Tag: GPS

8 Surprising Facts You Never Knew About GPS – Infographics

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Global Positioning System or GPS which was earlier used only for navigation purpose for ships and airplanes is widely used nowadays in almost every aspect of life.

But still, there are many facts about GPS which we bet you didn’t know. Here are some of them.

  1. GPS was first introduced in automobiles in 1996.
  2. GPS was first used by US for military purposes.
  3. GPS system uses the principle of Doppler Effect to trace locations.
  4. GPS was called Navstar in the beginning and the first Navstar satellite was launched in 1978.
  5. The basic idea of GPS was based on LORAN and Decca Navigation System, which were used during World War II.
  6. Most people who have cars with built-in GPS use their phones for directions.
  7. GPS is not just for navigation but it also can be used to obtain accurate time.
  8. GPS is owned and placed under the control of the Department of Defense.

GPS has revolutionized today’s technology as it is becoming more interactive day-by-day and is useful in various areas.

How Many Countries Have Their Own GPS System

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Global Positioning System (GPS), originally named Navstar GPS is a radio-navigation system developed for the Air Force operations of the United States and owned by the government of The United States.

However, there are other names given to the navigation systems that are owned and managed by various nations across the globe, all of which will be discussed under, at length. The GPS finds its extensive use in a number of national and international operations including lending a helping hand to navy and military operations.

When it comes to the daily and most common applications of GPS, you will find its promising role in tracking school kids, vehicles and even pets. GPS devices are also used to effectively manage a fleet in addition to providing real-time weather updates to anyone concerned.

 There are countries that operate through their indigenous GPS systems. 5 of them are India, Russia, China, The European Union and Japan. This post sheds light on all the 5 GPS systems that are operated and managed by these countries.

  1. NAVIC – India

All thanks to the efforts of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which made India the proud owner of indigenous GPS and navigation system called NAVIC, since 2016. This is the 7th and last navigation satellite launched by India. After the launch of this satellite, India can manage all its military navigation operations without depending on another country.

This is a regional navigation satellite system with 7 satellites working in tandem with each other to provide accurate coordinates of the targeted position. When you say that it is a regional satellite, it means that its real-time timing and positioning operations can span over India and any region in the Indian Territory extending up to 1,500 km.

Applications of NAVIC

  • NAVIC can become the leading light for travelers and hikers by providing terrestrial navigation information.
  • It can be used to lay hands on accurate location coordinates linked to aerial (air), terrestrial (land) and marine (water) navigation.
  • Finding an extensive use in the effective and timely management of disasters, NAVIC can also help in fleet management operation and vehicle tracking.
  • Along with providing important data points like precise timing and map coordinates, NAVIC can help you capture land surveying data.
  • Additional features include the broadcasting of voice and visual navigation information that can help drivers reach a certain preset destination.
  1. Galileo – European Union

Getting its name from the well-known Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei, Galileo is a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) that was built by the European Union (EU), in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). It is an interesting piece of trivia to note that this €10 billion project operates through 30 MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) satellites, most of which are operational since 2014.

All the satellites are expected to become fully-functional by 2020. Once the system is completed, Galileo will have 30 satellites which will orbit in space, interoperating with both Russia’s GLONASS and USA’s GPS.

Plan is up for essential lower-precision Galileo services to come with a “cost-free” tag that can be availed by civilians, the high-precision capabilities must be made available to paid commercial consumers. Galileo is supposed to offer vertical and horizontal position measurements with a 1 meter public accuracy.

Additionally, this GNSS project is intended to provide superior positioning services at greater latitudes, when compared to other positioning systems. Italy and Germany are the two companies that are majorly contributing to the Galileo project.

In contrast to the military operations that are directed by the USA’s GPS and Russia’s GLONASS, Galileo is a class apart. The noble intention behind Galileo is to enable civilians make the most of this global positioning system. 2016 was the year in which Galileo started off, by providing basic services, including helping users to be guided by navigation, timing and positioning information.

Applications of Galileo

  • The primary objective of Galileo is to offer an exclusive system of high-precision positioning to all the nations conglomerated under the umbrella of European Union. This was a step to avoid relying on GLONASS, the GPS system of Russian, Bei-Dou of China or the United States’ GPS. This was to counter an imminent danger coming from any one of the countries suspending their positioning services to the EU.

 

  • Another important application of Galileo is to come up with a novel global search and rescue (SAR) function, lending a helping hand to all the distressed people caught up in aerial and marine accidents. It is through this GNSS that the time taken to detect an emergency can be brought down to a mere 10 minutes from the earlier timeframe of 3 hours. That means, this facility will come to the rescue of the people in distress, whether they are trapped high up on the mountains or getting pulled into the ebb of deep waters. When it comes to rescue operations, the faster the better. This GNSS meets this pre-requisite of saving the lives of trapped people quickly.

 

  • Certain innovative start-ups and creative companies are deriving the benefits of various applications of satellite data dispersed by the space programs conducted by the EU.

 

  • A constellation refers to the group of satellites that provide information about location. Once all the 30 satellites in the Galileo’s constellation become operational, it will be able to point to users the accuracy of the signals. This is an important data point for scenarios concerning the safety of people. It should also be noted that Galileo’s navigation system provides a medium of two-way communication between the control stations on the ground and the satellites in orbit.

 

  • Last but not the least, Galileo’s positioning functionalities make their strong presence felt in a number of areas including railways, agriculture, ships, autonomous and connected vehicles, drones and Internet of Things (IoT).
  1. GLONASS – Russia

Commissioned to provide global positioning information to its users since 1995, GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite) is a Russian space-based satellite navigation system. This system is meant to provide radio navigation satellite services.

Tagged as an alternative GPS service, GLONASS ranks second as the provider of global navigational system services with reasonable precision. If GLONASS is appended to many of the GPS navigation devices, it will favor fixing the positions of built-up areas which obstruct the flow of GPS satellites; accurately and quickly.

While the completion of the GLONASS constellation took place in 1995, the entire constellation turned non-operational by late 1990s with the loss of some satellites. However, under the presidency of Vladimir Putin, GLONASS began to regain its lost glory in the form of increased funding.

And in October 2011, the entire constellation of 24 satellites was reinstated, offering a complete global coverage. All thanks to the changed positioning of the GLONASS satellites, you can enjoy a higher degree of accuracy at high latitudes, far up in the north or south.

Key Applications of GLONASS

  • GLONASS combining with the capabilities of GPS finds its application in phone baseband chips sold by well-known vendors like Broadcom, Qualcomm, and Exynos.

 

  • It was in 2011 that Swepos, a network of satellite reference stations of Sweden providing real-time positioning information with meter accuracy was the first overseas company to employ the capabilities of GLONASS.

 

  • Again in 2011, GLONASS made its strong presence felt in the smartphone business. Devices that were launched in 2011 were: Samsung’s Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note II along with Sony Ericsson and Google Nexus 10 incorporated the positives of GLONASS. Tablets and smartphones that were launched in 2011 were in a position to uncover the features of high-degree accuracy and speed locking in challenging conditions.
  1. Bei-Dou – China

Moving on to the 4th country that operates through its indigenous satellite navigation system, BeiDou Navigation Satellite System is a contribution from China, exclusively for regional coverage. This system operates with two separate satellite constellations.

The first BeiDou system, also known as BeiDou-1 was formally named as BeiDou Satellite Navigation Experimental System. This system operated through 3 satellites that provided restricted coverage along with certain navigation services to the Chinese and the users in neighboring areas.

However BeiDou-1 could not see the light of the day by the end of 2012.

BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), also known as BeiDou-2 was the name given to the 2nd generation of BeiDou. Colloquially called COMPASS, this system was operational in China since December 2011.

This system had 10 satellites in orbit; a partial constellation. From December 2012 onwards this system offered positioning information to users in the Asia-Pacific region.

It was in 2015 when China started developing its 3rd generation BeiDou system (BeiDou-3) so as to make its presence felt in the global coverage constellation. Until January, BeiDou-3 successfully launched 9 satellites.

However, the target is to launch 35 satellites by 2020, with an aim to provide global positioning services. It should be noted that the BeiDou navigation system has 3 primary advantages when compared to GPS navigation systems for emergencies.

They are two-way communication (bi-directional communication) which is much more secure and highly reliable.

Interesting Applications of Bei-Dou Navigation Satellite System (BDS)

When it comes to creativity, nothing can stop the innate intellect of the Chinese. Here are some exciting applications of Bei-Dou that were churned out by Chinese firms.

  • China’s native Bei-Dou navigation system has some interesting uses that can simplify your everyday life. All the way from bank cards to shared bicycles, this navigation system can also help in identifying unmanned patrol vehicles.

 

  • Bank Cards – Most of the modern day bank cards consist of chips which provide the much-needed safety cover against fraudulent monetary transactions. It is through BDS that you will be in a strong position to lay hands on the exact location of every online transaction. Making the most of accurate positioning technology, you can safeguard yourself from online financial frauds.

 

  • Shared Bicycles – Since accurate positioning is significant information to riders of shared bikes, programmed chips employing the capabilities of BDS are being developed.

 

  • The capabilities of BDS can be applied to inspect the performance of all those drivers who have registered to appear for certificate tests.

 

  • The navigation technology can also be used to locate unmanned patrol vehicles in residential areas when they are fitted with monitoring cameras.

 

  • Security guards braving extreme weather conditions can rely on the positioning information shared by BDS.

 

  • Other applications of BDS include: laying of underground pipelines in urban areas and applications connected to the field of agriculture.
  1. QZSS – Japan

The abbreviation of Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) is a Japanese project aimed at developing a four-satellite time transfer system along with a satellite-based augmentation system. Tagged as a regional coverage system, the first trial happened in September 2010 through a demonstration satellite.

The primary aim of QZSS is to offer highly stable and accurate positioning information to the Asia-Oceania region, focusing on Japan. Originally, QZSS was in the hands of the Advanced Space Business Corporation (ASBC).

However, with the dissolution of ASBC in 2007, the commissioning work was transferred to JAXA in tandem with Satellite Positioning Research and Application Center (SPAC) which was set-up in 2007.

It is a known fact that navigation functions facilitate internet browsing through smartphones and car navigation systems through the use of positioning signals coming from satellites.

QZSS humorously named Michibiki (meaning “showing the way” or “guiding”) is meant to do just that so that users can detect the current location using satellite positioning services.

Since most of the satellite positioning services employ the capabilities of USA’s GPS satellites, QZSS will become a four-satellite constellation in 2018 when teamed with GPS.

It is an important piece of information to note that three of QZSS’ satellites can be visible at all times from any of the locations linked to the Asia-Oceania regions. With these visible satellites in place, all those businesses which thrive on spatial and geographical data points can expand and grow.

Proposed Applications of QZSS

  • Intending to meet the positioning needs of civilians, Michibiki is aiming to offer a positioning accuracy close to inches.
  • As mentioned earlier, satellite geo-location systems will help civilians to carry out internet browsing on their smartphones alongside making car navigation a breeze.
  • Japan, a country known for its unforgiving and rough mountains can experience an obstruction to GPS signals. It is for this very reason that QZSS can complement the US operated GPS to provide positioning signals even on mountains.
  • Japan has a plan to set-up a constellation of 7 satellites by 2023.

Closing Thoughts

While it is very interesting to note that the GPS of United States of America operates 32 medium Earth Orbit satellites in six different orbits, The USA is a nation that utilizes plenty of resources offered by satellite navigation systems.

Next in line are the 5 countries that were discussed in detail. GPS and GLONASS come across as global navigation systems in which India, Japan and China are the countries that operate regional navigation systems so as to facilitate many businesses in different niches.

20 Remarkable Uses of GPS in Everyday Life

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

The Global positioning system (GPS) is popular now-a-days as a satellite-based navigation system that gives information about geo-location and data about time to receiver. The facility is available to anyone at any place in the world.

The system does not need the user to send any data as it operates with complete independence without any telephonic and internet connection, although the involvement of these technologies could add to the functioning of the system.

Military, civil, and commercial users get the support of the system because it provides them with vital  information about positions of places and things around the world. Owned by United States Government, GPS functions under the supervision of United States Air Force.

As everyone thinks that GPS is only for vehicle navigation, interactive mapping, use in space-age technology, the reality is it has now-a-days advanced a lot to become part-and-parcel of everyday life.

Let’s know about some of the remarkable uses of GPS in everyday life.

1. Convenience in Doing Business Logistics

A new trend has come to exist in the business logistics. Many companies are now-a-days tracking the movement of their trucks through GPS system with an intention to ascertain the whereabouts of their employees and their related movement in transit. This helps in bringing improvement in making timely deliveries and developing a good rapport with the customers.

2. Farming – The Other Important Area for GPS Application

As agriculture is the other important area, where NASA is planning to bring development with the application of GPS system, a remarkable change would get noticed in the methods of farming. In a fresh initiative, NASA has decided to equip tractors with GPS sensors.

The sensors would help remarkably to navigate during night-time and periods of visibility. In addition to that, scientists would plant soil sensors and other types of monitors to know about the areas that need better watering, fertilization, and weed control.

3. Avail Emergency Help at the Road-side

While travelling, a person could need emergency help for anything. He would not have to either shout or call anyone for help but simply press a button to get help. Moreover, the help comes at the specified place, where the person would need it.

4. Let’s Tackle Personal Emergencies

Nowadays,  users could tie GPS-based band to their wrist or get taped to their body. The device could monitor vital body signs and in case of medical emergency, the device could alert and call for medical help through wireless communication.

5. No Difficulty in Finding Lost Animals

As now-a-days various companies sell GPS featured tracking device, which they could get implanted to the bodies of pets. The device tracks the whereabouts of the pets and monitors their heart-rate and body temperature.

6. Get Help from the Emergency Personnel

When a person gets lost without finding his/her way out of the place, the GPS could pin-point his/her location and help the emergency personnel search and get him. When travelling in a public carrier service, the installed GPS in the carrier could help in pin-pointing the presence of the person in a particular place.

7. Greatly helpful in finding short-cuts and other directions for the destinations

When the person has a time-bound engagement, the GPS could easily give help by giving him/her alternative directions and short-cuts to reach the place. This feature is greatly helpful as the person does not have to fumble his/her way out and struggle for time management.

8. Most Helpful in Saving Fuel

In a developing nation like India, people experience regular price-hikes of fuel. A tracking device, installed on the top of the bus, could help a lot in controlling fuel cost. 

The GPS tracker helps greatly in pre-planning the movement of the buses in their routes. This could optimize the returns from the movement of the buses and bring improvement in fuel consumption and reduction in maintenance costs.

9. Employee Transportation

Using GPS tracking systems, you can manage employee transportation fleet and improve its efficiency. You can save time and fuel, thereby minimizing expenses.

10. Keep an Eye on the Luggage, Laptop, and Important Belongings

While travelling, the feature in the GPS could track the luggage, laptop, and important personal belongings. With this feature, the owner of the belongings would get instant notification regarding any attempt of theft.

11. Track and Find Friends, Family, and Relatives at the Crowded Place

While participating in a crowed gathering, concert, or graduation ceremony, GPS has the feature to track relatives, friends, and family members and help the person in locating his beloved ones easily.

12. No Worries for Getting Lost in an Unfamiliar Place

The traveler does not have to worry if he/she gets lost in an unfamiliar place. In case, the GPS is active, it becomes really easier to get back to the destination without any hassle.

13. Really helpful in documentation

GPS tracker has the utility of real-time documentation. The device could record the event as those take place. This lends incredible transparency to the services.

As it also does not need human intervention, the documentation process literally remains error-free. Leaving no chance for conflicts of statements in the documentation, the documents could become excellent reference papers.

14. Criminals Even Get Tracked

GPS tracking features have really helped police to nab criminals, especially drug peddlers. Police have even successfully tracked drug thieves. Police concealed decoy drug parcels under GPS and tracked the criminals successfully to nab them with important information. This has opened another dimension in the use of GPS and given authorities  necessary help in controlling drugs-related crimes.

15. Useful in Drawing Up Artistic Works

Michel Wallace – the famous American artiste – performed a huge etch-a-sketch and showed off her electronic drawings.

Equipping her bike with a GPS tracker, he rode around the American city and artistically drew a wonderful painting with the help of mapping software. His intricate drawing of the lost luxury ship, Titanic, was a sensation on the occasion of 100th year of the ocean liner’s sinking.

16. Helpful in Improving Driving Ethics

GPS system has proven its mettle in improving ethics in the driving patterns. The device could help in controlling over-speeding, rough-braking, and unnecessary accelerations. This is really helpful in the avoidance of accidents and keeping the lives of passengers safe.

17. Geo Caching –  The Wonderful Game by GPS

Researchers have even used the GPS features in setting up hi-tech treasure hunts.  Geo-caching hobbyists keep the caches of trinkets. The trinkets are usually souvenir coins or toy plastic animals. The hobbyists keep those at different places on treasure maps.

As they post them online on different websites, it allows others to search for them. Some geo-caching events have even taken place in public parks, while the treasures were kept clandestinely at public places.

18. GPS could Even Guide Driverless Cars

Now-a-days, the car makers are trying hard to manufacture driverless cars.  The engineers are making efforts to create a synergy of GPS, censors, and cameras that could make the driverless car see the light of the day.

In this the GPS would play the role of plotting car’s location, speed, and direction, which are related to destination.  As in the near future, the car could become a major innovation as the features of GPS would definitely stay central to the functioning of the car.

19. Ingenious Application of GPS could save lives of People Suffering from Dementia

As the population throughout the world ages, there are a growing number of people, suffering from dementia. With the ingenious application of GPS, the researchers have developed inserts in the patients’ shoes that could keep track their movements easily.

The smart device in the shoe could even set an alarm as the patient leaves a designated area. Best tool for a company to minimize operating expenses.

The companies have realized that by investing in GPS tracking system, they could introduce best fleet management system.  This would minimize operating expenses and boost up profitability of the ventures.

20. GPS could Even Guard Idols from Theft

In the year 2005, a new GPS technology was launched to protect the statues in the Churches and other religious organizations from theft. The GPS device in the statue could either send an alert signal or a text email to the authorities that would help them to track the idol or statue and recover it from the thieves.

As the cases of thefts of old statues and idols are on the rise throughout the world, such a step in tracking the theft cases would help in saving the heritage of the nations.

12 Important Benefits of School Buses

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

School buses have always been a common and one of the most preferred modes of transportation for school children. Parents all across the globe are using services of school buses to pick and drop their kids for past few decades.

But still, when it comes to deciding whether or not to use services of a school bus for kids, many parents find it difficult to make a decision.

If you are also finding it hard to choose a mode of communication for your kid for their school, then here we are listing a few benefits of school buses to help you make a choice. 

Benefits of School Buses for Parents

1. Always on time

One of the most important benefits of school buses is that they arrive on time. Every morning, you know when the bus will be at the stop to pick your kid. So accordingly, you can manage your timing and ensure that your little one reaches school on time.

On the other hand, when you choose to pick and drop your kid on your own, managing time becomes a little tricky, especially if you have more than one kid and they are in different schools or have different regimes.

Also, on rainy days or when you are sick, or your vehicle is not working, your kids either get late to the school or end up taking a leave.

2. School buses now come with GPS systems

GPS system on a school bus means you can always track the location of your kid. The GPS tracker empowers parents to know their child's location and give them peace of mind.

At the same time, it is a blessing in times of emergency; parents can easily track where the bus is and can reach the location immediately. 

3. Kids make new friends

From a young age, kids get to learn a lot of new things. And when they travel in school buses, they not just make new friends, but they learn sharing, companionship and how to make new friends.

These things will help them for years to come. For school going kids’, school bus is usually the best place where they get to meet new kids and make friends.

4. Kids learn to take care of their things:

When kids use school buses, they learn to take care of their personal belongings, like a school bag, water bottle, and lunch box. This helps them in their overall development and well-being and makes them a responsible and independent individual.

5. Kids learn to manage their time

School buses daily come at the same stop on same time. As a result, kids become very conscious and careful about the timing and learn to complete their things on time.

They get ready on time to make sure that they catch their bus. Also, another motivating factor to catch the bus on time is the friend circle they have on their bus.

6. Parents have complete peace of mind

When using services of school buses, parents can rest assured about the conveyance and safety of their kids. They don’t have to worry about daily commute of their kids and to manage their to-do list according to the timing of the school.

They can easily carry on with their tasks and personal commitments with complete peace of mind that the school bus will pick and drop their kid on time, without a miss no matter what.

Benefits of School Buses from School’s Point of View

7. Classes can start on time

When you have school buses, you can be assured that kids and teachers will be on the school premises on time and classes can start on scheduled time. This makes the daily schedule as smooth as possible.

8. Keep parents updated on their kids’ location with a GPS system

With GPS system you can always keep parents updated about the location of their kids. They can check if the bus is following the given route and is on time. This creates a level of trust and parents become assured about the safety of their little ones.

9. It is an additional facility that you can offer to parents

Parents when choosing a school for their kids look for facilities that the school is offering. And by providing school bus facility, you can increase your list of offerings and attract more and more parents.

Parents also feel relaxed that they don’t have to bother about daily dropping and to pick their kids.

General Benefits

10. Lesser Vehicles on the Road

When transporting a school student to and from school, parents need not take their vehicle out during the peak traffic hours. If a school bus carries 50 students, it means there are far lesser vehicles on the road.

11. Better Environment

When there is less number of vehicles on road, the emissions from vehicles are also reduced. Vehicle emissions include dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide, which has severe negative effect on the environment.

As school buses make it unnecessary for parents to transport students to and from schools, a significantly lower number of cars are there on the road, reducing the overall carbon footprint drastically. Thus, school buses contribute to a better environment.

12. Lower Accident Rate

Many studies over the years have repeatedly stated that school buses have a significantly lower number of accidents on road compared to students travelling by cars.

So, if you have been confused about hiring services of a school bus for your kid, then now with these benefits listed above you know how you and your little one can benefit from the school bus and why you should also hire one for your kid.

What Features Would an Automated School Bus Have

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Automation in school bus system is just a sea-change in the school bus parent alert solution that enables the parents to get real-time alerts of their children’s location and current status of transportation during everyday commutation to school.

The solution is great for schools, fleet owners, and parents for tracking and keeping all the updates about the driver’s behavior. It completely checks and helps to keep under control rash movements of vehicle like over-speeding and rash braking.

The solution has the superior potential to make sure that the transportation of the students stays completely stress-free and dependable in the to and fro regular trips to the school.

As the authorities get timely information, pertaining to the movement of the school vehicle, it becomes easier for them to take corrective actions and avoid any type of untoward incident during every day transportation activities.

Let’s know about some of the important features of the automated school bus system.

SMS alerts for parents or Guardians

  1. Parents get complete information about the exact time, when the bus reaches the bus-stop for picking up the children.
  2. Parents or guardians also get prior information about any delay in service in the route.
  3. The guardians or parents get correct information about their children’s arrival and departure from the school.
  4. If any on-road accident or mishap takes place, the parents and authorities get immediate intimation.
  5. The parents could demand real-time location of the bus.

Alerts about break-down in system of the bus

  1. The solution also reports about over-speeding, rough braking and excess speeding of the vehicle.
  2. It also reports about any mishap or happening of the road accident.
  3. The device could even detect any tampering in its installation.

Intelligent reporting about movement of the vehicle

  1. The solution keeps complete tab of the behavior of the driver.
  2. It could even report about real-time location and absolute report about change of route.

Immediate hands-free communication with the school bus driver in case of emergencies

The solution could even get in touch with the driver, when there is urgency. It keeps the activities of the driver under control and asks him to take necessary caution in case of rash driving and harsh braking of the vehicle.

The solution gives details about various alternate routes

As various routes in the metro cities get closed due to arrival of V.I.Ps and on other important occasions, the installed system keeps everyone informed about the alternate routes that has to be followed by the driver.

Usage of eco-friendly components in the installation

The school bus, operated by fuel, has the inherent drawback of emitting carbon-dioxide and causing air pollution. But the installation of automated bus system is absolutely eco-friendly.

The components like RF readers, sensors, telematics system, communication device, adaptors, and mobile applications do not cause any type of air pollution.

Overall, this also results in the optimization of efficiency by tracking engine which results in helping the fleet managers, school management, and the government in pollution control and reaping highest benefits for the environment.

Reduced human intervention

The solution makes sure that during the movement of the school bus, there is least human intervention. With the implementation of this solution, the movement goes through an automated and programmed procedure that keeps the bus absolutely safe and almost error-free during the transportation.

Great help for the driver

The smart functions and automation make sure that the driver of the bus stays out of any undesirable human intervention and he feels comfortable during driving. The solution has helped to improve traffic safety, working conditions of the  school bus staff, and bring reduction in impact of the vehicle on the environment.

It suits greatly the functional purposes of the school bus

As safety is the first priority in the plying of  school bus, the automated system in school bus largely meets other objectives of the transportation like cost- efficiency, increased dependability on the means of public transportation, security, and better return-on-investment.

The solution has the great strength to deal with every type of complication during transportation. As the information system in the solution functions smartly, it entrusts better control in the authorities and driver, whenever there is adverse circumstance due to rough weather.

It is greatly helpful in detecting road conditions

Rain, storm, and other adverse weather conditions create worst road conditions. A bus equipped with automated bus system has the greater ability to detect road conditions.

It guides the driver as per the guidelines set for the driving of the school bus. As an automated school bus has the deployment of automatic tire chains which is helpful in keeping the pick-up routes in tact in case of an emergency situation.

This not only keeps the children safe in the bus during the journey  but also have smarter time management.

Highly cost effective and time efficient

With the introduction of automation in the school bus system, the behavior of the bus driver comes under deep observation. As driver is the most important person in the entire transportation route, the solution literally integrates scientific management in the entire functioning of the transportation system.

Reducing the idle time to the minimum, the authorities in the transportation system get better control over the day-to-day expenses.

As the key areas like scrutiny of the driver log sheets, engine diagnostics, and fuel consumption come under scrutiny, it helps the management to run better control and achieve productivity.

Reduction in waiting period

As tracking of the school bus gets easier, the children could get relief from long waiting period. Parents and students get constantly notified about the arrival and departure of the bus and that considerably reduces the time spent by the students in waiting. Resulting in superior time management, it eliminates unnecessary time spent by the students, waiting for the bus.

Automation endows longevity on the bus

The GPS-enabled school bus system gets the superior software that tracks the movement of the bus completely. This also keeps tab of the engine and body conditions of the bus.

As a result, the authorities take the bus for maintenance after every interval period. This endows better longevity on the bus. Through mileage tracking from fuel consumption, the authorities keep track of the warranty period for free maintenance of the bus.

This also enables the management to go for extended periods of warranty for the maintenance of the school vehicle. This leaves no chance for occurrence of faster wear and tear of the bus as maintenance work takes place regularly.

Highest coordination for safety and responsibilities

As “coordination” is key to successful management, highest coordination for safety and related responsibilities is only possible through successful application of this automation in the bus system.

The solution helps the managers to apply better management procedures that give them highest productivity in the end.

As a management tool, the solution also helps them to implement new plans and get optimum returns in terms of successful tracking, fleet management, and end of waiting for the arrival and departure of the bus.

Surveillance through CCTV

Mischievous nature of the children invariably poses a threat to the management of school, while the bus passes through the transit.  As the automated buses have the installation of surveillance cameras, the school authorities could exercise control over the students, creating mischief inside the bus, while the vehicle passes through the transit.

The camera inside the bus records the activities of the students inside the bus and the authorities of the school could view it regularly at the end of the day.

Some of the automated buses even install IP camera and wireless networking, which telecasts the activities inside the bus directly to the school as the bus passes through the transit.

Systematic recording of attendance of the students

The students often indulge in boarding the bus at the wrong stop and even alighting at the wrong stops with an intention to roam after the everyday school hours.

The automated bus system systematically records the attendance of the students with the regular recording of boarding and alighting of the students at their points.

Many of the buses have even installed RFID card reader that makes minute observation of students’ attendance inside the bus. In such a case, every student carries a RFID card that the students would use at the entry and exit points of the bus for the regular recording of boarding and alighting from the bus.

Automation keeps full data-base of the students

As the perceived threat to the transportation in the school bus has increased manifold in the past with the heightening in terrorism, anti-social activities, and accidental fatalities.

The automation in the school bus system could literally put an end for the worries of the parents and headache of the authorities. The new solution even keeps related information of the child like name, contact details, and blood group. This helps in tackling emergency situations, arising unexpectedly at any point of time.

Common Risks in Fleet Management

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

School bus fleet management is an important part of the functioning of a school, just like its other aspects. Most schools have a fleet manager to take care of the school bus fleet. He also plans and assigns school bus routes. Though the job sounds easy, it really isn’t. There are many risks that come along with it, landing the fleet managers and school authorities in deep trouble.

Here is a list of such risks that accompany fleet management:

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  • Huge financial loss 

It is really expensive to buy a brand new school bus. Hence, there will be a huge financial loss, if the school bus meets with an accident or breakdown. It will have the same effect if a school bus is stolen. You need to spend a huge amount of money for repairs and maintenance of school bus.

  • Paying worker’s compensation

If the driver gets injured while performing his duty, school management is responsible to pay worker's compensation claims at the right time without much delay. Otherwise, it may lead to the bad reputation of the school. 

  • School having to face the court if any other person is injured

There will be so many legal formalities once you are trapped in accident cases. In the case of school bus accidents, the complete responsibility will be on the school authority. They will have to face all the consequences as per the court orders.

  • Risk of school’s reputation stooping low 

There will be so many complaints against the school management once it gets involved in any accident cases. Often people claim the authority for mismanagement of the school bus fleet and not seriously considering about school bus safety.

  • Risk of losing money 

Due to improper behavior from driver, school management needs to spend quite a large amount of money as compensation. This is an unnecessary expense for school authorities.

  • What can be done?

There are a few steps that can be taken to escape the risks related to school bus fleet management. Those who manage the school bus fleet must give attention to every set of risk related to every school bus and take proper measures to manage them.

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The Role of Software in Preventive Maintenance of Your School Bus

  • But how to do that remains a question.

You have to integrate technology to your school bus fleet management to manage these risks to the maximum. The best solution is School Bus Tracking Software.

Integrated with GPS technology, the School Bus Tracking Software provides you with a whole lot of advantages.

Majority of schools have to incur a financial loss due to unsafe driving practices. With the help of School Bus Tracking Software, you can track the performance of school bus drivers. The software can keep you informed about instances of over speeding, unscheduled bus stops etc., apart from the location of the school bus.

Sometimes, drivers may misuse school buses for unnecessary driving. Since School Bus Tracking Software has GPS integrated into it, you can easily track the school bus location and avoid such circumstances.

In case of a vehicle breakdown, you can get notified at the earliest with the help of the software. This can help you to provide assistance within a short amount of time.

School bus fleet management is one of the risky businesses to handle. People often criticize school authorities even though it is not their fault. All you can do is to be aware of the above mentioned risks and handle it wisely.  Providing a comprehensive driver training can be a great idea for efficient school bus fleet management. Also, keep in mind that student safety is all that matters.

Safety Issues of School Bus Rides and Their Solutions

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

“Be sensible, be safe”

School buses are among the safest form of school transportation. The credit of school bus safety goes to the numerous safety measures connected with them. From our environment to traffic blocks, school buses tackle a number of issues. They are at service on every working day of school without disappointing parents or children.

With the help of technology such as Student Tracking systems, you won’t have to worry about the school transportation safety any more. The location of each school bus can be traced without fail using School Bus Tracking systems. Abduction of school buses can thus become a high-risk proposition for terrorists. Even when on road, school buses remain under control of the concerned authority. From speed to punctuality, the bus remains under constant, real-time observation.

RFID tag is another technology based safety measure than can help you to stop worrying about the safety of children. Even during busy schedules, parents can easily confirm the safety of children without much effort, thanks to technology. The money saved on school bus is not money saved. Instead, it reflects a lack of responsibility.

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 5 Major Misconceptions About Student Tracking

Safety issues of the best ride and its solutions

There are certain safety measures that must be considered  in order to ensure school bus safety.

Let’s eliminate the safety drawbacks

1. Waiting for the school bus

School bus Safety:Issues of School Bus Rides & Its Solutions

Routes of the school buses are scheduled in such a way that it is possible for students to choose the most convenient one. Leave at the right time to the bus stop, don’t rush.

Issue

While waiting for the bus, the student may be alone. They may rush to the school bus stop if they are late and could be careless while crossing the road.

Solution

RFID tags help parents to know the exact location of the child. The moment a child enters the bus, parents are notified. The fear of getting lost is eliminated as parents will know immediately if there is any danger. Wait quietly at the safest place, away from the road, for the school bus.

2. Entering the school bus

via GIPHY

Entering the school bus can sometimes be a dangerous task for children. Always stay away from the danger zone of the bus.

Issue

Children might rush to enter the school bus, which can cause injury. Waiting too close to the bus is dangerous.

Solution

Children must enter the school bus without rushing. The driver may not be able to see the children if they are in the danger zone. Therefore, always maintain a single line of queue while entering the bus. Use the rail while getting into the bus. also, get into the bus only when it stops completely.

3. Seat belts

via GIPHY

Nearly 63,000 lives have been saved between 2008 and 2012 by the usage of seat belts. According to law, seat belts are a must for car users and helmets for bikers.

Issue

It is quite surprising to know that most of the school buses do not have seat belts. The seat belts equipped in school buses do not go over the shoulder and lap as in cars. 

Solution

The school buses with seat belts serve better safety and security. Installation of seat belts must be made compulsory in every school bus. Seat belts must be installed in such a way that it is useful for the children rather than hurting them.

4. Behaviour inside the bus

via GIPHY

It is natural that students tend to make noise and fight inside the school bus.

Issue

The noise made by the children might distract the driver which can result in an accident. Children will always have a tendency to put their head and hands outside the bus. Eating and drinking inside the bus can also adversely affect the children. It not only contaminates the bus floor, but also, causes accidents to students as the food materials lying on the school bus surface may cause the students to slip on them..

Solution

Children must be taught how to behave inside the school. They must sit properly in the bus without moving here and there. Waving hands and putting head out of the window can result in serious injury. A supervisor can be appointed to take care of children while inside the bus.

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How Safe is the School Bus for Student Transportation

5. Getting out of the bus

via GIPHY

More accidents happen by being hit by a school bus than while riding in a school bus. For instance, a third-grade student, after getting out of the bus, finds that his important papers have fallen under the bus. Naturally, he will dash towards the bus to collect it. Not knowing about the child, the driver will start the bus. Simple negligence can result in serious injury and even to death.

Issue

Children are unaware about the dangers that may happen to them if they stand too close to the school bus. Standing too close to the school bus after getting out of it can cause injury.

Solution

Children must be taught about the safety tips and rules that they must maintain once they get out of the bus. They must be well aware about the danger zones around the bus, from where they should keep themselves away.

Now that’s officially proven

School buses collectively travel more than 4 billion miles carrying more than 24 million students. Taking into account the distance travelled by school buses, deaths are extremely rare. Death rate of school buses per 100 million miles travelled is 0.2 while automobile deaths are eight times higher. The calculations clearly indicate that school bus is far better compared to any other means of transportation to school.

Factors that contributes to the safety of school bus

There are numerous factors that contribute to the better safety of school buses. School buses are constructed so as to avoid any possible accidents. Usually, experienced drivers are allotted to school buses for making the ride comfortable and safe. Safety is given importance above any other factor.
Track School Bus systems have GPS to track school buses in real-time and RFID to track each child. As both children and school bus are under observation, it is easy to identify even the slightest possibility of danger. The services provided by school buses cannot be compensated by any other means of transportation.

A better planet for our children

Hiring school bus reduces the number of other vehicles on road. The consumption of petrol reduces. The yellow bus reduces the amount of carbon emissions by taking cars off the road conserving our planet for our children.

  • School bus rides save an average 1,157,068,800 pounds of CO2 emission per state per year. Imagine the amount of CO2 a school bus can save our planet from
  • School bus saves $421 in fuel costs per car per year. Now, that’s a whole lot money
  • School bus rides save approximately 147 children per state per year. That’s priceless!

    
Indeed, school bus transportation plays a vital role in the lives of students from pre-school to high school. There are so many dominant issues associated with school bus transportation and it can be solved easily by parents as well as students by being prepared and vigilant. 

“Safety is simple as ABC, Always Be Careful”

14 Most Read TrackSchoolBus Blogs of 2016

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

2016 has been an eventful year here at trackschoolbus as we strived hard to create child road safety awareness among the masses. People from around the globe were interested and their interest in reading our blog was proof of this. 

Below is a list of blogs that held the interest of our readers through the year. 

1. 10 Important Road Safety Rules to Teach Your Children – One of the most popular blogs in the year 2016, this blog talks about the essential road safety rules for children. Road safety is an emerging issue as the number of vehicles on the road keep on increasing every day. Students represent the future of a nation and hence rules should be taught to them. This blog tries to impart valuable information to ensure student safety education

2. Top 10 School Bus Companies – Maybe it is the curiosity to know which bus company is actually the best or it might be the surprise that there are actually companies that specialize in making school buses. Either ways, this was one of the most read blogs the past year. The popularity of this blog might also indicate that a lot of people are interested in 'branded school buses'. 

3. 10 Cool School Bus Games – Its no surprise this blog became popular. Bus games are interesting not just to students, but also to transport managers and drivers. The games do help in keeping the students engaged and distracts them from involving in other activities. School authorities were certainly busy trying to find methods by which school bus journey would become entertaining for kids.

4. 12 Surprising Facts You Never Knew About GPS – GPS systems have slowly but steadily stamped its influence over various fields of everyday life. This blog has been a long time favourite of our readers. It was originally written in early 2015. A significant number of visitors still arrive every day to read it. The interesting title certainly helps.

5. 20 Must-know School Bus Safety Tips for School Bus Drivers – School bus drivers are responsible for safely transporting students to school. But unfortunately, they don't get their due often. From the popularity of the blog, it is clear that people want to know as much as possible about the safety guidelines for school bus drivers.

6. 10 Important Points on Student Road Safety and Suggestion for Improvements – Most students are unaware about road safety and it may be the reason why the blog got such popularity. A number of accidents happen not on the bus but while on the road. The blog discusses the most important aspects of road safety and even offers some suggestions to improve road safety.

7. 25 School Bus Safety Tips For Kids – A child's safety is given highest priority by parents and school authorities. This blog offered school bus safety tips for students, parents, and other vehicle users safe around school buses. It is in fact a must read if you know a kid.

8. How Well Do You Know about School Bus Dimensions? – Indeed school bus dimensions have an important role to play if you are planning to start a school bus business. Proper dimensions helps ensure safety to students during a crash or other accidents. People may be unaware of the appropriate school bus dimensions recommended for student safety. This blog gives an idea about the required school bus dimensions. 

9. Scope of RFID School Bus Tracking Systems in Security Measures at Schools – RFID school bus tracking system gives peace of mind to parents as well as school authorities. RFID school bus tracking is approved by many schools to ensure better student safety and the popularity of the blog shows readers' interest in knowing the scope of this innovative technology.

10.  Safety Issues of School Bus Rides and their Solutions – Even though school bus is said to be one of the safest transportation for school students, there may be several issues associated with a school bus ride. It is a good idea to know these issues and take proper measures against it for ensuring better student safety. 

11.  6 Awesome Technologies Used in Modern School Buses – Technology is progressing everyday and it enhances the quality of people's lives.  Each year school buses get  new technologies for better student safety. It is evident from the blog popularity that people are obviously curious about awesome technologies that can be implemented in modern school buses.

12.  Importance of School Bus Safety Tips –  Millions of children transport to school via yellow school buses. Children are the future and their safety is our responsibilty. This blog includes certain school bus safety tips for drivers, parents, and children and why they are actually important. 

13.  How Important is the School Bus Driver? –  School bus driving is a matter of perfection and care. And the goodwill of an institution lies in the hands of a school bus driver. There are many responsibilities for school bus drivers, and the school authorities should ensure that their school bus drivers never try to violate rules. 

14.  7 Qualities of a Great School Bus Transportation System – Let's face it. Not all school bus transportation are the same. Some of the transportations offered are shabby, and others come with advanced features. But what qualities should the perfect school bus transportation system have to be awesome? 

12 Surprising Facts You Never Knew About GPS

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

1. There are always at least 24 active GPS satellites orbiting the Earth though there are more than 30 at present out there. The first set of 24 satellites was sent up in 1989

2. The idea of Geo Positioning System or Global Positioning System came from LORAN and Decca Navigation System, which were used during World War II. They helped in the navigation of ships and planes at a long range

3. GPS system uses the principle of Doppler Effect to trace locations as the change in frequency of signals from the GPS satellites helps in identifying locations

4.GPS was first used by US for military purposes to fulfil their need of a global navigation system during the cold war

5. Before Global Positioning System came into existence, navigation system of Navy was being used. However, high speed air force operations demanded a better navigation system that led them to think of navigation using satellites

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6. GPS was called Navstar in the beginning and the first Navstar satellite was launched in 1978. However, the first fully developed GPS satellite was launched only in 1989

7. In 1983, a Korean Airlines flight was shot down by Soviet Union since the flight entered the Soviet airspace. As a result, President Ronald Reagan let Global Positioning System go public for free, which was till then confined to military purposes alone

8.Even after GPS went public, the high quality GPS signals were confined to military purposes only. On May 1, 2000, the restriction was taken off and more accurate signals were available for public use.

9. Introduction of Global Positioning System in automobiles happened in 1996

10. GPS isn’t just about navigation. Every Global Positioning System satellite has multiple atomic clocks and the signals sent out by the satellite includes the time. The signals help the GPS receiver determine the time in 100 billionths of a second and these are used to synchronise time in a cell phone network

11. At present, Global Positioning System is a part of everyday gadgets ranging from mobiles phones to cars

12. The popularity of Global Positioning System is such that there are even GPS shoes available in the market. These have been created to locate Alzheimer’s patients in case they get lost.

Government Confirms GPS Auto Meters In Six Months

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

Chennai: As per plan, Chennai auto meters will be enabled with GPS meters and issue printed receipts within about six months.  When high court asked about the timeframe required to implement meters having printers and GPS in Tamil Nadu autorickshaws, the state government on Monday confirmed that the tender process to procure of such meters would be opened on October 7.

Failing to install GPS-empowered meters for autos even two years after the declaration, the State government on Monday submitted to the High Court that it will without a doubt follow the instruction in the next eight months.

October 30, 2014 order had laid down eight directions along with revised fares depending upon the fuel price variation, toll-free number for lodging complaints and display of the driver’s details in the vehicle. Even though the petrol price has come down to Rs 61.46 from Rs 74.49 per litre, there has been no revision of fares.

A 13 member committee formulated from various departments had been established to prepare technical specifications and standards for equipping GPS-enabled electronic digital fare meters along with printers in autorickshaws operating in Chennai metropolitan area.

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On September 29, 2013, a government order was passed for this. As per a government order dated June 26, 2014, ELCOT was entrusted with the work of procuring such meters.

A tender was glided for acquirement, of digital meters and was notified on July 20, 2015. The opening date of the tender was September 4, 2015, but it was extended as a result of numerous queries raised in respect of the tender. The extended date is October 7, 2015.

Additional government pleader confirmed the court that within a period of two months, the tender will be confirmed and to implement the scheme, successful bidder would be given six months.

"In the unforeseen eventuality of any delay, the authorities shall be bound to move this court for extension of time." the judges said, taking the assurance of the state government on record.

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