September 2002

You can track and trace a vehicle in real time without installing any equipment in it permanently by adopting a new system called PortaPOD, which has been launched by systems integrator Microlise. As its name implies, it also allows the driver to gather electronic proof-of-delivery information.

The self-contained system has been shoehorned into a single rugged briefcase, which is placed on the vehicle's passenger seat and retained by the standard seat belt. The box contains a handheld terminal (a Symbol PDT8100), a wireless wide area network modem (GSM or Transcomm Mobitex), a printer and a GPS tracking device. You just plug it all into the vehicle's cigar lighter socket.

Microlise sees the system as ideal for use in hired vehicles, or where an individual vehicle may not always be allocated to jobs in which tracking and POD collection are required.

The system was developed in association with TNT Logistics and its customer Rolls-Royce, who are the initial users. In this implementation it forms part of a wider fleet management system built round the Opus Fleet portfolio, which Microlise launched early this year.

 

Not only does their implementation allow vehicle tracking and data capture; drivers can also print receipts locally (including an image of the captured signature). The system also provides analysis of vehicle use.

Microlise is well-known as a developer of warehouse management systems, but this year has extended the proposition into asset tracking and fleet management under the overall branding Opus World. It also manufactures its own data capture and mobile computer terminals