GPS Tracking System - Benefits to the Transportation Industry

A vehicle tracking system combines the use of automatic vehicle location in individual vehicles with software that collects these fleet data for a comprehensive picture of vehicle locations. Modern vehicle tracking systems commonly use GPS or GLONASS technology for locating the vehicle, but other types of automatic vehicle location technology can also be used. Vehicle information can be viewed on electronic maps via the Internet or specialized software. Urban public transit authorities are an increasingly common user of vehicle tracking systems, particularly in large cities. It is empirical for FM Global Logistics to understand the whole system, how it works and how it can help them to optimize their cost of operating the business.

- GPS tracking device: The device fits into the vehicle and captures the GPS location information apart from other vehicle information at regular intervals to a central server. The other vehicle information can include fuel amount, engine temperature, altitude, reverse geocoding, door open/close, tire pressure, cut off fuel, turn off ignition, turn on headlight, turn on taillight, battery status, GSM area code/cell code decoded, number of GPS satellites in view, glass open/close, fuel amount, emergency button status, cumulative idling, computed odometer, engine RPM, throttle position,GPRS status and a lot more. Capability of these devices actually decide the final capability of the whole tracking system.

- GPS tracking server: The tracking server has three responsibilities: receiving data from the GPS tracking unit, securely storing it, and serving this information on demand to the user.

- User interface: The UI determines how one will be able to access information, view vehicle data, and elicit important details from it.

A GPS tracking unit is a device that uses the Global Positioning System to determine the precise location of a vehicle, person, or other asset to which it is attached and to record the position of the asset at regular intervals. The recorded location data can be stored within the tracking unit, or it may be transmitted to a central location data base, or internet-connected computer, using a cellular (GPRS or SMS), radio, or satellite modem embedded in the unit. This allows the asset's location to be displayed against a map backdrop either in real time or when analysing the track later, using GPS tracking software. Data tracking software is available for smartphones with GPS capability.

A GPS logger simply logs the position of the device at regular intervals in its internal memory. Modern GPS loggers have either a memory card slot, or internal flash memory and a USB port. Some act as a USB flash drive. This allows downloading of the track log data for further analyzing in a computer. The tracklist or point of interest list may be in GPX, KML, NMEA or other format.

Most digital cameras save the time a photo was taken. Provided the camera clock was reasonably accurate or used GPS as its time source, this time can be correlated with GPS log data, to provide an accurate location. This can be added to the Exif metadata in the picture file. Cameras with GPS receiver built in can directly produce such a geotagged photograph.

In some private investigation cases, data loggers are used to keep track of a target vehicle. The PI need not follow the target so closely, and always has a backup source of data.

 

Some of the brand available in  Malaysia providing GPS product and services:-

DATA FM

DF TRACKER

MYGPS

SKYTRACKGPS

ASTRATA

GPSTECH

And many others. The most important, those product must match your requirement and budget - not to be under or over specification. It has to balance between customer's satisfaction / KPI and financial impact.....