gps tracking Archives - trackschoolbus

8 Surprising Facts You Never Knew About GPS – Infographics

Posted on January 28, 2019 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.

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

10 Top Wearable GPS Tracking Devices for Kid Safety

Posted on July 9, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Modern-day parents experience many challenges, among which the toughest one is ensuring the safety of their school-going kids or when they are out of their sight. When children grow, they may eager to explore, drive limitations, and may create their own set of laws.

However, the wearable GPS trackers for kids will allow parents overcome the challenges easily. Whether your kid is at an amusement park, on a family outing, or on a school tour, these devices will offer you a peace of mind in knowing that they are safe.

Here is the list of 10 top wearable GPS tracking devices to ensure your kids' safety.

1. AngelSense Kids GPS Tracker

This GPS tracker for kids from AngelSense comes with a bounty of features, ranging from security-area setup to quickest updates. This is the best monitoring device for parents, particularly for those having kids with autism or with other disabilities, who may often get lost.

This tracker offers the necessary protection to such kids and serenity to their parents. The Listen-In function feature of the device allows parents to track their child’s daily activity, guaranteeing their disabled kids are not neglected, ill-treated, or lost.

2. hereO 2 GPS Watch for Kids

Even though kids' GPS trackers are available in all sizes and shapes, this GPS Watch for Kids is a perfect companion for them as far as their safety is concerned. This aesthetically designed kid's tracking device comes with a range of vivacious colors, which will definitely attract the fashion sense of your child, so they will wear this device throughout the day with the greatest interest.

As it comes with a slim design, it will offer a comfortable fit to your kid's hands. This tracking device comes with proximity alerts, location history, safety-zone setup, and other beneficial features. Thus, you can rest guaranteed that your kids would be in a safe condition wherever they go.

3. AmbyGear Smartwatch

This Smartwatch from AmbyGear will create an interest in your kids to wear it throughout the day. This is because it will keep your kids busy all through the day with fun games, besides allowing them to learn activities. The tracking watch will reward your kids with points and optimistic reinforcement whenever they do something right. This wearable tracker will also allow your children to track you. This feature will be quite helpful whenever your kids feel scared or panicked.

4. Weenect Kids GPS Child Tracker

Weenect designs this kids GPS child-tracking device with sophisticated tracking abilities. It comes equipped with a live atlas, compass, as well as with the distance countdown trailing. This allows the device to offer supreme location precision, which, in turn will offer the required serenity to the parents. Besides a panic button, security region setup, and both-way calling facilities, this tracking device has the ability to cover all the essentials to make your kids feel safe.

5. My Buddy Tag Bluetooth Wristband

Usually, kids will feel a great pleasure when they are in pools, but simultaneously, it will also make them drown sometimes. In this situation, the role of Tag Bluetooth Wristband from My Buddy appears. This tracking device will aid you considerably in tracking your kid when he or she is out of your sight.

The unique feature of this tracking device is its warning system. This system will warn your kids when the wristband is submerged in the water for five successive seconds. It will send out a warning, assisting to keep your child safe when he or she is playing in the pool.

6. Amber Alert GPS Locator

Every parent would strive to keep their kids safe in all scenarios, but they cannot predict everything. Occasionally, some unforeseen happens, so during these troublesome situations, the kid GPS tracker from Amber Alert can aid substantially in lessening the odds of troublesome scenarios.

This tracking device comes with imposing features, such as place tracking, warnings, and speed discovery. It will assist you to monitor the whereabouts of your kid at all times. It can even tap into database of the National Sex Offender to display whether your kid is inside 500 feet of a sex criminal. Thus, you will be capable of preventing a crime potentially earlier than it happens.

7. GizmoPal 2 Kids GPS Watch

Although little ones are the major part of the life of every parent, unfortunately, they cannot be with their kids at all times. Your children will have their own life, ranging from the daycare to the after-school actions. This GPS Watch from GizmoPal will allow your kids to keep in contact with you, even when they are out of your sight. This kids tracker come with the uncomplicated functionality and design, allowing younger children to know precisely what keys they have to press if they want to contact you.

8. KiGO Watch

Losing a kid is a scary experience for every parent and it is the worst terrifying experience, as well. Unlike other wearable GPS trackers that work only in home, this wearable tracker from KiGO offers parents to track their kids abroad. As it comes with the small and frivolous design, it will offer a comfortable fit to your kids. You can also feel comfortable while allowing your kid going to the places of their interest with 100% confidence.

9. dokiWatch

The dokiWatch allows kids to get that exciting experience, as it comes equipped with an incorporated camera and video calling abilities. This simplifies the job of parents to monitor their kids, irrespective of the distance they are located. The device comes with a safety feature, known as SOS. When your kids activate this feature, the device will send you emergency notifications as well as the recordings of the surroundings of your kid.

10. TickTalk Touch Screen Kids Wearable Tracker

TickTalk is a two-in-one mobile phone that comes incorporated with the kid locator. This smartphone is easy to use by all and the highlight of this tracking device is its kid-friendly calling interface. It will allow your kids to operate easily whenever they need the help of their parents. This kid tracker supports text as well as voice messages. It is a comfortable wearable tracking device to know whether your kids are in their classroom or on their playground.

What is AIS 140 Certification? How Can You Get It for Your Vehicle?

Posted on May 25, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

It will not be an overstatement to quote that the economy of a country is majorly dependent on the efficiency of its transportation system. Termed as a backbone for any developing country, the transportation system is ordained to work to its full potential at all times.

A breakdown of your transport system is bound to throw your business out of gear, causing you irrevocable losses.

Given the significance of transport system to the growth of the country’s GDP, Indian government has come up with an Intelligent Transport System (ITS); a segment of Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 140.

Below is the rundown of various ways in which public and private vehicles are made safe and efficient by adhering to the prescribed norms of AIS 140 certification.

Before you understand what the AIS 140 certification has in store for vehicle owners, it is important that you know about the recent April 2018 mandate that was released by the Indian government.

The Indian Government’s Mandate of April 2018

According to the mandate released by the Indian government, AIS 140 certification is mandatory for public service vehicles including public and private transport buses, taxis, cabs and transport buses that ferry employees.

Last but not the least, the bright yellow colored school buses are also instructed to get an AIS 140 certification. Through this AIS 140 certification, vehicle owners will meet all the specifications revolving around the safety, comfort, quality of service and efficiency.

The mandate made it imperative for these vehicles to be fitted with vehicle tracking devices and emergency buttons by 1^st April 2018.

Seen as a revolutionary move on part of the Indian government to ensure the efficiency of both private and public vehicles, the April 2018 AIS 140 mandate thus brings in a perfect blend of camera surveillance, vehicle tracking and emergency request processing systems for the combined benefit of fleet owners, drivers and passengers as well.

The Benefits of AIS 140 Certification

Offering an AIS 140 complaint transport system is a welcome step for the following reasons.

All the above categories of vehicles will come under the mandate of AIS 140 and will be attached to a vehicle tracking server manned by the Indian government.

The Indian government has plans underway to establish a host of authorized servers in every city streamlining a number of functionalities. Gaining strength from a cloud-based data storage, vehicle owners can make the most of the real-time vehicle updates coming from a tracking device that is fitted to their vehicles.

The AIS 140 certification brings to the table a host of features. These are:

1. A Strong Vehicle Tracking System– This is one of the most significant features of AIS 140 certification. Through an automatic vehicle location tracking system, you will be in a position to monitor every trip your vehicle takes.

You will not only be informed about how you can optimize the consumption of vehicle fuel but also have data points substantiating the punctuality of your fleet regarding arrival and departure timings.

2. Efficient Management of Routes and Transport Schedules – The AIS 140 certification provides enough room for the efficient management of vehicle routes and their scheduling. The device can help you cut down your fuel expenditure by suggesting the shortest route to reach your destination.

3. An SOS Button During Crises– These vehicle tracking devices which are AIS 140 compliant come with a click-to-activate button which will help drivers during an emergency. Once an emergency information reaches the emergency response server, precautionary instructions will soon come your way.

Tagged as an AIS 140 Panic Button, passengers on board or the driver can activate this button during a crisis so as to send an emergency alert to the Government’s Command Center.

4. An Effective Tool To Manage Your Crew – The AIS 140 mandate is an ideal way to keep a watchful eye on the behavior of drivers while they are at the wheel. With an AIS 140 telematics system fitted to your vehicle, you can have a watchful eye on the sudden braking instances and the over-speeding metrics.

All such instances when a driver initiates a rash turn will be recorded and shared with you in the form of MIS reports.

5. Tampering Alerts – The telematics device will pop up an alert when your vehicle tracking device is being tampered.

6. Vehicle Health Advisor –The AIS 140 certification can become the barometer of the condition of your vehicle. The device embedded with a Vehicle Health Monitoring & Diagnostics tool can ensure the health of your vehicle at all times alongside allowing you to predict the possibilities of wear-and-tear that can cause transport breakdowns.

7. Safety of Passengers Paramount – In an attempt to ensure the safety of passengers onboard, an AIS 140 tracking device fitted to your vehicle will provide you with in-house video recording.

It is through this constant surveillance that you can ensure the safety of your passengers at all times. You can also get location-based announcements.

Coming to the next question of this blog, you will now learn about the preliminary steps that should be taken by you so that your fleet is bestowed with the AIS 140 certification.

How to Get Your Vehicle the Much-Needed AIS 140 Certification?

In order to ensure compliance to the AIS 140 guidelines to get your vehicle AIS 140 certified, you as a vehicle owner should fit your vehicles with a GPS tracking system along with a camera surveillance and emergency request button.

It is through these safety and monitoring gadgets that the Indian government can track any bus.

Allowing the control room to have hands-on information of what would have caused a mishap, it is through the AIS 140 guidelines that you can ensure the safety of your passengers.

As per the directive, both the existing and the upcoming vehicles should be equipped with GPS tracking systems and emergency buttons. That makes it imperative for automobile OEMs (other equipment manufacturers) to start the production of these vehicle tracking and safety devices.

Closing Thoughts

It will not be an exaggeration to state that the Indian government has taken a big leap towards ensuring the safety and efficiency of its transport system.

Once the AIS 140 directives are brought into total compliance by all the public and private vehicles plying in all the Indian cities, it will be time for the implementation of Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) and Augmented Reality (AR).

The day is not far when these two technological advancements linked to the transport system will soon become inevitable functionalities with every vehicle under the radar of the Indian government.

7 Different Ways GPS Tracking Can Be Used to Protect Kids

Posted on April 16, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Global positioning system has changed a lot about how we perceive our world. It is being used by a significant number of population for various purposes. Other than using GPS for navigating there are also other uses for it.

GPS enabled devices are easier to find as the technology helps to locate the device using a internet connected cell phone. Thanks to GPS enabled devices you no longer need to worry about losing your valuables.

They can be tracked using a GPS device so that have to worry about losing things like car, mobile phone, etc.

There are countless benefits for using GPS technology. In this blog we will be discussing about the various functionalities GPS which can be used to protect kids.

1. Locating Positions

One of the most important features of GPS is that it can locate the position of a person. For instance a group of children are going for an excursion and one of them gets lost. GPS tracker will help you find one another.

If your child is an adventure enthusiast having a tracker of their own is great as it has many benefits.

If your child is not familiar with the place he is travelling, a GPS tracker will be of assistance and communicate his location all the time.

2. Geo-fencing

A virtual perimeter can be set so that you will receive a notification when you child crosses the perimeter. This is really helpful when they are going out without a guardian’s assistance.

Geofencing determines a boundary which when crossed by the child will send a notification to the parent’s smartphone. It helps parents to know whether child has breached a geo fence they have created.

3. Emergency Road Side Support

In case children has encountered with an accident, they can call pre-programmed emergency numbers on their phones to get help.

When they make a call, medics can easily trace their location and send them help. One of the notable features of GPS is that even if location is not given emergency crew can still be able to track your current location.

This comes handy when the person is not able to switch on the GPS facility.

4. Wrist Watches or Bands

There are GPS devices like watches or wrist bands that can be worn by kids when they go to school or somewhere else. These devices can be charged and used and will help to give the exact location of the kid when they are not at home.

Such wrist bands and watches are used predominantly by small kids who are not grown up enough to use smartphones.

5. Monitor Activities

A GPS tracker makes it easier to track the activities of the child when they are out of home. Parents can derive a lot of data from the location of their child.

The places they go, the people they meet, the time they spend at each place and such data will give a lot about the activities of their child. GPS makes it easier for the parents to monitor the activities of children when they go outside the house.

6. Locating the Child

There are instances when the child goes missing or lost. During these difficult times GPS can be of assistance to track the missing child.

Children can be lured by criminals by showing them toys or offering them candy. By embedding a GPS tracker in their wrist band or watch you can immediately track them and recover them from criminal hands.

7. Stay Connected

There are light weight devices which enable parents to get connected to their child throughout the day. These are ideal for kids who start a new routine like attending schools or going out without their parents accompanying them.

Let’s Wrap It Up

When it comes to children’s safety parents don’t compromise on anything. Latest technologies can be used to monitor the daily activities of the child and thus ensure that they are safe when they are outside home.

Using GPS is now common and by making use of this technology the safety of kids is ensured. There are chances that kids might encounter incidents that they can’t handle themselves and this is where the use of GPS technology comes handy.

Parent’s Concerns About School Bus Transportation

Posted on March 14, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Parents in general are always concerned while their children are outside either for studies, games or any other things.

While at home or at school, the parents have that sense of feeling that their children are safe. But there is a common notion, which is true that happens in between their school & home: yes their school bus journey.

You may be aware of the recent unfortunate events related to school bus safety on road where the innocent children had to bear the brunt of road rage & careless driving.

These things have aggravated the emotional distress of parents sitting at home or office concerned about the safety of their children.

Uses of Technology

Technology has always been a life saver in these kinds of situations not just in terms of prevention but also to let the parents or authorities know that help is needed.

An in detail analysis is needed in terms of identifying the grey areas in bus timetable and live bus arrivals also to suggest and implement solutions enabled by technology for solving those problems.

There are situations wherein the children are dropped off from a school bus in a totally different location than the one he or she should be dropped in.

It’s heartbreaking every time that a parent hears that their child is not in the designated location.

These errors are mostly inadvertent one from the bus drivers or the caretaker who is supposed to be inside the bus throughout the journey.

The staffs assigned to each bus would not be the same one every day. They would probably be on a rotation basis.

A practical solution for this problem would be to enable the caretaker inside the bus with a low cost tablet with an app that has a bus timetable and routes with the list of students to be dropped at stipulated destinations. This could be a fool proof solution.

Most of the school buses do not have a system to tackle emergency medical situations. There are children who always suffer from long time travelling health issues.

An emergency infrastructure has to be deployed inside the bus. If there is an acute medical situation, the bus driver or the caretaker inside should be able to report it immediately to a clinic that is close by.

A GPS module inside the school bus along with a distress button would enable the caretaker to send a signal to the close by clinic wherein they can track the live bus arrivals.

The parents are always in a state of oblivion about where their children are after the school bus journey begins from school to home. Imagine the situation if the journey takes close to or more than an hour. It’s bad.

Location based bus tracker solutions are always the life savers here. Consider a proposition wherein the parent is enabled with a mobile application that gives the exact location of the school bus in which their child is.

With the emergence of smartphones, most of the parents would be having a phone wherein you can install an application. The parents would never hesitate to have an app in their phone if it’s concerned with the well being of their children.

Live bus arrivals can be tracked easily with the GPS system installed in the bus. The parents only need to get to the stop when the bus is close by, no need to rush or no need to wait for such a long time in anticipation.

Bus tracker solutions are very much common in countries in the west. Those adoption rates are slowly picking up in India as well.

Advantages of GPS Tracking

The one major advantage of GPS tracking system is that it can help save children from being abducted.

There are cases of missing children are increasing, leveraging tracking technology to save and keep children safe is beneficial for both school officials and parents.

A decent GPS tracking device can confirm live bus arrivals and check whether a child had been on an assigned bus based on the bus timetable and had they been out of the bus or not.

With the help of the bus tracker, a parent is aware of the fact that a child is inside their assigned bus and heading to the right location provides a safe thinking to parents.

School bus safety concerns are aplenty to handle and it becomes worrisome for the parents. They do have the thought whether their children are in safe hands or not.

It’s always going to be a headache for the school management to ensure the duty to the right people for transportation.

The driver has to be assigned with full charge or responsibility while on duty and it has to be ensured that his instructions are to be followed at all times. It's always advisable not to make noise inside the bus, by that way could distract the driver.

The children have to be educated or made aware to not to loiter inside the moving bus or to keep their arms and head outside the bus while in motion. Misconduct inside the bus will result in damage of the bus or physical abuse to the people inside.

Conclusion

A lot of things are to be concerned about, but a systematic risk mitigation approach could lead to a much better environment in terms of travel and learning.

The people involved here including the bus caretakers, drivers, management, parents and the children are equally involved in the safety and professionalism in taking things forward in a smooth way.

How GPS Tracking Can Influence a School’s Reputation

Posted on March 10, 2015 by TSB Super Admin

Parents always want their children to be admitted to the most reputed ones. Most schools put forward eye-catching curriculums, infrastructure and even hire the most technically qualified faculties each year to attract parents and children.

But is that enough?

Parents are now looking for schools that can provide more. Here comes the role of GPS tracking systems to help schools to raise their reputations to a whole new level.

A quality GPS tracking system can help schools in a number of ways. The primary reason being the additional safety and security it provides for students both on and off the campus.

From keeping track of a student’s or a school bus’ location to knowing the fuel efficiency for trips, GPS tracking systems are more than useful. They help reduce fuel consumption, thereby providing profit to schools and fleet companies.

A GPS tracking system can be used by schools to instigate confidence in parents, who are worried about their children’s safety.

But how can such a technology help build a school’s reputation?

Here it is…

1. As said before, the GPS tracking system can give complete visibility of the fleet and children. This helps the school to directly monitor the driver as well as its students. The school can check if the buses follow the routes that have been allotted to them, thereby keeping an eye on the driver.

Moreover, the drivers can also communicate with the school authority. This could come in handy in case of misbehaviour by children. A student’s discipline directly influences the reputation of a school.

The society sees him as the upholder of the ethics and virtues of the school to which he belongs to. This makes monitoring them very important.

2. It can also help schools to build their reputation among parents. This can be done by addressing the key concerns raised by them and the greatest one being student safety.

A GPS tracker along with an RFID card can help parents and schools to keep an eye on their children. The data provided is in real-time, which makes GPS highly reliable.

3. A GPS tracking system makes the school buses environment-friendly. Considerable reduction in pollution helps the school to be socially accepted as it is a service to the society.

4. It also helps build trust with the drivers. Besides tracking, a school bus tracking system helps in the documentation. It stores data such as driver work hours. This helps to maintain transparency.

Using a GPS tracking system also reduces the requirement of a dedicated resource for documentation. As the process takes place in real-time, it becomes a lot faster too.

5. It helps to track and reduce fuel costs of school bus fleets by keeping a track record of mileage and routes that driver takes. Not only this, transport managers can monitor driver’s behaviour while riding the bus and can ensure that they are on their scheduled route at the scheduled time. This will also reduce the risk of accidents.

6. This helps schools in improving scheduling for students by keeping a track of when the school bus will arrive and depart. With this school authorities can create schedules for their students more effectively. This will result in better time management.

7. Using GPS tracking technology, school authorities can maintain a detailed, efficient and accurate track record of all the essential details of school bus fleet and students. This helps the authorities to manage the school bus fleet in a well and an effective manner along with ensuring student safety.

8. With the help of GPS tracking technology, abduction of children can be avoided to an extreme level. As it is integrated with RFID cards which they have to swipe while boarding and deboarding the bus and when they swipe it, school authorities and parents will get the notification.

Not only this, both the school authorities as well as the parents track whether the bus is travelling in the scheduled route or not.

9. Implementing GPS tracking system in school buses will be a great move for every school. As in case of any emergencies such as traffic block or any mishaps in the route, school authorities will get notification which helps them to take the necessary step to tackle the issue.

10. It will help to perform regular maintenance of school bus fleets as it sends regular reports regarding fleets to concerned persons. And also helps to know if the fleet is ready to use or not.

The reports can be customized so that the transport managers can schedule the maintenance easily.

The Amazing Evolutional Story of GPS Tracking

Posted on February 20, 2015 by TSB Super Admin

To figure out their position on earth and navigate, people once depended on different ways that are quite unimaginable in this digital era. It must be astonishing for today’s generation to imagine that mariners relied on methods ranging from angular measurements to positioning of celestial bodies for calculating their location. Radionavigation was the first ever modern technique used in order to calculate the exact location.

GPS was initially prepared for military purpose, and then its service was extended to various fields. GPS has proved itself to be one among the smartest inventions ever made. Now GPS has found its way to even school buses for better service and safety.

The extent to which it is provides service to customers is indeed appreciable.

Read on through the remarkable evolution of GPS:

1957: SPUTNIK, the first man-made satellite was launched. William Guier and George Waeiffenbach, American Physicist monitored the emission of radio transmissions from Sputnik with the help of which they could locate its orbit and location.

1959: The first satellite navigation system was built by Navy, which was named TRANSIT. It was built in order to obtain the exact location of submarines. The system was introduced with six satellites which eventually grew to ten. The subs had to wait for hours to receive signals from satellites. The model paved way for the true GPS with continuous signalling from satellites in space.

1960: TRANSITwas successfully tested

1963: The Aerospace Corporation completed a study for the military that proposed a system of space satellites which sends signals continuously to receivers on the ground and could locate vehicles moving rapidly across the earth’s surface or in the air. The study laid out the GPS concept for the first time. Receivers in vehicles on the ground would derive a precise set of location coordinates by measuring the transmission times of radio signals from satellites.

1974: After having worked on GPS for past 11 years, the branches of military launched the first satellite called NAVSTAR.

1978-1985: In order to test the NAVSTAR System, military launched 11 more test satellites in to space, which was called “the GPS system”. To measure the transmission time, the satellites carried atomic clocks with them. Sensor design to detect the launch or detonation of nuclear devices was carried by some of the satellites starting from 1850.

1983: Korean Airflight 007 was shot down by Russians after it wandered in the Soviet airspace over the Kamchatka Peninsula. All 269 passengers and crew members were killed. In order to avoid similar situations in future, President Reagan ordered that all civilian commercials aircrafts must be equipped with GPS system. He believed that GPS could help in navigation and improve air safety to a great extent.

1985: Contracts for “airborne, shipboard and man-pack (portable)” GPS receivers were given to private companies by Government.

1989: The fully operational GPS satellite was launched by the Air Force after testing for years. After the Challenger disaster in 1986, the plan to launch the satellite on the Space Shuttle was changed. It was used in a Delta II rocket instead.

1990: Defence Department deliberately decreased the accuracy of the GPS system fearing that military adversaries might use GPS system for their advantage.

1994: With an eye on the future, FAA and Bill Clinton granted the worldwide airline industry to continue using the GPS system for free.

2000: The purposeful degradation of GPS which was implemented before the first Gulf War by the Defence Department was stopped. Overnight, GPS became ten times more accurate and powerful. Industries like fishing to forestry to freight management began to use it.

2001: Private companies began to introduce out personal GPS products as the GPS receiver technology got smaller and cheaper. In-car navigation devices from Tom Tom and Garvin were introduced.

2004: A new technology was introduced known as “assisted GPS”, which has been tested and developed. The new eminent technology allows phones to use cellular signal in combination with GPS signal in order to locate the user to within feet of their actual location.

2005: “Block II”, first new generation of GPS satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral. Signals were transmitted by the new breed on a second, dedicated civilian channel.

2009: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report warning that the $5.8 billion effort to upgrade the GPS satellites was so fraught with technical problems, cost overruns, and delays that some of the satellites could begin to fail in 2010.

2010-2011: Two new GPS satellites was launched by Air Force, one in 2010 and one in 2011 which are meant to keep the constellation operable, until the next generation “Block III” satellites get launched in 2014. An additional civilian GPS signal as well as enhanced performance compared to the GPS service is expected from new Block III satellites.

2012:Air Force manages a constellation of 31 operational GPS satellites, plus three decommissioned satellites that can be reactivated if needed, at present. The constellation ensures the availability of at least 24 GPS satellites, 95% of the time. The next addition to the constellation, the GPS IIF-3 satellite will be launched on October 4 by the Air Force in to the space.

How Does GPS Vehicle Tracking Systems Work?

Posted on February 6, 2015 by TSB Super Admin

GPS were initially used for military purposes by the US Department of Defense. But nowadays its commercialization has opened up a new window of opportunities in the field of safety and security. Everyone with a hand held mobile device can be powered with a GPS tracking app. This has made it possible to track assets on the move. Together with an embedded RFID card (with the asset), ensuring safety and security has become easier and economical. It is this cost effectiveness and the ease of use that has made GPS tracking systems widely accepted.

What is GPS?

Before understanding how a GPS tracking system works, let’s find out what is GPS. GPS or Global positioning systems is a satellite based technology that helps to track precise location of vehicles, person or other assets and also to provide data at regular intervals. A GPS tracking system can collect data in the asset’s environment and relay the same to a remote server, where the data can be further analyzed. GPS coupled with an RFID tag can be very useful. An RFID uses radio frequency of short range to relay data.

Now, let’s see how it works.

As mentioned before, GPS is a satellite based technology which uses a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) network. It uses a microwave signal which is sent to the GPS device. It gives provision for both real-time and historical data recording. This is made possible by the 27 GPS satellites orbiting the earth, in a time span of 12 hours. Of these 27 satellites 24 are currently operational and the rest 3 are reserved for when the others fail.

The device carrying a GPS system comprises of a GPS module which receives the signals and is also responsible for calculating the co-ordinates. Based on function, GPS trackers can be of three types – Data logger, Data pusher or Data puller.

Data logger: It is basically used to log the position of a device at regular intervals. It uses an internal memory to store data. It also comes with a memory card slot or internal flash memory and USB ports. The data from the device can only be moved to a computer for further analysis once data recording is complete as it can only be used for logging purposes.

Data Pusher:The GPS system which schools and fleet companies use these days belongs to the category of data pushers. Besides this, it can also be used for asset tracking and personal tracking. A data pusher records data like speed, altitude etc. and pushes them to a server where the further analysis of these data can be done.

When used for tracking school buses, text messages are sent to a mobile phone that has a GPS tracking app installed, in the event of school bus arrival or the student boarding the bus, via SMS or GPRS. It can also transmit location and telemetry input data or when an event takes place like a door open/close or geo-fence border crossing or engine ON/OFF.

Data puller: In this a remote system sends an SMS to get information from a GPS device. It is similar to a data pusher but the difference is that the data from the GPS system is sent only when it is requested by the remote server. It requires internet and GPSD only occasionally. These systems are used in situations where a constant source of energy is unavailable.

Why use GPS?

Not only does it allow data recording and transmission, but it does this in real-time. It is highly accurate and gives a precise location of your assets.
Buses follow pre-defined optimized routes set by school authorities, which reduces fuel consumption and also travel time. Hence, it is becoming more popular with schools and fleet companies.
It has helped to reduce pollution since the buses take the shortest routes possible and are well maintained.
Helps to monitor the school bus driver’s driving pattern.

RFID is another technology, which along with GPS improves asset or personal tracking. The radio frequency it sends out can be used to transmit information using the GPS system. Student ID cards using RFID’s embedded on them can be used while entering or exiting buses. The information thus generated can be sent to parents via a GPS connection therefore informing the parents whether the student has boarded the bus or not.

Parents Happy With the Installation of GPS in School Buses

Posted on January 30, 2015 by TSB Super Admin

Parents won’t always be free to take their child to school and take them back to home. Therefore, they have to depend on school buses to send their children to school. Almost all the schools now provide this transportation facility; either bus or some other vehicles. But all parents are concerned with the safety of their children. How can you ensure the safety of your child in their way to school? Global Positioning System (GPS) will help you to ensure the security.

Soon, the Government will make it mandatory for all school managements to install global positioning system (GPS) in school transport vehicles and parents are quite happy with this decision. Many schools already have GPS systems with tracking and monitoring system with equal involvement of parents and management.

With the increase in number of assault cases against children in school hours, parents are much worried about their safety. With the installation of GPS tracking system in the school buses, parents and school authorities can be sure of the travel route of the students and they will be informed in case any untoward incident takes place.

Advantages of GPS Tracking System

• Real- time information
Undoubtedly, one of the most advantageous features of GPS Tracking System is real-time information that one received about the location of the school bus. It helps you to know where the buses are, monitor pick up and drop off. You will be informed if any bus goes in a wrong route or if there is any unscheduled stop or delay.

• Student safety
Get notified if a student gets into a wrong bus or steps out at a wrong station. Even if the student misses his/her station, the parent will be informed. The exact location of the child can be identified with RFID tags attached to the devices.

• Monitoring the speed, managing the route and scheduling
If the vehicle is moving at a high speed, you will be informed and you can warn the school authorities to control it to avoid accidents. The authority can rely upon RFID school management software. The software can do routing and scheduling automatically. In that way, time and energy needed for rescheduling and re-routing can be saved.

• A solid record
It is possible for the school authorities to record all the activities and route of the school bus using the GPS tracking system.

What is there to worry?

The number of children abducted on their way to school and to home is increasing rapidly. Majority of the kidnapped children were found dead or had been missing. This is a dangerous situation. You cannot always have your children by your side. So finding a reliable solution to this is a necessity.
Edsys’ School bus Tracking System is a reliable solution to tackle this problem effectively. This will make parents really happy because it is so easy to use and syncs with the Parent Portal.

Once installed in your smart device having internet connection Parent Portal gives the following information:

• The travel history of their child at any given time
• A confirmation whether their children has reached school or home
• Monitor speed of school bus
• Time duration at each stop
• The reasons of delay such as break down, traffic jams, natural hazards etc.

Notifications can be enabled as per needs. For example, few minutes before the bus reaches in the morning, when the student boards the bus, when the student misses the bus or when the student reaches home etc.
The installation of GPS tracking systems with RFID software will surely reduce the number of crimes and attacks against students. Even if a child is abducted, it makes it easy for the authority to find the missing child with minimum time. Since the safety of the child is the major concern, the installation of a GPS tracker will make the parents really happy.