April/May 2008

A low bridge warning system has been added to the range of telematics products from RTL. It uses map data from Ordnance Survey to identify low bridges, cross-referenced with GPS tracking to check the location of the vehicle in question.

The height of the vehicle or trailer is pre-entered into the system; then when the driver approaches a low bridge, the system automatically sends out a warning direct to the cab, which may be audible, visual or both.

RTL emphasises that the system is offered as an upgrade to its existing telematics solutions, not as an isolated product. Moreover, it says that it will be possible in future to link it with other key information that might influence the driver's choice of route - such as environmentally-sensitive areas, road closures and road works.

The company says that on average 2,000 bridges are hit every year by high-sided vehicles and buses, costing industry around £50 million. Even a light touch can require an expensive structural report on the bridge's safety, it points out - and that's before repairs and insurance claims.