Highlights
Intelligent vehicle tracking and management
- Dubai schoolchildren kept safe by custom solution that also monitors driver behavior
- Location and status of logistics vehicles in Zimbabwe and their cargo supervised in real time
- Platform allows for effective management of agricultural vehicles in Indonesia
- Residents receive real-time updates on location of garbage trucks; enables tracking of hazardous waste by authorities
An increase in the number of children in the Middle East has been matched by rising concern about their safety. Parents want to know whether their children have arrived safely at school or at home, as well as if the school bus is being driven safely.
SYSTECH’s Intelligent School Bus system provides that peace of mind. This complete solution enables parents to track their children from the moment they step onto the school bus to their arrival at school — and back. Tracking hardware on the school bus provides real-time positioning data, while a tailor-made system verifies that children have safely boarded or alighted from the bus.
All of the tracking data, including the driver’s identification, is sent to the school or platform vendors, which can control how it is used. A smartphone app provides parents with a map showing information such as the location of the bus and its transit time, allowing them to follow their children’s progress on the way to or from school in real time. The app also provides notifications, such as delays due to a vehicle malfunction or an accident.
About 1,000 units supporting a variety of bus models have been shipped to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where a government-funded specialist has over the past several years used the system to monitor school bus fleets. The tracking hardware features a GPS unit and a 3G/4G communications link to transmit data, as well as a barcode scanner used by drivers to register when children board and alight. Drivers must use an access control device to enable the vehicle’s ignition — ensuring that the right driver is operating the bus. In addition, sensors provide data for alerts in case of malfunctions or accidents.
SYSTECH International Sales Department Technical Support Manager Kelvin Wang said that
Its focus on practical, simple solutions that are cost-effective is evidenced by the use of barcodes. Instead of employing complicated solutions such as smart bracelets — which a child would be prone to forget — the barcode system, while not the most elegant, provides significant flexibility at low cost. When children board or get off the bus, they only need to scan their student identification into the system, which registers their status. Should a child forget their identification, the driver can use a master sheet with all their scheduled passengers’ barcodes. After a barcode is scanned, the system displays the corresponding child’s picture for the driver to verify. A proposal to use facial recognition instead of barcodes is being researched and evaluated.
Wang said that while it is not particularly “special” from a purely technological perspective, the Intelligent School Bus platform won the System Integration Award at the 2016 Smart City Summit & Expo organized by the Taipei Computer Association and SYSTECH has an annual presence at GITEX, the largest tech show in the Middle East. In interviews with Dubai-based media, parents and users expressed their satisfaction with the system.
Addressing blind spots from the US’ larger school buses so children can go to school safely
SYSTECH has set its sights on other markets, but it is advancing carefully because it is keenly aware that different regions have their own unique needs. For instance, the US has vastly different requirements for school buses. As American children are well-versed in taking the bus to school, the priority is on collision avoidance. School buses in the US are larger, meaning that so are their blind spots, which has resulted in numerous instances of children being run over. This has led to regulations requiring the installation of advanced driver-assistance systems to provide bus drivers with warnings. While this is another type of monitoring system, a proper application must be found to ensure school bus safety.
Zimbabwe’s logistics industry tracks vehicle locations to improve efficiency and ensure the safety of refrigerated goods
In addition to improving the safety of school buses, SYSTECH’s platform can be used for vehicle information management and tracking of any fleet. Whether it is buses, rental cars or delivery trucks, the combination of GPS tracking and barcodes can be used in a wide range of industries and the data generated by the platform can be adapted for a variety of uses.
In logistics, the system can be used to provide real-time information on the location of vehicles and the condition of their cargo. This could include the monitoring of interior temperature for refrigerated goods such as food or determining that the cargo has not been damaged while in transit. As the industry has become a round-the-clock business, dispatch time is incredibly important, as is time to destination. The system can analyze and process relevant data in real time to achieve greater efficiency.
In most areas around the world, there is one country that hosts regional operations monitoring distribution for large beverage conglomerates. Since 2016, SYSTECH has been providing tracking services for about 4,000 delivery vehicles used by one such major manufacturer in Zimbabwe. In addition to location tracking, conditions such as the temperature inside the vehicles need to be constantly monitored. Elsewhere in Africa, SYSTECH’s platform was put into use several years ago to monitor oil during transport to prevent theft of the precious commodity.
Applying technology to agriculture Managing fertilizer spreaders used on Indonesian palm oil farms
In agriculture, the platform can be used to not only track farm vehicles, but also monitor their onboard supplies, such as fertilizer, through the use of additional sensors. For example, the palm oil market is a significant part of Indonesia’s economy, so monitoring fleets of fertilizer spreaders and other agricultural vehicles is critical. Equipment often needs to be moved between the northern and southern regions of the country, meaning effective scheduling is key to productivity. Due to the significant value of such equipment, anti-theft measures are also highly prized. SYSTECH has several partners in Indonesia that have provided invaluable feedback on such needs, which can be met with technology — hardware and/or software. Since 2018, tracking through its intelligent telematics solutions has been added to about 300 agricultural vehicles.
A convenient app for tracking garbage trucks and effective management of hazardous waste
Due to homes being widely dispersed across Taiwan’s Yilan County, garbage trucks were often unable to reach their stops in time. In 2014, the Yilan County Government and SYSTECH teamed up to make residents’ lives more convenient. Sensors were installed in about 100 garbage trucks, providing data used for more effective management and timely dispatching to serve the public. This also helped reduce the amount of waste dumped in mountain or coastal areas. In addition, residents can use a smartphone app to see the location of garbage trucks and better anticipate when to take out the trash.
SYSTECH solutions have been employed by the Tainan City Government since 2017 and the Kaohsiung City Government since 2019, as well as distributed through dealers in Taoyuan, helping improve the lives of people by solving practical problems. In addition, the Executive Yuan’s Environmental Protection Administration uses SYSTECH vehicle information management system to track hazardous waste, such as those generated by the medical and chemical sectors, ensuring a clean living environment.
Systems & Technology Corp.
Smart Transportation
Fleet Management System
Selling points:
- Tailor-made solution verifies that Dubai’s children safely board and alight school
buses (1,000 units supporting a variety of bus models)
- Helps Indonesia monitor 300 agricultural vehicles, improving productivity and preventing theft
- Manages the movements of 4,000 logistics vehicles in Zimbabwe and ensures the safety of refrigerated foods
- Tracks the arrival time of garbage trucks in urban and suburban areas, increasing convenience for residents
- Effective tracking of hazardous waste collection improves pollution prevention and control, and reduces illegal dumping
