Assessing Real Time GPS Asset Tracking for Timber Haulage

This paper discusses the background to real-time GPS asset tracking in the context of 1) monitoring moving vehicles, 2) the content of the GPS data that is provided as part of the 2 systems that were tested, 3) the theory behind the installation of such tracking systems in terms of GPS, GPRS and internet communications and finally, 4) the assessment of the economic benefits of both systems is also discussed. This involved the installation of 2 different GPS asset tracking providers, Bluetree and Fleetmatics onto 2 timber haulage trucks – an articulated Iveco Stralis 530 6*2 tractor unit with tri-axle road friendly air suspension flat bed trailer with a design gross vehicle weight (d.g.v.w.) equal to 44 000kg. The Scania 124 (400) was a rigid (3 axle) + trailer (3 axle) + crane combination with an equivalent d.g.v.w. of 44 000kg.