247Security’s Touchdown wireless management system incorporates GPS with video in one easy-to-use interface.
Today’s GPS solutions can do much more than help pupil transporters keep track of where their buses are. Users can monitor driver speed and idling, and they can compare planned and actual routes. Many systems can be integrated with other useful tools, such as onboard video surveillance and child-check systems.
Here are features of the latest products from seven companies.
247Security Inc.
247Security’s MiniTrack solution can be used as a standalone GPS or it can be incorporated into the company’s wireless management solution, Touchdown, according to Vice President Robert Scott.
When integrated with Touchdown, MiniTrack provides a variety of information, including all bus activity from previous days, such as the path of a bus, speed, location and time of stops, idling and parking events.
Scott notes that whether it is incorporated with Touchdown or used as a standalone solution, MiniTrack can help to reduce staff time dealing with routine fleet-related inquiries, and it can improve analysis of fleet performance, which can lead to cost reductions.
“MiniTrack has no user fees, which makes it a cost-effective option in the long run,” he adds.
Moreover, MiniTrack’s ability to integrate with Touchdown through its interface differentiates it from other systems, according to Scott, since users have access to comprehensive tools that allow for the manipulation of GPS, G Force and video data to create a multitude of reports and analysis.
AngelTrax
AngelTrax’s GPS is integrated into a new video surveillance management tool, MOTOTrax.
“Vehicle tracking, AVL and a live view inside vehicles are among the functions available through MOTOTrax,” says Vice President of Sales Mark Moore.
The system’s AVL features include monitoring total drive time, distance traveled, idle time and overspeed cost.
With Route Rewind, users can play back a vehicle’s entire trip from the operator’s perspective. The Geofencing option allows users to outline a specific area on a map and receive alerts if a vehicle breaches that area.
AngelTrax’s MOTOTrax video surveillance management tool has vehicle tracking and automatic vehicle location capabilities. It can also provide a live view inside vehicles.
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AngelTrax also offers Virtual Synchronized Mapping (VSM). This technology embeds the GPS map in the video data footage so that during playback with AngelTrax’s FlexPlay software, the recorded data is synchronized with the GPS mapping data. This creates a permanent location record that can’t be altered during web-based map updates.
VSM also displays the street address of the vehicle, so users will see the stop’s address, not just the GPS coordinates. Vehicle speed and direction are displayed as well.