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Introducing TELUS Remote Fleet Tracker Powered by GEOtrac

TELUS fleet management solutions are ideal for oil and gas, forestry, mining and utility companies that need to protect field workers and streamline their operations. Whether you require global coverage through satellite or high bandwidth transfer through cellular, TELUS provides accurate location-based services. Features include geo-fencing, historical trace, search, vehicle locate and usage reports for preventative maintenance.

TELUS Remote Fleet Tracker and TELUS Protect make an excellent fleet management solution for natural resource and energy companies. You gain:

Improved worker safety. Gain peace of mind by knowing the exact location of your workers and making it easy for them to call for help. Ideal for companies that must comply with work-alone legislation. Improved safety also means direct savings to your bottom line through lower insurance premiums and fewer infractions such as speeding.

Increased productivity. Route optimization reduces fuel consumption and increases vehicle utilization. Remote Fleet Tracker can also act as a mobile computing platform from the truck, providing the ability to deliver office applications and services to and from the field.

Better maps. Remote Fleet Tracker provides the most relevant and detailed oil and gas road maps available. With energy industry detail such as pipelines, well batteries and facilities, these maps prove critical in vehicle location, routing and worker safety.

Increased visibility into your operations. Gain valuable information with customizable reports. Set geographic perimeters (geo-fences) and be alerted when your vehicles enter or exit the area. Further analyze the reports to help you better manage your vehicle utilization, increase profitability, and uncover additional revenue generating opportunities.

SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger (IS) - Certified Instrinsically Safe

The SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger (IS) is a GPS-enabled personal satellite messaging and emergency communications device providing a simple way to help address lone or remote worker safety. Using 100% satellite technology, SPOT IS works virtually anywhere in the world, even where cell phones don't.

Functions:

ALERT SOS: Workers can use this function in the event of a life threatening or other critical emergency to notify emergency services of their GPS location. Once SOS is activated, SPOT IS will acquire its coordinates from the GPS network, and send that location along with a distress message every 5 minutes to the GEOS Emergency Response Center.

Check-in/OK: For casual check-in messages, workers simply need to press the Check-in/OK button to advise employers that they have arrived at a location and/or to keep them posted on where they are at specified intervals. SPOT IS sends a Check-in/OK message once with the longitude and latitude and your pre-programmed message to your contacts. Up to 10 contacts can receive the Check-in/OK message via e-mail or SMS

Help: For less critical emergencies, workers can press this button to send pre-programmed requests for help to their head office or supervisor for example. Up to 10 contacts can be pre-programmed to the Help button sending the alert message via e-mail or SMS.

Custom Message: The Custom Message function operates exactly like the Check-in/OK message. SPOT IS provides a Custom Message in case the user would like to pre-program different messages. This extra line of communication provides flexibility and functionality for the work environment.

News

Handsfree Legislation Update

November 5, 2010

Canada cell phone/texting overview: Distracted driving legislation has been enacted across Canada, with restrictions similar to those being adopted in the United States.

Almost all Canadian provinces have outlawed use of handheld cell phones and/or text messaging while driving — Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Newfoundland/Labrador.

Alberta's lawmakers are debating an extensive set of rules that target distracted driving. Consideration of the government's Bill 16 began in early November 2010.

Alberta's lawmakers are actively debating the government's proposed distracted driving during the session that began Oct. 25, 2010. Bill 16, introduced by MLA Art Johnston, would ban handheld cell phones (hands-free OK) as well as PDAs and other handheld electronic communications devices. Texting would be banned. Also prohibited would be personal grooming, non-commercial use of CB radios, writing, drawing, sketching and use of certain video screens. Fine of $172, no demerits. Enforcement of any law springing from the Traffic Safety (Distracted Driving) Amendment Act should begin in the spring.

Choosing a Hands-Free Kit

The functions and capabilities of each type of kit are explained here to help you better understand the features of each type of car kit.

Physical Differences

Car kits with holders included must also use an external antenna. Bluetooth car kits can be purchased with or without a holder and if a holder is chosen by the user can choose a cell phone holder that does not require an external antenna
Car kits with holders included must have the cell phone in the holder to provide hands free functions. Bluetooth car kits with optional holders will provide hands free functions and is used for charging, adding a booster and a convenient place to put the cell phone in the vehicle
Car kits with holders included will require the purchase of a new holder if the user changes phones. Bluetooth car kits do not require a holder so no new holder is mandatory if a user changes phones.

Operational Differences:

Car kits with holders included have the advantage of having all hands free parts required for a specific model of cellular or smartphone included. The only choice to be made is the cellular antenna. The biggest advantage of these kits is their ease of operation. Phone in holder equals hands free: phone out of the holder equals no hands free.
Bluetooth car kits with or without optional holders rely on a wireless link between the phone and the hands free kit that has some range and interaction with the cell phone. It is possible to have link the cell phone to the hands free kit while the user is out of the vehicle if the hands free kit is on. This means that if a call comes, it will be on hands free kit in the car, not on the phone.