Author: Victoria Gole

5 Ways Telematics Promotes a Positive Workplace Culture

Posted on | by Victoria Gole

Recruiting drivers is difficult enough and retaining those drivers can often be even more challenging. Therefore, keeping your drivers happy is very important. To avoid continuous turnover, it’s critical a positive culture and working environment is created for drivers.

High turnover of drivers can indicate not just an unhappy work environment, but also an unsafe environment. It can also be quite expensive for any business. Constant turnover means constantly having to recruit and train, costing extra valuable time and money.

Retaining Drivers with Telematics

Installing telematics in a fleet comes with amazing productivity, safety and engine health benefits, and it can also help to keep a positive workplace culture.

Fleet managers and owners often feel that drivers will think negatively towards installing a telematics system in their fleets. They worry it will be seen as a Big Brother type of invention.

 

Telematics can actually help with driver retention.

 

The main reasons for high turnover are:

  • Lack of Home Time
  • Compensation or Mileage
  • Unhappy with Supervisor or Manager
  • Weak Dispatching and Load Planning
  • Policies and Procedures

Create a Positive Culture with Greater Insight

GPS fleet management software can help address many of the reasons for high turnover because it allows managers to better understand and manage their fleet. Telematics allows fleet managers to capture more accurate, detailed information on vehicles, trips, and drivers; monitor fleet trends in efficiency, productivity, compliance, and safety; and make better, more informed decisions on scheduling, dispatching, and compensation.

 

Five Ways Telematics Promotes a Positive Workplace Culture

 

 

  • Record Accurate Mileage to Help Determine Fair Compensation
    Detailed mileage records are provided with telematics, allowing for a fair process to manage compensation by mileage for all drivers. A clearly communicated longevity or bonus program can also help to motivate drivers and encourage company loyalty.

 

 

  • Manage Hours-of-Service to Better Organize Personal Times
    Telematics manages miles driven, engine hours, and Hours-of-Service (HOS), which can also be great tools for organizing drivers’ home time as well. Also, knowing the driver’s personal situation can help to understand their needs; for example, if a driver is going through something significant in their life (eg. a divorce, new baby, etc.) a manager can balance the driver’s needs accordingly, during that time.

 

 

  • Improve Load Planning and Dispatching
    Drivers often get stressed out from not knowing when they will be able to get home, or plans changing frequently. Our software can be used to dispatch more effectively and better organize routes, to ensure that jobs will be done in a timely and logical manner. Creating a logical plan for drivers, while still allowing them to use their experience and judgement, is much better for everyone.

 

 

  • Clear Communication to Increase Driver Satisfaction
    It’s a tough issue to manage when a driver is unhappy with a manager or supervisor because there could be a variety of causes. However, when there are clear lines of communication from between management and drivers, satisfaction can be greatly improved; simply asking drivers for feedback will help them feel included. It is highly recommended full disclosure and explanation around the installation of telematics is provided to drivers for a positive management/driver relationship. Our support team would be happy to provide tips for a successful roll out.

 

 

  • Reinforce Driver Safety With Reporting and Management Tools
    Organizations need to be conscious of policy to ensure the approach isn’t too heavy-handed. A fleet management solution can ensure that the policies in place are followed through in a consistent and fair manner. For example, of course your drivers know how to drive. They know they should drive defensively and obey speed limits. Tight schedules and deadlines can sometimes cause drivers to lose focus on basic safe driving habits. Through safety coaching and reports, drivers will be safer and get in less accidents.

 

More Tools for Fleets

Our open platform allows fleet managers to have access to even more tools to help drivers. Managers can help make a driver’s job easier with driver tools such as apps for mobile invoicing & payment and time management. Our Drive App enables drivers to log Hours-of-Service, update their duty status, and carry out inspections using their tablet or smartphone.

Preventing Issues Before They Occur

We collect a wealth of knowledge for fleet managers within our data. This rich data can be used for predictive analytics to possibly warn when a driver is becoming unhappy or planning to leave the company. Careless driving with no regard to policy or lowered miles driven can be an indication of when a driver is unhappy and planning on leaving. Management can take this opportunity to engage the driver in a two way conversation to clearly understand what is making them unhappy.

Having this wealth of data at your fingertips can help a fleet to predict accidents before they occur. When a driver is working too many hours and not getting enough home time perhaps coinciding with increased counts of unsafe driving behaviours. We provide visibility into safety and utilization so management can balance the hours/shifts for each driver and across the fleet — keeping drivers well-rested, safe, and happy.

 

Source:
Original Post by: Heather Carlton, Senior Account Manager
https://www.geotab.com/blog/creating-positive-culture-fleets/

 

The Key to Outstanding Fleet Management

Posted on | by Victoria Gole

Managing a fleet isn’t easy, that’s why there are so many solutions available to help make it easier. Being able to keep customers happy while managing vehicles and drivers is difficult for any fleet manager. Unfortunately, even with all the technology now available, there are still fleet managers insisting on continuing to use a manual approach. This means relying on memory and known traffic conditions to inform customers of delivery times and finding vehicle issues through drivers reporting them, after already breaking down. This is not the best method for fleet management and can hurt customer retention as well as your bottom line.

The Right Solution That Fits Your Needs

Imagine knowing what vehicles were stuck and traffic? Or getting an email whenever one of your vehicles had an engine fault? Most importantly of all, what if you received an email the moment one of your vehicles were involved in an accident?

With our software, you can easily set up rules for any situation, no matter what your fleet specializes in (eg. transportation, delivery, personal, etc.). The preconfigured default rules include everything from idling to speeding; there are rules that are based on posted road speeds and geo-zones and so much more.

fleet-management-software-rule

Still want more? You have the option to customize any of these conditions or create a rule from scratch using the simple and intuitive rule creator.

First, you will need to give the rule a name, and select the group of vehicles you want to apply the rule to. Then, pick the conditions you need to be met before an exception is created from a list of hundreds of possible conditions. Everything from engine lights to work hours to speed can be used as a condition.

Once you’re pleased with the conditions, the final step is to select the notification. You can either choose to receive an email or have our GO device beep at the driver when conditions are met. No more driving without a seatbelt, no more speeding over posted road speeds, no more unscheduled breaks and so much more.

fleet-management-software-exception-rule

Eliminate the Problem in Advance

Fleet managers can now focus on eliminating the occurrence of exception events and working with their drivers to reduce risky driving habits and increase safety. What could be better than solving a problem? Solving the problem before it even happens. Instead of finding out how many customers received their deliveries late, you can get a notification and work with the driver to make sure deliveries are made on time. Instead of dealing with downtime, you can know which vehicles are having issues and service them when it is convenient before a breakdown occurs.

Because our software is a data-driven platform, all exceptions can be received in a PDF or Excel format. You can use this data to create your own custom driver scorecards, customer and vehicle statistics and so much more. To do this, simply go to the appropriate section of the software, select the date/time of the default or custom report and click “apply changes”. It’s really that easy.

display-option

custom-speeding

To find out more ways we can help your business move towards outstanding fleet management, contact one of our trained fleet consultants. Before signing up for anything, they will walk you through how our software works and how it will help optimize your business and ultimately save you money!

 

1-888-998-1122 | [email protected]
 

Original Article By: Siam Ahmed, Technical Support Engineer at Geotab
https://www.geotab.com/blog/key-exceptional-fleet-management/

 

January 2016 Software and Firmware Updates from Geotab

Posted on | by Victoria Gole

Preview the latest updates to Geotab’s software applications and firmware. To verify whether changes have been updated in your system, go to Administration > About and check the build number, which indicates the month of release, e.g. 5.7.1601.xxx release/2016-01.

Subscribe now to receive regular updates on Geotab’s features and improvements.

In this Edition:

Click on the heading to jump to the section.

  • Reporting Enhancements
    + View Unmatched Fuel Transactions in the Fill-ups Report
  • Map & Vehicle Enhancements
    + View Lock Option on Live Map
    + Additional Map Types Available
    + Pin Device Toggle Renamed
  • HOS/DVIR Enhancements (MyGeotab & Geotab Drive)
    + Vehicle/Trailer Confirmation on Login
    + DVIR Defect List Templates
    + Duty Status Logs Comments in Advanced Report
    + Duty Status Log Origins
    + Multiple DOT Carrier Support
    + Automatic Log Verification on Logout
    + Status Change on Logout
  • SDK Additions
    + New Driver Feedback Recipient Types
    + Third-party Data Access
  • Driver Feedback Changes
    + Late Notifications Option
  • Localization
  • Minor User Interface Enhancements

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reporting Enhancements

View Unmatched Fuel Transactions in the Fill-ups Report

Imported fuel transactions not matched to a vehicle can now be viewed in the Fill-ups report as a display option. Unmatched transactions will be listed under “Unknown Vehicle.” This is useful when importing fuel card transactions into MyGeotab.

mygeotab fillups unknown vehicle

Figure 1: Unmatched transaction toggle in the Fill-Ups report.
mygeotab unmatched fuel transaction

Figure 2: Display of unmatched fuel transaction in MyGeotab.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Map & Vehicle Enhancements

View Lock Option on Live Map

A Lock this view option has been added to the Live Map. Once locked, the screen will stay on a specific view, even when the map refreshes, instead of following the moving vehicles. This new option is beneficial for fleet managers who need to monitor activities in a specific area on the map, such as a work yard.

To enable this option, click Map, then Views, and Lock this view.

mygeotab lock view live map

Figure 3: Lock view on live map.

Additional Map Types Available

In MyGeotab, all users have access to Google and OpenStreetMap based maps. OpenStreetMap is maintained by communities all over the world and updated frequently. Users can now select from additional default map types, including HERE Maps and Custom map tiles, which can be selected from Administration > System… > System Settings, under the Maps tab.

mygeotab additional map types

Figure 4: Additional map types in MyGeotab.

Pin Device Toggle Renamed

The Pin device toggle on the Vehicle Edit > More Details page, has been renamed to Disable automatic vehicle management for clarification. Clicking the help button displays a detailed description of the option (as shown below).

mygeotab pin device disable vehicle

Figure 5: Disable automatic vehicle management toggle description.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hours of Service / Driver Vehicle Inspection Report

To align with the new FMCSA regulations, Geotab has made several changes to HOS/DVIR in MyGeotab and the Geotab Drive app. Please note: Version 3.1.22 for Geotab Drive has been released and is available in the Google Play Store. Updated features in Geotab Drive 3.1.22 include:

  • Improved login/logout process
  • Mark HOS logs as automatic or manual
  • Multiple DOT Carrier Support available
  • Bug fixes

Vehicle/Trailer Confirmation on Login

Upon login, Geotab Drive will ask the driver to select and confirm the vehicle and attached trailer in use, before going to the Dashboard screen.

DVIR Defect List Templates

Setting up a Defect List in MyGeotab is now easier thanks to templates! Customers can use the templates as a starting point and then add or delete defaults to suit their needs. Note: The Default Trailer and Default Vehicle templates are compliant with U.S. DVIR regulations and Schedule 1, 2, and 3 are compliant with Canadian DVIR requirements.

To add a template, go to the Defect Lists page (Engine & Maintenance > DVIR, click the Defects button), open the Add drop down menu, select the desired template, modify the defects if applicable, then click Save.

mygeotab DVIR defect list templates

Figure 6: Defect List templates.

Duty Status Logs Comments in Advanced Report

A Comments column has been added to the Data tab on both the default and advanced Duty Status Logs Excel reports. Accessing annotated notes will make it easier to identify and correct log errors.

mygeotab defect list templates

Figure 7: Defect List templates.

Duty Status Logs Comments in Advanced Report

A Comments column has been added to the Data tab on both the default and advanced Duty Status Logs Excel reports. Accessing annotated notes will make it easier to identify and correct log errors.

geotab drive hos log origin

Figure 8: Log Origin in Geotab Drive App.
geotab drive hos duty status log

Figure 9: Log origin is shown on each Duty Status Log in MyGeotab.

Multiple DOT Carrier Support

MyGeotab now supports different DOT numbers for drivers residing within the same database. MyGeotab users can designate the Main office address and Carrier number for each driver in the User Options > Hours of Service Settings.

hos dot settings driver options

Figure 10: DOT settings in driver options.

Automatic Log Verification on Logout

When logging out of the Geotab Drive app, all unverified logs will be automatically displayed for verification. The driver has the option to skip the verification; however, the best practice is to verify logs at the end of each shift.

Note: Logs are available for verification for 14 days and after this time they are no longer compliant.

geotab hos drive verify upon logout

Figure 11: Verification upon logout now automatic.

Status Change on Logout

Geotab Drive now allows drivers to choose a duty status before logging out. Previously, the app would automatically set the status to Off Duty when logging out. Status options include: Off Duty, On Duty, or Sleeper Berth.

geotab hos drive status change

Figure 12: Status change options on log out.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Driver Feedback Changes

Late Notifications

Notifications for server side rules can now be sent to drivers even if the exception has passed. This is relevant in situations where connectivity is poor, or if the device is not on the ProPlus plan. For more information on this update, please read this post.[Post Don’t Delay blog post first and then link back to it]

To enable late notifications, go to Exception Rule Edit > Notifications > Add Driver Feedback, click On and select a feedback option.

geotab driver feedback late notification

Figure 13: Late Notification option for driver feedback.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

SDK

SDK Updates can also be viewed in the What’s New section of the MyGeotab SDK.

In relation to the new Driver Feedback settings, the SDK now includes new recipient types to send even if there is a delay in the data:

  • BeepTenTimesRapidlyAllowDelay
  • BeepThreeTimesAllowDelay
  • BeepThreeTimesRapidlyAllowDelay
  • TextToSpeechAllowDelay
  • .Net users will require a dll update

Support for third-party messages has been added to the public API. Users can now access third-party data in SDK add-ins.

New Objects:

  • IoxAddOn
  • KnownIoxAddOnType
  • IoxAddOnSearch
  • IoxOutputContent
  • SerialIoxContent
  • GoTalkContent
  • .Net users will require a dll update

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Localization

Geotab is pleased to offer a Vietnamese language option for MyGeotab and the Product Guide.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Minor UI Improvements

  • Updated text for Japanese and Spanish versions.
  • Edit forms are improved for mobile devices.
  • The fill-ups and speed profile icons have been changed to a bar chart icon.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

For More Information

Please contact our support team – they will be happy to assist you.

________________________________________________________________________________________________
Source:
Original Post by: Angie Milne, Solutions Specialist at Geotab
https://www.geotab.com/blog/january-2016-updates-geotab/#sdk

 

3 Steps for a Smooth CMMS System Implementation

Posted on | by Victoria Gole

Software Advice recently published a report addressing the main concerns companies have when looking to purchase and implement a new CMMS system. Our integration partner Maintenance Assistant CMMS (MA CMMS) has also written blogs and an eBook about this topic, but let’s look at some of Software Advice’s findings as well.

“When a company decides to implement new software, there are a bevy of aspects to consider, even before choosing a system—and rushing the process can lead to bad results and a wasted investment. Typically, maintenance managers must first prove the value of a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) to executives and get the greenlight to purchase one. Then the company decides what assets to enter, which employees to assign as users, how to migrate maintenance data from previous storage methods and how to train users on the software.”

– Software Advice

Our friends over at MA CMMS have put together a brief summary of their key findings, but we recommend you also take a look at the full case study for more detailed information.

Justifying CMMS Value

There’s a lot of information you need to determine before beginning your CMMS search. Your company should find out what types of functionality it requires the most, determine the budget and what you can expect in terms of your return on investment. These are just a few of many criteria that should be considered before you set out to find the CMMS that’s the best fit for your company.

Clean Data is Critical

As we all know, when it comes to entering data, ‘garbage in, means garbage out’. When you’re setting up your CMMS it’s critical that the information you’re inputting is organized and clean otherwise you’ll never be able to use your CMMS to it’s full potential. Whether you’re migrating data from an old CMMS system or inputting data right from scratch, it’s important to take your time on this step of your CMMS implementation. Having a dedicated person or team responsible for learning the CMMS system, setting up the correct process and for inputting data is one of the best ways to make sure that your CMMS is set up for success.

Leverage Vendor Training and Support

A CMMS system is only as good as your knowledge of how to use it. Getting set up is only half the battle. The best in class CMMS providers will have a host of training services available to you so that once your CMMS is set up you can make sure your team knows what they’re doing and how to make the most of the new software.

For more information on successful CMMS implementation be sure to check out the full article by Software Advice. Or learn more about the CMMS implementation services offered by our customer support team at GoFleet.

 

Source:
Original Article by: Meredith Pickering, Marketing Specialist at Maintenance Assistant CMMS
https://www.maintenanceassistant.com/blog/3-steps-smooth-cmms-system-implementation/

 

The Geotab GO7 Certification Process

Posted on | by Victoria Gole

As the end user of a GO7 device, perhaps you have wondered what steps it took to get the device in your hands and into your vehicle. As you can imagine, your device went through a complex process involving tests, certification and compliance, before being accepted for use. The exact test and certification process depends on your carrier and location but generally follows the following procedure.

Pre-certification Tests

Before certifying the GO7, Geotab carried out a series of exhaustive tests to check for compliance. These tests include the following:

Automotive electromagnetic compliance tests as per the specifications of the relevant international associations, SAE and CISPR(International Special Committee on Radio Interference) including:

  • Inductive switching
  • Starter motor engagement
  • Burst transients
  • Electrostatic discharge
  • Electrical fast transient burst
  • Radiated immunity
    • Radiated emissions
  • Conducted emissions

Environmental tests:

  • Operation and functioning (-40℃ to +85℃)
  • Thermal shock
  • Operational shock
  • Mechanical vibration

Radio frequency tests:

  • Conducted and OTA (over-the-air) pre-tests to ensure that the RF performance meets specified limits

Mechanical Vibration Test

GO Device Mechanical Test

Radiated Emissions Test

GO Device Radiated Emissions Test

Sample Submission

Samples are required to be submitted to carrier-approved labs or carrier labs for test and certification. In some cases, the labs would need firmware to be modified to an engineering version, which gives control over the device. In other circumstances, samples might need the internal antenna to be removed and replaced with radio frequency compatible cables and connectors.

Certification in the U.S

The requirements for any region can be broadly divided into those enforced by government agencies, industry agencies and carriers. U.S. certification requirements for the GO7 are summarized below – the tests are applicable mainly to 2G and 3G devices. For CDMA devices, which do not need PTCRB (certification body in North America) approval, a subset of the tests is used – FCC (Federal Communications Commission) Part 15B, RF performance and carrier certification. Other regions follow a similar process and have requirements of their own governmental agencies. For example, Industry Canada and CE (Europe).

Government Requirements

In the U.S., the FCC has requirements that the GO7 must comply with. Part 15B is mandatory for all GO7 versions, while Parts 2, 22H, and 24E are applicable only to GO7 2G and 3G versions.

FCC certification (Part 15B) tests for unintentional radiators.

FCC certification (Parts 2, 22H, 24E) tests for the following:

  • Conducted power
  • Peak-to-average ratio of RF transmission
  • Effective radiated power/Effective isotropic radiated power
  • Band-edge measurements
  • Bandwidth measurements
  • Conducted spurious emissions
  • Frequency stability
  • Field strength of spurious radiations

Industry Requirements

PTCRB was set up by the cellular industry to ensure compliance to carrier standards. Most carriers require PTCRB certification, with the exception of those using CDMA technology. PTCRB certification entails the following tests:

  • Conformance tests to 2G and 3G technology (including idle mode, radiated spurious emissions-intentional, receiver flatness, SIM tests)
  • Specific absorption ratio (human exposure to RF radiation)

Radio frequency performance:

  • Total radiated power (TRP): a measure of the RF power transmitted
  • Total isotropic sensitivity (TIS): a measure of sensitivity to received RF signals

Pass/fail RF criteria of the carrier must be met where specified.

Carrier Requirements

Most carriers perform additional tests to ensure that the device works seamlessly with their network. In some cases, this might require firmware changes and re-testing until the carrier’s requirements are met.

The rigorous test methodology ensures that the GO7 device you use is of the highest level of quality and reliability. The GO7 is currently certified for use with major carriers such as Sprint, Verizon, Rogers, Telus, and Telefonica, while certifications in Singapore and Australia are ongoing.

Source:
Original Article By: Deepak Sharma, Senior Hardware Engineer at Geotab
https://www.geotab.com/blog/geotab-go7-certification-process/

The Incredible Disappearing Car: Combating GPS Jammers

Posted on | by Victoria Gole

There will always be a part of the population that wants to “fly under the radar” and attempt to conquer GPS tracking devices with GPS jammers. GoFleet and Geotab are dedicated to maintaining a stable and robust system and will continue to make GO GPS devices as tamper-proof as possible.

 

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission defines jammers as “illegal radio frequency transmitters that are designed to block, jam, or otherwise interfere with authorized radio communications.”

 

A GPS jammer is used by a person in a vehicle being tracked trying to hide his or her position to try and remain undetected. The jammer can be set to operate continuously or can be turned on and off, so a specific part of a trip is not tracked.

Harsh Penalties for Jammers

Canadian and U.S. law both prohibit jamming devices. Sections 4, 9 and 10 of the Canadian Radiocommunications Act prohibit the manufacturing, importation, distribution, offering for sale, sale, possession and use of radiocommunication jamming devices in Canada. In the U.S., the federal Communications Act of 1934 outlaws the sale, marketing, or use of a jammer. There are harsh penalties related to the use of jammers in both countries, including fines (up to $112,500 in the U.S.), seizure of equipment, and even imprisonment (in the U.S.).

Where in the World Am I? How a GPS System Works

To understand how a jammer functions, we must first understand how the global positioning system (GPS) works. A GPS tracker receives microwave signals from an array of satellite transmitters orbiting the Earth at an altitude of approximately 20,200 km. Once the tracker receives signals from four or more satellites, it determines its position through a series of time calculations and trilateration.

The receiver depends on these specific and precise satellite signals to determine where it is located in the world. The GPS tracking device then transmits this position and velocity information to a monitoring location. Normally, this data is communicated over a cellular network.

GPS Satellite Signal

Figure 1: GPS satellite broadcasting signals.

In some cases, satellite malfunction or solar flares can temporarily disrupt the transmission of GPS signals. A GPS jammer sends out radio signals or signal noise with the same frequency as the GPS device, to distort or override the GPS satellite signals. The GPS device can then no longer calculate its position because the satellite signal is masked by the interference.

What is a GPS Jamming Device?

A GPS jamming device or GPS jammer is typically a small, self-contained, transmitter that generates a 1575.42 Mhz interference signal over a 5 – 10 meter radius.

Usually, the user will plug the jammer into a cigarette lighter and place the unit close enough to a GPS tracker to disrupt the GPS satellite signal. Once powered up, they become fully operational in less than 20 seconds. The relatively low power and quick start up time allow the jammers to be used only when required. Criminals will switch them off as soon as possible to avoid detection. These jammers can be purchased on the Internet for pretty cheap (less than $100).

It must be noted that the use of jammers is not only unethical but is also illegal and potentially dangerous. In one case, a New Jersey driver used a jamming device to disable a tracking device in his work truck. He was working on a job at Newark Liberty International Airport when his jamming signal interrupted air traffic control information. An FCC investigator was able to locate the jammer using radio monitoring equipment and prove that it was causing interference. The offending driver, Gary Bojczak was charged and fined $31,875.20.

How GoFleet and Geotab Detect and Eliminate GPS Jamming Threats

Fortunately, the negative effects and usefulness of jammers are minimized with our devices.

MyGeotab picks up GPS signal disruption. When a GPS signal is not received, the Trip History map will show a missing or interrupted trip — clearly calling attention to an issue.

If GPS jamming happens mid-trip, a straight line will be displayed from when the jamming starts to the point where the jamming device is turned off. Anyone monitoring the vehicle will quickly see this and can investigate the cause of the missing trip information.

GPS Jamming MyGeotab

Figure 2: A straight line in MyGeotab indicates GPS disruption.

More immediate jammer detection is also available. The GPS module in our GO6 and GO7 devices have a jamming detection function that will trigger our device to report a debug log. This can be found in the log details of MyGeotab, appearing as: GpsJammingDetected.

For simplified monitoring of jamming and other GPS issues, an exception rule can be created in MyGeotab. This rule will generate an exception report and can trigger an alert or email for the event.

It is important to note that a GPS jammer disrupts GPS receiver functionality but all other functions are unaffected. The Geotab GO device will continue to gather and send information such as engine data, error codes, and auxiliaries, etc.

Source:
Original Article By: Vincent Scime, RMA Manager at Geotab
https://www.geotab.com/blog/combating-gps-jammers/

Active Tracking: Keeping First Responders Safe on the Road

Posted on | by Victoria Gole

An ambulance drives through traffic, siren sounding and lights flashing. The dispatcher is on the line, collecting vital information, while monitoring the status of the ambulance at the same time. What if that dispatcher could follow the live movement of the ambulance as it drives along the road, knowing it was safely and quickly arriving at the scene?

 

This is now possible with Active Tracking.
 

What is Active Tracking and how does it benefit emergency vehicles?
Play the video to see it in action.
 

Paramedic Services, Fire Departments, and Police are all under pressure from the public to reduce response times, while protecting the safety of pedestrians and drivers on the road. Technology plays an important role in this effort.

Ideally suited for first responders, delivery and taxi fleets, and any industry in which knowing the precise vehicle position is critical, EMS GPS tracking system allows customers to view their vehicles in near real-time. For example, an ambulance dispatcher can watch the vehicle’s progress and reassure a caller that the ambulance has just turned off the highway onto their street. Another fleet dispatcher could closely monitor vehicle activity and see, at a glance, if a driver is driving too fast.

Using Active Tracking is very much like watching your fleet vehicles from a traffic helicopter.
Watch live as the vehicle slows down for traffic, accelerates, stops at the side of the road, or speeds down a winding road.

How It Works

Active Tracking is made possible with increased data logging frequency and animation in MyGeotab. The animation feature displays estimates of the real-time location of the vehicle onto the live map. Users are able to watch a simulated icon of the vehicle as it is moving. This new feature provides fleet managers and dispatchers with a very accurate representation of where a vehicle enabled with this technology is located at any given time.

When Active Tracking is enabled, smart technology is used to request data from the Geotab GO Device at varying frequency intervals. Then, the data is relayed to servers for processing and the position of the vehicle is reflected on to the live map. When the triangle icon is shown, this means the vehicle is in motion. As the vehicle slows down or speeds up, that change is also reflected in the movement of the icon on the map.

Previously, data was spooled into a buffer and then uploaded when the buffer was full. With this concept, some data could have been uploaded quite fast if the buffer was filled quickly. On the other hand, if there was less overall data coming in, it took the buffer longer to get filled and therefore the data would be received much slower.

To explain the data spooling and buffer concept, we can compare it to a filling a gooseneck jug with water using a cup versus using a funnel. If you were to use the cup to start filling the jug, you would have to wait until each cup was filled, then take the cup and carefully pour the water into the jug. This process would be extremely slow. Alternatively, if you inserted a funnel into the gooseneck of the jug, and poured the water directly into it, the jug would be filled pretty quickly. There would be much less of a delay using the funnel. Active Tracking is comparable to the “funnel method.”

Using patented algorithms, MyGeotab presents that granular location information on an animated map, demonstrating the steady vehicle movement — instead of the jagged jumps that are seen with other telematics solutions. As a result, Geotab’s Active Fleet Tracking solution provides deep, actionable insights that are particularly useful in applications where the exact location of a vehicle for dispatch purposes is essential.

How to Enable Active Tracking for Fleet Vehicles

Through the ProPlus Plan, you are able to activate features such as Active Tracking, third-party integrations and other special features. Active Tracking is automatically enabled for users on the ProPlus Plan. Our customers with the Pro Plan can turn on Active Tracking on the MyGeotab Vehicle Edit page (note: enabling this feature moves the device from Pro to ProPlus). Active Tracking is also required for time-sensitive server-based notifications and rules such as posted road speed warnings for the driver using GO TALK live in-vehicle verbal coaching solution.

For more information on Active Tracking or to upgrade your current plan to include Active Tracking, contact our support team.

Source:
Original Article By: Owen D’Acres, Customer Support Specialist at Geotab
https://www.geotab.com/blog/active-tracking-first-responders/

Geotab Updates (December 2015)

Posted on | by Victoria Gole

New updates to Geotab software applications and firmware.

Check your build number to verify whether the changes are reflected in your system by going to Administration/About. The build number shows the month of release, for example: 5.7.1512.xxx release/2015-12.

 

In this Edition:

  • Map Enhancements
  • Reporting Enhancements
  • Localization
  • Minor User Interface Enhancements
  • Firmware Notes

 

Map Enhancements

Geotab empowers fleet managers with several new ways to interact with the map.

Quick View for Individual Vehicle Trips: A new feature makes it possible to quickly view the different trips a vehicle has made on the map. The Trips History displays where a vehicle has been on a particular date. Putting your mouse over any trip in the left-side trip list will now highlight the corresponding trip on the map.

Note: A trip begins when the vehicle starts moving and ends when the vehicle starts moving again after a stop. Any idling is associated with the previous trip.

mygeotab view individual trips
Figure 1: Mouse over a trip to view the corresponding route on the map.

Nearest Vehicle Toggle On/Off Added: Toggle action has been added to the Nearest map view option. In a map, left-clicking on a road, then selecting Nearest will show the nearest vehicles to that location in a tooltip.

When the button is toggled on, the tooltips and vehicle are shown. When toggled off, the vehicle remains visible on the map but the tooltip is hidden. The toggle prevents having to clear the map, which will be a time-saver for managers of large fleets.

One-Click Dispatching from Live Map: Dispatching has been simplified! MyGeotab users can now dispatch vehicles directly from the live map. Left-click on the map at a particular address, then click Dispatch vehicle here to send a dispatch text message to a driver using the Geotab Drive app or a Garmin device.

mygeotab dispatch vehicles

Figure 2: Send dispatch messages to drivers with a single click on the live map.

Google Street View Trip Replay: Enrich your knowledge of trips with Google Street View. See for yourself the routes your drivers are taking. Replay a trip through Google Street View using the Trips Street View Add-In — featuring pause, rewind, and skip ahead options. Once added into your database, you can view it under the Activity link. Go to the MyGeotab SDK Add-In examples page to download and extract the Trips Street View Add-In. *For more info on Geotab’s Software Development Kit, read this quick overview: Learning the MyGeotab SDK.

mygeotab google trips street view

Figure 3: Experience a panoramic view of a driver’s route with Trips Street View.

 

Reporting Enhancements

Geotab is always looking for ways to make it easier to examine and manage your data for fleet optimization. Recently, the following enhancements were made for MyGeotab reporting.

Fill-ups: You can now download, customize, create dashboards, and schedule Microsoft Excel reports for fuel fill-ups. New colored icons in the Fill-ups report show potential discrepancies, such as a fill-up being larger than the known tank size, mismatched locations, etc.

 

Note: This feature is in beta. These are just approximations.

 

mygeotab fuel discrepancy

Figure 4: Fuel discrepancy icons.

mygeotab fuel discrepancy details

Figure 5: Fuel discrepancy details.

mygeotab fuel tank capacity estimates

Figure 6: Fuel tank capacity estimates.

Start Day Option for Reports & Dashboards: To harmonize viewing and reporting, MyGeotab users can now set their preference for their week start day. To configure a user’s preference, go to Administration > User, select the user, then click Options. At the Weeks starts on drop-down menu, select either Saturday, Sunday, or Monday. The chosen first day of the week is reflected in reports and dashboards.

mygeotab work week start

Figure 7: Week start day drop-down menu.

Time Card Report: MyGeotab users can schedule Time Card Dashboard or email reports to run for device work hours. To enable this option, go to Administration > Reports > Report views and select the Built-in Time Card report. In the Dashboard or Email tab under Additional Report Options, click.

mygeotab time card work hour

Figure 8: Work hour selection in Dashboard/Email report.

 

Localization

Some formatting adjustments were made to German and Japanese text.

 

Minor User Interface enhancements

  • Access and manage your groups more quickly with a revision to the way hierarchies are presented. For groups with large numbers of sub-groups, users can now expand and collapse those subsets.
  • Ability to edit dashboards now tied to “Change your own user options” feature setting in Security Clearances. Previously, In order to edit your own dashboard (Rearrange reports, add or remove remove reports) you need to have the clearance “Administer Users/Drivers” enable. Now users with the View Only clearance can edit their own dashboard.

mygeotab manage sub-groups

Figure 9: Expand and collapse sub-groups.

 

Firmware Notes

Geotab releases new firmware on a quarterly basis. For the complete list of updates, please visit the Release Notes page.

Q4 2015:

Go7
New Version: 107.6.20/109.6.20 (Q4 FW)
Previous Version: 107.5.35/109.5.35 (Q3 FW)

Go6
New Version: 102.8.20 (Q4 FW)
Previous Version: 102.7.35 (Q3 FW)

Main Features:

  • Support for WWH OBD (EU Region) Data (including Status and Fault data)
  • Numerous fuel improvements including support for E85/Flex Fuel, enhanced EU fuel support and improved reliability of fuel level data around fill ups
  • Increase ODO support (ex. Fiat 500, numerous other EU vehicles)
  • Support to bypass Accelerometer calibration
  • HID RFID Trigger support
  • Enhanced Hybrid/EV data support (Charging/battery/current status)
  • Fuel units at IGN OFF fix
  • Fuel usage for flexible fuel vehicles using ethanol
  • Renault/Smart Passenger Seatbelt

Main Fixes:

 

  • All fixes from equivalent Aug 2015 version (107.5.40/109.5.40/102.7.40)
  • Alternative Reverse detection
  • Iridium Emergency fixes
  • Add Z to accident level event to detect rollover
  • WiFi and cellular failover improvements
  • VW Data for EU/SA
  • Add support for WWH OBD
  • Intermittent Logic improvements for J1708
  • HID RFID Trigger
  • Only process Fuel Level with IGN ON (EU Fuel Fix)
  • DTC UART message support for Third Party devices
  • Support to bypass Accelerometer calibration
  • Improve reliability of fuel level data around fill ups
  • Add Hybrid/EV Charging Status
  • Fix BMW alarm on door lock issue

Questions or Comments?
If you have any comments or questions, please email: [email protected].

For more information on our devices and software, refer to our Product Guide, available at https://www.gofleet.com/support/product-guide/.

Source:
Original Post by: Angie Milne, Solutions Specialist at Geotab
https://www.geotab.com/blog/geotab-updates-preview-december-2015/

 

Duty of Care for Fleet Managers

Posted on | by Victoria Gole

Innovation is changing the entire transportation industry. Uber has disrupted the way we move in a city. Google and some OEMs are actively developing autonomous vehicles that will take us from one place to another without human interaction. Amazon has patented an algorithm that predicts which products are going to be requested, so delivery vans can carry them to their destination before the order is even placed. Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications and other Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are being designed for the exchange of safety critical information in real time to avoid collisions.

Transportation is becoming faster, more efficient, safer, and easy to use. One day the roads will be accident-free. But unfortunately, that time has not yet arrived and nowadays companies using vehicles (which is virtually every company) need to protect their most valuable assets — their drivers.

The article below reviews legislation related to duty of care and outlines five specific ways that GoFleet and Geotab help managers keep drivers safe while also complying with the law.

Legislation Governing Drivers At Work

Companies with drivers on the road are conscious of the negative consequences of accidents and try to reduce the related risks. The improvement of driver behavior reduces injuries and saves lives, but also has an impact on company profitability by lowering insurance premiums, vehicle repairs, and tickets. Due to the serious impact of traffic fatalities worldwide, some countries are proactively approving laws to enforce companies to take the right measures. These measures typically limit windshield time, foster vehicle inspections, and enforce compliance with road signals.

In the U.S., Hours of Service (HOS) regulations are issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and govern the working hours of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The FMCSA recently released the final rule on electronic logging devices (ELDs) in all commercial trucks, currently under revision by the White House.

In the European Union, Regulation (EC) 561/2006 provides rules for driving time, breaks and rest periods required for drivers of goods (vehicles with more than 3.5 tonnes) or passenger vehicles (more than 8 passenger seats) within the EU.

One of the countries with more advanced initiatives in this field is the UK. Companies with fleets have a duty of care which is regulated by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act of 2007. Employers have a legal obligation towards their workers in minimizing risk. Companies must comply with duty of care obligations to make sure their drivers are safe on the roads; if a driver causes an accident that could have been avoided by certain enforced policies, the company could be prosecuted and subject to possibly unlimited fines.

Managing HOS or Duty of Care Obligations with GPS Fleet Management

There are multiple ways a company can address their duty of care obligations, including risk assessments, disciplinary measures and extra training for drivers. These measures can have a positive effect, but employers who want to bring safety to the highest quotes promote the use of the most-advanced telematics systems. We offer a unique solution designed with safety features at its core and proven results drastically reducing the number of accidents.

Traditional telematics solutions record location, patterns and routes, driving times, and provide a logging system to ensure timetables are met. This was also the starting point for Geotab when the company began 15 years ago in this industry. Continuous effort in innovation and R&D has enabled Geotab and GoFleet to take duty of care compliance to the next level.

Five Reasons to Use GoFleet and Geotab for Duty of Care Compliance:

  1. Mobile App for Monitoring Accurate Driving Times.
    It is not enough to simply measure and report drive times. A fleet management solution should be able to inform your drivers about their hours and alert them when they are about to break driving hours rules. The Geotab Drive app for iOS and Android tablets and phones help drivers take full control of their time and schedule their stops accordingly.Geotab Drive HOS App
    Figure 1. Geotab Drive Mobile App.

 

  • Advanced Driving Behavior Monitoring.
    The motor insurance industry has demonstrated that there are driving patterns that have a high impact on risk beyond overspeeding and mileage. We help to identify bad driving habits, so they can be directly addressed with the driver before they become a problem.
    a. Harsh acceleration/cornering/braking.
    This indicates a dangerous driving style and usually indicates that the driver is not keeping an appropriate distance away from the vehicle in front. We provide scientific values for triggering those events, taking into account if the vehicle is a car, truck, or van.b. Reversing at the beginning of the trip.
    Safety associations estimate that almost 25% of accidents can be blamed on poor reversing techniques.c. Seatbelt usage.
    The severity of an accident is much higher if drivers fail to wear seatbelts. Although a difficult undertaking, Geotab invests a lot in getting seat belt buckled information from a vast variety of makes to ensure this information is accurate.

 

 

  • In-Cab Verbal Coaching.
    Fleet managers can work with their drivers to improve driver behavior by discussing bad habits using the reports from the system. However, using verbal feedback to coach drivers while they’re on the road is even more powerful. The GO TALK accessory can relay predefined and customizable messages when drivers are performing poorly in any of the variables discussed above.

 

 

  • Vehicle Inspection, Maintenance, and Proactive Alerts on Engine Faults.
    The status of the vehicle parts, especially brakes, tires, and safety elements, is an important factor in driver safety and compliance. We offer a complete and flexible maintenance system including service reminders and proactive alerts of engine faults and maintenance issues like battery drain, oil level, engine warning light on, coolant temperature, and more.

 

 

  • Expandability.
    We now offer a wide variety of solutions from different partners allowing Fleet Managers to add even more safety features to our core solution. For example, the Mobileye collision avoidance system warns drivers of impending collisions, following too close, or unsafe lane changes with audible and visual alerts.

 

Keep your drivers safe and simplify compliance at the same time; our fleet management software platform has been designed to give full control to customers while keeping the user experience simple and intuitive.

Need more information? Contact one of our fleet consultants today: [email protected].

References:
Original Blog From Geotab, By Ivan Lequerica, European Solutions Engineering Director
https://www.geotab.com/blog/duty-of-care/

 

Quick Guide: MyGeotab IFTA Management

Posted on | by Victoria Gole

How does GoFleet and Geotab help with IFTA management? Read this Quick Guide to learn how to set up an IFTA Report in MyGeotab.

What is IFTA?

The International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) is an agreement between 10 Canadian provinces and 48 American states concerning the taxing and reporting of motor fuels used by interjurisdictional carriers operating heavy commercial vehicles.

Under the IFTA, interjurisdictional carriers must report the distance travelled in each jurisdiction and the amount of motor fuel consumed. The carrier reports and pays motor fuel taxes to a single jurisdiction and then the member jurisdictions (states and provinces) handle the sharing of tax revenues.

Using paper records for IFTA opens the door to potential issues such as missing paperwork, late filings, error due to manual entry, overpayments, or audits.

GPS Tracking for IFTA Management

Although designed to be a simpler system, IFTA reporting can be a labor-intensive and time-consuming process for fleet owners and managers – especially those working with large fleets.

IFTA management is made easier for fleets with GPS vehicle tracking, by reporting the GPS location and time in each location for fleet vehicles. Our software saves IFTA management time by removing the manual process of tracking miles by province/state and improving accuracy.

Benefits of IFTA Management with GoFleet and Geotab:

  • Minimizes risk of violations
  • Helps cut down on paperwork
  • Reduces administration costs
  • Improves driver efficiency

Geotab IFTA Report for Location Tracking

The Geotab IFTA report uses the odometer value to determine how far fleet vehicles have driven within the individual taxable provinces or states.

Three Simple Steps to Creating a Geotab IFTA Report:

  1. Log in to MyGeotab.
  2. On the left-hand menu, click Activity, then click IFTA Report.

Click on the Options button to define the date period and then choose your vehicles.

IFTA-report-mygeotab
MyGeotab IFTA Report Screen

The Fuel Tax report also allows you to filter the mileage into IFTA and non-IFTA provinces/states (Yukon Territory, Northwest Territory, Nunavut, Hawaii, Alaska, District of Columbia, and Mexico). Look at the Advanced Fuel Tax Report’s “Summary” or “Report” sheets for the “Is IFTA Province/State?” field.

Ensuring IFTA Report Accuracy: How to Correctly Transfer a GO Device Between Vehicles

 

Incorrectly transferring a telematics device from one vehicle to another can affect the accuracy of the data stored in MyGeotab related to International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) or Fuel Usage reporting.

Given the plug and play design of the GO7, it may be tempting to simply unplug it from the current vehicle and plug it into the new vehicle, but this is not recommended. If you run a report which uses odometer values, like the Fuel Tax report, plugging and unplugging will generate incorrect or negative values for the dates around when the device was moved. This cannot be corrected and it will invalidate the entire report.

For example, the graph below shows what would happen to the odometer value if a device was incorrectly moved from a vehicle with a high odometer value to a vehicle with a lower odometer value.

chart-incorrect-device-transfer
Odometer discrepancy due to incorrect GO device transfer.

How can you ensure reports remain accurate when you need to move a device into a new vehicle? Simple! Follow the procedure below.

The Correct Way to Transfer a GO Device Between Vehicles

 

  1. First, unplug the GO device from the old vehicle. Then, in your MyGeotab database, go to the Vehicles section and select the old vehicle from which you just unplugged the GO device; you’ll see the Vehicle Edit page. Click the More details button.
  2. Copy the GO device serial number to your clipboard. This will save time when creating the new vehicle.
  3. Choose Unplug Device. This will also make the vehicle historical. All the data and location history for historical vehicles remains available for viewing and reports.
  4. Return to the Vehicles section and click Add, then Add vehicle.
  5. Paste the serial number from your clipboard into the Serial number field and give the new vehicle a description. Click OK to continue.
  6. Configure Driver Feedback for the new vehicle or add any custom parameters required. Once finished, click Save. The GO device is now ready to be installed in the new vehicle.

View the screenshots – Read Renee Depuydt’s blog: Benefits and Steps To Transferring Telematics Devices Between Vehicles for additional instructions on transferring a vehicle tracking device.

More Tips: Re-activating an Historical Device

 

If you need to move the GO device back to the old vehicle, first follow the steps above to make the current vehicle historical. Next, navigate to the Vehicles section and click Show historical. Find the old vehicle name in the list, and click on it to open the Vehicle Edit page. Click More Details to reveal additional options. Select Replace with new device. Enter a GO device serial number and click OK to re-activate the historical device.

It’s crucial you follow the steps listed above when moving a GO device between different vehicles. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this process, please contact us for more information.

Watch the MyGeotab Default Reports video to learn more about reporting in MyGeotab, including details on the IFTA Report.

 

References:

Original Blog From Geotab, By Ethan Weir, Technical Services Engineer
https://www.geotab.com/blog/mygeotab-ifta-report/