to simultaneously belong to multiple groups. The feature enables groups to be “nested,” expanding the reporting and alerting capabilities of Fleet Manager.

    “A vehicle belonging to more than a single group now appears in the list for each group selected,” said Eddie Bermudez, GPSTrackIt.com’s product development manager. “Units in two groups will appear twice, once in each group.”

    Vehicle membership in multiple groups can be seen in the following changes to Fleet Manager:

    • The Vehicle Status page has been augmented with a selection/filter list for groups.
    • On the Map page, the information bubble for the unit displays all group tags.
    • The Analytics Dashboard can now compare two groups containing the same unit.
    • Scheduled Reports can be run using multiple groups.

    “This enables the creation of ‘nested’ or vehicle sub-groups,” Bermudez said. “Say there are sales teams at local offices. Each office has a ‘sales team’ vehicle group. But the regional sales manager is responsible for five locations, so the vehicles are also in the ‘regional sales team’ group.”

  • Teletrac’s Fleet Director Improvements Designed for Mobile

    Teletrac-fleet-director Photo: Teletrac, Inc.
    Photo: Teletrac, Inc.

    Teletrac, Inc., a GPS tracking and fleet management provider, is offering a new version of its Fleet Director GPS fleet tracking system that provides users with greater control and flexibility, Teletrac said.

    Users now have full access to Fleet Director’s management features via mobile device, in addition to desktop functionality. Also, the latest update offers robust fleet management tools, such as the ability to monitor fuel consumption, increase driver safety, and meet compliance mandates.

    “In the current climate, businesses have the ability to achieve high levels of profitability and growth with the help of an advanced fleet management platform,” said Tony Eales, president, Teletrac. “The latest version of Fleet Director churns millions of data transactions daily, providing vital information to help meet company goals across multiple industries and workforce sizes. Businesses are equipped with the actionable data necessary to cultivate and develop their company on multiple levels and gain a competitive advantage in their market.”

    Teletrac has modernized Fleet Director in four key fleet management areas: anywhere, anytime mobile access; deeper driver and vehicle behavioral data; enhanced mapping functionality; and advanced safety analytics.

    “Fleet management has historically been an at-a-desk job, limiting companies in their productivity and communication. The added flexibility of using modern devices — such as smartphones, laptops and tablets — to do business has increased productivity while also adding expectations from customers,” said Sid Nair, director of Product Management, Teletrac. “As the industry has evolved, so have we.”

    Enhancements include:

    Mobility: Fleet Director allows users to manage their vehicles from any mobile device or browser through new HTML 5 functionality. The software’s clear and user-friendly interface lets users navigate easily to a targeted location regardless of whether the manager is in the office or on a mobile phone in the field.

    Actionable Data: The updated software allows managers to move beyond basic track-and-trace functionality, offering an in-depth look at the overall health of a business. The new Fleet Director is built with more robust driver and vehicle behavioral data, providing businesses with insight into performance areas such as fuel management, power take-off time, engine performance and job-site delivery tracking.

    Cutting-Edge Mapping Technology: Mapping has moved beyond location tracking with Fleet Director’s enhanced interactive features. Vehicle and asset mapping is now accessible on easy-to-use Google Maps that toggle between single and multiple views. Managers can consult Fleet Director to pinpoint the exact road their drivers are on while using Google Street View to zoom into the terrain and makeup of the road. These added map enhancements provide fleet managers with tools to have better control of their business.

    Advanced Safety Behavior Data: Fleet Director Safety Analytics helps managers get closer to their fleet through insight into key driver safety events, such as speeding, harsh braking, accelerating, stop sign violations and fast cornering. New data-rich dashboards display relevant information that shows the time and date of each event and the number of infractions per vehicle and driver, including the best and worst performance rankings. Safety infractions can be replayed on the map interface to show how an unsafe driving incident occurred in real-time, providing useful data that can prevent the risk of a crash.

  • Azuga Takes on Distracted Driving for Fleet Managers

     

    To recognize National Safety Month and to highlight the growing dangers of distracted and reckless driving, Azuga has published a Fleet Stats infographic showing the dangers of auto accidents its fleet tracking programs are designed to prevent.

    Of the 41,000 Americans killed each year in traffic accidents, nearly 5,000 die as a result of crashes involving large fleet trucks. An additional 13,000 die as a result of a speeding-related accidents. Azuga offers two programs for fleet managers: SpeedSafe and DriveSafe.

    The programs combine GPS, a driver behavior and rewards system, vehicle health reports, and plug-and-play installation to combat reckless and distracted driving. DriveSafe prevents talking and texting when the vehicle is in motion. The distracted driving technology locks down a driver’s screen and only allows phone numbers that the employer’s policy allows. Policies can be applied at the individual driver level to allow certain calls and texts (for instance, allow incoming calls from home, the office, and school.)

    With SpeedSafe, a fleet manager controls speeding on residential streets, in school zones, and in adverse weather conditions. Going beyond simple control, a fleet manager also gets reporting and analytical tools to help quickly identify problem areas and track and train drivers over time.

    National Safety Month is sponsored by the National Safety Council. According to distraction.gov, using a mobile device while driving causes an estimated 28 percent of traffic accidents. Further, the National Safety Council estimates $40 billion cost to United States citizens each year.

    Azuga says its customers have been able to decrease the number of speeding events by 40 percent and decrease overall liability, which translates into an average 15 percent savings on insurance premiums.

  • Navman Wireless Debuts Telematics Portal for Fleets

    Fleet tracking provider Navman Wireless USA has announced a new web-based telematics portal designed to streamline management of mixed heavy equipment fleets by consolidating machine data from all OEM and Navman Wireless-tracked assets into a single interface.

    The new solution complies with the AEMP Telematics Data Standard, provides one-stop fleetwide visibility without adding third-party hardware to machines that already have factory-installed OEM telematics, and supports integration of data into the enterprise office system for broader business use.

    Fleet operators can request data access credentials from each OEM represented in their fleet. Data from each reporting source will be securely transmitted to operators’ servers and then aggregated for use in the portal’s widgets, dashboards, maps and reports.

    Information available from the portal ranges from machine location, fleet utilization, fuel burn, and geofence and curfew violations to equipment use by jobsite, preventive maintenance schedules, and beyond. Related information such as machine inspection data and photographs of machine damage can be imported into the system for further data consolidation.

    Other value-added features include the ability to sort reports by OEM, analyze data by machine category, and click to access real-time weather reporting from each jobsite to help fleet managers and equipment rental companies quickly ascertain the reason for low real-time utilization rates. Future enhancements such as idling data will be added as new versions of the AEMP standard dictate which data elements may be available from OEMs in a common format.

    “For the past decade, contractors with mixed fleets have been increasingly handicapped in their use of telematics by the fractured nature of the reporting. Only the largest fleets with exceptional budgets and large IT teams have been able to afford to consolidate the data from each OEM website,” said Steve Blackburn, VP North America, Navman Wireless. “Our new portal offers a single view of all telematics data regardless of the source, giving operators insights and controls that can help drive new fleet efficiencies and profitability.”

    The new Navman Wireless portal is scheduled to begin beta testing in April. It will be available by subscription and priced according to the number of assets tracked, with Navman Wireless support and ongoing upgrades included in the subscription package.

    Navman Wireless is hosting a hospitality suite, Room B at the Marriott Courtyard Las Vegas Convention Center, at this week’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG conference. For more information, call 877-891-5009 or email [email protected].

  • Blue Sky Network Debuts Mobile Tracker with Geofencing

    Blue Sky Network Debuts Mobile Tracker with Geofencing

    Blue Sky Network's HawkEye 7200 Portable Tracking Solution.
    Blue Sky Network’s HawkEye 7200 Portable Tracking Solution.

    Blue Sky Network has released the portable HawkEye 7200 with geofencing. The Hawkeye 7200, released in September 2013, is a small mobile device designed specifically for Iridium and GNSS satellite tracking of aviation, land/mobile or marine assets. The company will demonstrate its new AVR (advanced variable response) geofencing capabilities at the upcoming HAI Heli-Expo tradeshow in Anaheim, California, February 25-26.

    “Advanced variable response or AVR delivers functionality and utility one level beyond traditional geofencing alarms or alerts. It allows the asset manager or geofence designer to set a conditional response for what happens or does not happen when an aircraft, vehicle, or vessel is in, or out of a geofenced area,” explains John Peterson, Blue Sky Network’s vice president of Business Development. “For example, position reporting frequencies could be turned off when an asset is at its home base, resume normal reporting after leaving the base, and increase reporting frequency when entering regions considered more dangerous. AVR gives asset managers more control, ultimately making fleet management easier, safer, and less expensive.”

    In addition to AVR, the HawkEye 7200 offers three significant advantages over traditional satcom asset tracking devices

    • An all-in-one design including internal long-lasting lithium ion battery and dual Iridium and GNSS antenna;
    • true concurrent multi-national GNSS for faster, more accurate positioning; and
    • Bluetooth connectivity using Blue Sky Network’s custom APP for iPhone and iPad, facilitating easy messaging and custom form transmission from Apple devices.

    The HawkEye 7200 portable satcom solution works directly with Blue Sky Network’s cloud-based web portal SkyRouter. Skyrouter is a secure online website that provides tracking and management of globally dispersed assets.