What you should know about GPS tracking and trucks

Whether you have a fleet of trucks or a favourite collectible car, GPS tracking can let you know where your assets are at any time

There are a lot of reasons people are turning to GPS tracking these days. Whether it is fitted as a simple anti theft device, or to provide live tracking for a fleet of a hundred vehicles, the benefits of GPS tracking are becoming more widely accepted every day.

Even so, the costs associated with fitting and maintaining a fully functional GPS tracking device can mean it’s not a viable option in a lot of cases. While some truck manufacturers now offer a GPS solution, the ongoing costs often mean that operators don’t make full use of the system once the trial period expires.

One Australian company is offering a simple solution in terms of both vehicle recovery and full-time live tracking, through a small GPS unit that can be fitted to any vehicle. The same unit is used for both purposes, with users having the option of simple vehicle location information, or full-time, live tracking with a simple fee structure and no need to sign up to long-term service contracts.

The Tracking Centre (TTC), based in Western Australia, offers a range of services to give operators a little extra peace of mind around the location and operation of their vehicles. Through the use of an online portal and/or a smartphone app, customers can get up-to-the-minute information on their vehicles at any time, including data on location, speed and travel history.

The TTC system also allows for geo-fencing, whereby users can receive instant notification when a vehicle enters or leaves a particular area. This not only means you can know when your trucks are entering or leaving the depot, but also when they go somewhere they shouldn’t.

The system sends data through a multi-carrier sim card, which allows the unit to use whichever network provides the strongest coverage in the area the vehicle is operating. This not only means broader coverage, but more accurate information in areas where some carriers may not provide coverage at all.

For what it’s worth, it will also connect to networks overseas, allowing you to keep track of any assets you may have operating in foreign countries. The TTC tracking device can be fitted to any vehicle, as long as permanent power is available, and it can be hidden out of sight.

Levels of tracking

There are three levels of serviceability offered with the TTC tracker. The first level, TTC Protect, offers a basic vehicle location service and assistance in locating and recovering the vehicle if it is stolen. The Protect system allows you check on the location of the vehicle using the TTC protect app, and offers support from the TTC call centre in the event the vehicle is stolen. If this should occur, it’s a simple case of reporting it to the police, who should give you an event reference number (job number). Once you have this number, simply call the TTC call centre and they will activate live tracking, and contact the police directly to give details on the vehicle’s location, direction of travel and speed.

This service is free of charge, and a great way to ensure recovery of your asset. The system will also inform you of any impact to the vehicle or power being disconnected while it’s parked up.

The TTC Protect package has no ongoing monthly fees, and works on a credits system to charge for location or status information. Once the unit is installed, the ongoing costs depend entirely on how often you check on your asset. Credits are very affordable, with 100 credits costing only $18, and only one credit used each time you request location/status information or an alarm is activated.

The next level of information on offer comes via TTC Livetrack. With this package, customers receive all the functionality of the Protect package plus full time live tracking, with updates every 30-60 seconds on the vehicle’s location, direction of travel, and speed.

This package also offers the ability to play back travel history, run a number of historical reports and set up geo-fencing to provide alerts when a vehicle enters or exits a particular area. The Livetrack package is available for a monthly fee of $22 per vehicle, and with no lock-in contracts. This fee includes use of the app and/or a full time, dedicated web portal to enable 24/7 viewing of assets.

Should you have a unit installed and decide you want to change from Protect to Livetrack (or vice versa) this can also be done.

The third tier on offer is aimed specifically at car rental fleets and dealership demonstrator fleets. It works in a similar way to the Protect package, with credits available at wholesale rates. When the vehicle is sold, the locator can either be removed and put into another vehicle, or sold with the vehicle and transferred to either the Protect or Livetrack package, offering the new purchaser a little extra peace of mind.

The basic unit costs around $500 and, even on the most basic program, provides an affordable and effective way to keep track of your assets. Whether it be fitted to $400,000 Kenworth, an irreplaceable GTHO Falcon, or just your daily driver, the TTC tracking system provides cheap insurance over the life of the vehicle.

What you should know about GPS tracking and trucks

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