Open source fleet management and vehicle tracking system

Most organizations these days own at least a few vehicles for various purposes. A construction company would have several trucks and tractors while a travel agency might own several vans and multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs).

Just like equipment in the office such as printers and servers, vehicles need to be maintained and most importantly tracked.

Let’s just say that you’re an owner of a waste management and garbage collection company. If you have twenty (20) trucks deployed to several areas, how do you ensure that each truck has gone to the area that it’s supposed to collect garbage from?

The only way to know is when a customer calls in to complain that their garbage hasn’t been collected for more than a week. And when you ask your truck driver if he’s been to the area, he said that he has, but both parties don’t have any proof.

To eliminate cases like this from happening, it’s good to implement a fleet management system (FMS) where vehicles can be equipped with a GPS device that sends the following data to the server on a predefined interval:

  • Date & time
  • Location (longitude & latitude)
  • Altitude (feet)
  • Speed (mph)
  • Street Address

If every garbage truck is installed with these GPS devices to send information of its whereabouts, it’s now possible to track:

  • where your trucks have been to
  • if the truck drivers were speeding
  • where was the truck on a specific date and time
  • how long did the truck drivers take their lunch breaks

Another benefit of a fleet tracking system is to record a vehicle’s mileage and its last service repair date. It is vital for all vehicles to be serviced and maintained on time in order for them to work well and to prevent accidents from occurring.

There are many types of FMS available out there in the market today. If the budget is tight and you have some time to create a prototype of your own then open-source fleet management and vehicle tracking system may be right for you.

OpenGTS is an open-source project designed specifically to provide web-based GPS tracking capability for a fleet of vehicles.

Some OpenGTS features include:

  • Web-based authentication
  • Customizable web interface
  • Customizable mapping service
  • Geo fenced area

Some OpenGTS screenshots:

vehicle tracking on a map

report for speeds over 65 mph

With OpenGTS web-based application, owners or supervisors can securely log on to the system to view information regarding their vehicles.

But wait a minute! What about the part where you would install a device on the vehicle for it to send and transfer GPS data?

For this to work, you’ll need to check out another open source project called OpenDMTP – a protocol and framework which allows bi-directional data communications between devices (client) and servers over the Internet.

By combining both OpenGTS and OpenDMTP, you can set up your very own open-source fleet management system to begin tracking your organization’s vehicles and their whereabouts today! I hope it helps!

Uber Clone "RapidTaxi" (OpenGTS Instalación ) Parte 1/2

List of Fleet Management Solutions (Commercial)

Fleetio is a complete and modern Fleet Management Solution that allows you to track every detail about the vehicles you own, schedule fleet maintenance efforts, collect data related to the entire fleet, work orders, inspections, maintain control of equipment, and more.

Fleetio Product Demo: A Modern Fleet Management Software Solution [Nov 2019]

 

Fleetroot is a unified all-in-one solution for your fleet management requirements. The all-in-one solution is designed to improve, safety, efficiency, and quality of fleet operations. The system’s key features include sensor monitoring, fuel management, predictive maintenance, real-time location & GPS, intelligent alerts, vehicle driver behavior.

Fleetroot’s benefits include improved visibility to fleet and resource operations, reduce the cost of fuel to enhance fuel-efficiency, and ultimately to improve customer response time.

Fleet Management Software: (What to Expect in 2020)

The pandemic has changed so much of our lives, and we are still feeling the effects, including the impact on the trucking industry and increased product shortages nationwide.

With the current truck driver shortage and unemployment ending for many Americans, now is the perfect time to consider taking advantage of this career opportunity.

Trucking is an essential service for this country, and becoming a driver comes with many benefits, including job security, freedom, and competitive salaries.

That’s why our team created a guide to offer support to those looking for a new career or who want to learn more about the benefits of becoming a truck driver in 2021:

Why now is the time to become a truck driver

About the author

Greetings! I'm Bob Lee, specializing in crafting and assessing web applications as a web developer and technical wordsmith.

Over a decade in this realm, I've traversed the roles of an entrepreneur, blogger, developer, and technology aficionado, relishing every moment.

My trusted aid in managing time and deadlines is the tool of Monday.com, a vital part of my daily productivity.


5 Comments

  • Yeah !
    The technology of the tracking system has make easy for the owner of the vehicles to track and locate their vehicles around the globe.

  • Fleet Management System helps reduced cost, enhance vehicle utilization, maintain efficiency, and prevent accidents.

  • Yes, the fleet management software provides the car hauler suite with end-to-end car hauling solutions for shippers and carriers. Its key modules include dispatch, customer management, billing, invoicing, scheduling, inspection, and load management. It improves communication between shippers, dispatchers, and drivers, eliminates manual data entry, and boosts ROI. Device support is available on the cloud, iPad, iPhone, and Android.

  • One of the many great features of Super Dispatch’s TMS software is its fleet mode – here are some of the biggest benefits of fleet mode, and why you should use it!

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