Tracker - How do they work?

[JoPo1]

We've just had them installed on our works vans but have been told by one of the managers (stupidly) that if we use the van to go somehwere but it isnt switched off til you get back to your home adress, That the tracker only sends data from being switched off and on, Not the whole journey.

Shed light upon me, For Jesus christ sake.

[D44nny]

We have them our trucks. They can tell how fast your goin wot speed limit is how long u stop for if engine running and they can also specify places that if you go in they will get email. Eg if you go home.

[XVar]

A tracker that only sends data of when it's switched on/off sounds pretty useless to me. There's loads of different ways they can be set up but it's likely that your manager was lying and it's always on. We had them installed in our vans (600+) a few years ago but it was on the condition that the data couldn't be used as the sole evidence in a disciplinary case due to the understandable uproar from the workforce.

Depending on what system you've got installed, they can be as simple as location logging (and therefore speed), right up to full CAN bus logging which can include fuel consumption, alerts for things such as harsh braking/acceleration, excessive idling etc., alerts when driven within x miles of pre-defined areas, alerts when driven out of specified hours, etc.

Yep, it can be pretty damn big brother-ish if the company wants it to be. Extremely useful however for proving that your engineer really did turn up at a customer's property despite their insistance that they were in all day

[Wigeon Incognito]

We use Trimble full CAN bus tracking on our vehicles. Yes it can be very big brother if there's a need for it but the primary reason for installing it was the massive reduction in insurance premium. It's also a passive safety feature calming drivers down which in turn saves fuel and reduces wear.

PS When switched off for private use no data is returned. It means fuel returns can be calculated automatically too.

Edited by Wigeon Incognito on Wednesday 1st February 19:29

[P100]

The original Tracker is a device that is only turned on if the vehicle is reported as stolen. These used mobile phone technology and were supposed be hidden somewhere in the vehicle that was inaccessible quickly.

In one case I have seen, the installation was so bad that when the car in question was stolen, the tracker had been ripped out and deposited under the car parked next door to where the car had been.

The one you are referring to is a data logger which uses satalite technology to track the vehicles position, speed, and had been said above can be set to record much more than the basics.
The intention for companies is to help them maximise their vehicle useage, and so be more efficient.

As most will tell you, some operators have taken this to the next level, and have used the avialable data to check what their more enterprising staff are really up to when they should be working !!

You should not need to worry if you are doing your job properly !