Arriva to use South Tyneside firm's hi-tech tracker

Nov 30 2009 By Andrew Mernin, The Journal

VEHICLE tracking technology developed in the North East is to be used by one of Europe’s largest transport operators.

South Tyneside’s FleetM8 has landed a contract with the North East bus and train company Arriva, which operates across 12 European countries.

The Sunderland company will use FleetM8’s tracking technology on bus fleets north of the border, allowing the firm to immediately spot when the vehicles end up "crowding" by getting too close together.

FleetM8’s tracking system was created by North East inventor Dr Phillip Tann, alongside his business partner Neil Herron – a well-known regional campaigner for motorists hit by questionable parking and speeding fines.

The technology first gained recognition two years ago when Dr Tann received a speeding ticket from Northumbria Police which claimed he was doing 42mph in a 30mph zone.

However, Dr Tann’s vehicle was fitted with a prototype GPS tracking device, which not only recorded the vehicle’s position but also recorded a speed, to six decimal places, of 29.177196 mph.

The system has since proved popular in transport-reliant industries and is currently being used by London’s pub traders to track beer deliveries.

It has also been fitted on buses in India by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation in Mysore, and directors will this week fly back to India for talks with additional government authorities.

They will enter into discussions with bus companies in the neighbouring Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland, which is keen to explore the potential of the technology.

Dr Tann said the tracking system could have huge global potential: "Because of the system’s accuracy and low cost we are able to offer benefits that have not previously been available using ordinary vehicle telemetry.

"Greater efficiency means fuel savings and reduction in CO2 emissions, and this is a major step towards companies being able to demonstrate that they are reducing their carbon footprint at the push of a button.

"With the global expansion of the mobile phone network and GPS technology, location-based systems are set to become the fifth utility service – we are on the cusp of a global revolution."

The adoption of FleetM8’s tracking system by Arriva follows last week’s news that the bus operator plans to introduce a mobile phone ticketing system.

Arriva’s introduction of m-ticketing is believed to be the largest deployment of its kind in the world, covering approximately 1,000 routes served by Arriva’s regional fleet of 4,500 buses.

It will enable all passengers to use their mobile phones to purchase tickets and then display them to the driver.