Vehicle tracking helps hauliers manage the winter weather

I noticed just this morning that the frost is now really starting to affect the start to a drivers day. Despite the fact we are only just starting November you could almost smell the de-icer in the air as I left home!

Vehicle trackers can help with managing winter weather

The winter weather has an adverse effect on anyone using the road, whether its ensuring your vehicle is 'winter ready' (covering basics like tyre pressure and battery checks) or altering your journey in order to avoid some of the worst affected roads - there is a lot to consider.

These considerations are doubled when it comes to businesses with vehicles on the road as the safety and hours of drivers must be taken in to account and when you have multiple employees to consider this can be a tall task.

However, for those employers that are already utilising vehicle tracking systems there are lots of ways they can assist with managing these conditions as well as helping with the safety of your employees.

Route alterations are a good example - bad weather can mean road closures, slow traffic and speed restrictions, so using a tracker to monitor and alter the route of a vehicle remotely can be managed more effectively with real time information.

Breakdowns are also an issure with this sort of weather and I often find that it can be harder to manage a breakdown situation at these times. Using a tracking system here means that the vehicle can be located with accuracy - a handy piece of information for recovery companies. Besides this if you are using a communication system as part of your tracker (common in lone worker systems) then the driver will be able to raise the alarm far quicker whatever the time of day or night.

One final consideration is temperature control for the goods on board. As I have mentioned on here before, some trackers will also monitor the temperature of goods that need to be controlled. In adverse weather this can be an extra useful function, allowing remote management of the ambient temperature via the GPRS system.

Remote temperature control via digital communications systems

Temperature controlled products and services are an important part of many industries these days whether you are monitoring the temperature of items that are already on the road or stored in a warehouse or other facility.

It can be difficult to monitor this activity remotely - for vehicles that are on the road it is sometimes necessary to have an alert system installed in the cabin of the vehicle - but what if the system is unmanned or the driver is unable to react to a temperature change?

GSM Power Switch

Similarly with warehouses and storage, it is unlikely the location will be manned at all times, but if the temperature control was to fail how would anyone know? Specifically if the power was cut it is likely that the failure won't be noticed until the site is manned again and it might be too late to save any stock.

There are several systems that can assist with this type of challenge - the use of trackers with temperature monitoring equipment can help workers to remotely monitor the state of a consignment whilst in transit.

For those looking for a solution to ensuring the power is on at all times you could purchase a GSM power switch that will alert you if the power is cut.

Using a sim card pre-installed to the system you and 4 colleagues can be immediately alerted if the power is cut to your equipment, saving valuable time and money before any stock is lost.

New ideas in tracking systems

Tracking systems have changed in many ways in recent years, with plenty of advances in technology there are now many more benefits than just being able to find trace your vehicle after being lost or stolen.

So what are the benefits?

Vehicle tracking systems

Most businesses are looking for vehicle tracking solutions in order to increase productivity, as well as providing useful information on journeys in order to manage and effectively meet customer expectations and KPIs (key performance indicators).

Additional services now offered in vehicle tracking systems include:

• Remote temperature monitoring - specifically useful for temperature controlled vehicles or consignments
• Mapped data and current location - including easy to interprate information on current location and local area mapping
• Driver information and past journeys - helping with productivity of drivers and prevention of depreciation of the value of your vehicles
• Real time speed data - to assist businesses in obtaining an accurate ETA as well as monitoring driver behaviours

Lone worker tracking systems

Unlike vehicle trackers, lone worker trackers provide more safety and additional features for the worker/s. These include

• Emergency buttons - one push for the worker to contact the office or a designated colleague in an emergency situation
• Radio communications - easy to use radio that can be utilised for fast communications with colleagues
• Location tracking - office based worker tracking via any internet connected pc

There are many other features and benefits offered by these systems, but these are some of the most helpful for many of the people I have seen using these systems.

Radio system languages for safety

I was interested when reading a report recently regarding an Ontario based police force who are looking for more security when communicating through their two way radios.

Sadly it seems the radio communications of a dying police officer (whilst on duty) were streamed by the media and as a result were broadcast to the public before his next of kin were even contacted. With current technology available for groups to easily intercept radio conversations it is becoming more and more important to create a secure way of speaking over the systems. More information on this specific report can be found on the Ottawa Citizen newspaper website.

Although these are unique circumstances, the need for secure languages over the radio is one of the most important parts of training for the communications team.

The phonetic alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie etc) was really created for clarity as letters can be difficult to hear with background noise and radio interferences, but this language is well known and therefore won't really help to keep a conversation secure.

Team and property based codes for specific circumstances are popular with businesses that utilise radio communications and tannoys, circumstances they are commonly used for include:

• Emergencies and first aid situations
• Cash and key conversations
• Customer information
• Staff location and requests

Even in your local supermarket you hear tannoy users requesting 'code 4' or similar, which I am told sometimes means 'all till trained staff to return to the tills' and obviously works well when they checkout queues are getting long.

Popular radio brands

Like many other products in the UK, it seems that when people are looking for two way radios, they stick with a brand name or product they already know well.

In some cases it is fair to say that customers are looking for additional radios to work with an existing system, but in some cases popular brands specifically sourced and products chosen from only their range. In my experience on of the most well known and popular brands available are Motorola radios.

Motorola Radio Systems

As one of the worlds leading manufacturers of radio systems, Motorola is one of the most popular brands available for purchase in business.

There are 3 key types of radio available that popular brands like this will cover, they are:

Motorola Mobile Radio

Analogue Radios - Using traditional radio technology, analogue radios use radio waves to send voice messages via their receivers. However, analogue signals are prone to bad reception and are effected by interference from large objects that the signal can not be fed through.

Digital Radios - Digital receivers are fast becoming more popular as their reception capability is said to be greater than their analogue brothers. However bad weather (amongst other things) is said to effect satellite signals in some cases.


Mobile Radios - Commonly used by taxi firms, haulage companies and the emergency services, mobile radio systems are installed directly into a vehicle for use by drivers for easy communication to a base station.

Motorola Radio System Accessories

Like some other brands, Motorola also offer a range of accessories for use with their systems, many of which make use of the systems far simpler for their environment. The accessories available include bluetooth wireless adapters, push to talk systems and headsets as well as charging stations, batteries and other essentials.

Communicating remotely with Radio Systems

Two Way Radio System

There are many reasons to use a radio communications system for your business. Some of the more common reasons include:

• Large business premises (such as warehouses or stores)
• Events with large visitor numbers
• Emergency communications systems
• National and International Travel (workers based offsite)

Two way radios are the most popular form of communication system available, but the way they are used can vary enormously depending on the environment you are in as well as the resources available.

Two Way Radio Accessories and Extras

Many of the leading manufacturers provide accessories and optional extras for radio systems to make them more usable and functional depending on the situation. Some of the more popular extras include:

Radio Headsets 

Headsets come in various forms. One of the most popular is a push to talk (or PTT) version, which allows the radio to be permanently attached to the person and only a button on the headset wire has to be pressed for communication to be activated.

Fully hands-free (speech activated) headsets are available too, which can be invaluable to those who work in situations where both hands are needed (unsafe environments and emergency workers often use these) but this more effective technology often comes at an additional cost.

Private and Public Radio Networks

Some radio providers will be able to provide installation services for private radio networks. This is specifically suitable for companies that need to operate their communications system in an area with poor radio signal as it will boost to a level where walkie talkies can be used.


Radio Battery Rechargers

For those with a large family of radios to look after having re-charging stations at various locations is very useful. Many base units on some of the most popular radio systems offer a recharging capability, although you will also find that many radio systems can also be used for longer periods these days without the battery running out. For this reason, some businesses re-charge their radio batteries overnight, so they are always ready for use on the next working day.

These are just a few of the extras you can purchase and there are many different styles of radio system available, so taking the time to consider what functions are most important to your users before choosing the right system is of paramount importance.

Can vehicle tracking systems help with Olympic logistics?

Freight, logistics and transport associations have reported recently that many hauliers are unprepared for the logistical challenges posed by the Olympic Games.

This year will be a busy one for London and the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has been advising road network users to treat the principal 3 months of the Olympic season as an “extended Christmas period” and that they should prepare for long delays and difficult access situations.

Navigation of the Stratford area is likely to change and even seasoned local drivers will need to alter their understanding of routes around the region. Besides this there are likely to be security measures in place for deliveries to various areas of the site, which will likely make advanced route planning essential in order to arrive in the right place at the right time.

Vehicle tracking systems can help!

If you have vehicle tracking systems installed already then you might want to consider adapting their use to assist with various aspects of your driver/s journeys. The systems can be used to report on a variety of information, much of which can be used to assist drivers experiencing access challenges.

Remote journey assistance – Using the GPRS signal provided by the tracker, information is relayed via computer in real time regarding the journey taken so far and current location. For a driver who is having trouble finding the correct access route or delivery location this system can be invaluable as office based workers can provide detailed journey instructions from the drivers current location, knowing they are instructing them from the right place.

Vehicle security – Security is obviously a huge consideration in any place at any time, so it will give drivers and their employers’ peace of mind to know that the installed tracker will not only keep track of the vehicle whilst it is in use, but also provide location and journey information if it is lost or stolen. As an added control measure, office based staff can also track the current journey and check for any unexpected route changes, which could be a warning sign of a security issue.

Managing delivery expectations – Probably one of the most important considerations is the knock on effect that delays will have on the recipient awaiting the arrival of your vehicle. Whilst delays because of traffic and access restrictions are mostly unavoidable, using a tracking system will help you to manage customer expectations by keeping them informed of scheduling changes and revised ETA’s in real time and without having to disturb the driver.

I think we will all feel an effect from the Olympics, even those who are not delivering directly to site might experience traffic delays and heightened security issues in and around the capital. Besides this, with various events taking place around the country it is likely there will be other areas affected too, so it’s likely any business that is managing vehicles will need to plan journeys carefully during the events.