Oct/Nov 2006

Durham County Council is trialling a vehicle tracking and telematics system from Microlise in its municipal fleet. Initially nearly fifty vehicles have been fitted out, and depending on the findings, many more of the 500-strong fleet could be brought into the system later.

The first phase involves parts of the council's Service Direct division, including 18 gritters, two street lighting vehicles and 26 general maintenance vehicles, all of which have been fitted with Microlise in-vehicle computers. These units pinpoint each vehicle's location by GPS and transmit this in real time back to the operations offices via GPRS wireless link.

Back at the Durham operations offices, Microlise Map Client software gives council personnel real-time visibility of the location of each vehicle, its direction, speed and the route it has travelled. Where appropriate, the unit also monitors hoist operation or time when grit spreading equipment is operating.

In addition, the vehicles have been fitted with lone worker units which connect via a radio link into the on-board vehicle unit.

 

Alongside operational benefits, Vivien Wiley, head of engineering services at Service Direct, says the ability to provide proof of routes travelled will help the council to defend insurance claims.