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Automatic Vehicle Locator/Telematics Implementation
PURPOSE: The purpose of this Information Item is to introduce the Mayor and Council Members to the Town’s implementation of Automatic Vehicle Locator/Telematics (AVL) technologies in the Town of Carrboro’s fleet vehicles. This will include a brief overview of the data gathered through the Town’s trial period with the Samsara vendor and a live presentation of the Town’s Samsara dashboard.
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Department
DEPARTMENT: Town Manager’s Office
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Council Direction
COUNCIL DIRECTION:
X Race/Equity X Climate ____ Comprehensive Plan X Other
Council Direction Statement
AVL technologies enhance the Town’s ability to meet its Climate Action goals as Town vehicles generate data on fuel usage, emissions, and suitability for replacement with electric or hybrid options as part of the Town’s vehicle replacement strategy. The AVL units collect the data and populate them into an online dashboard for staff analysis.
AVL technologies also generate useful location and time data that can support the Town’s Race/Equity goals, primarily through analysis of service levels across multiple departments, including Police, Fire, and Public Works. The data can then be used to inform strategies improving the equitability of service delivery across different communities within Carrboro.
Additionally, AVL technologies also provide real-time vehicle health and maintenance indicators that enhance Carrboro’s ability to identify and remedy vehicular faults, supporting efforts to maintain a well-serviced and active fleet across multiple departments.
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Information
INFORMATION: Over the last few months, the Town Manager’s Office has been engaged in a research project to understand the benefits and costs of Automatic Vehicle Locator/Telematics (AVL) technologies, particularly as they pertain to municipal governments. These technologies are represented by physical data collection units that plug into the diagnostic ports of Town vehicles which then generate data into an online dashboard for collection and analysis.
The Town is implementing AVL technologies in order to enhance data collection for fuel usage, emissions logging, and location tracking. Data collected by these technologies will then be used to inform policy changes and additions that support Carrboro’s climate action goals and enhance service delivery for more equitable resident experiences.
The Town has been engaged in a two-month long trial period with the Samsara vendor, with 10 AVL units spread across the Police, Public Works, and Fire departments. These units were added in stages over the course of the first month and have been logging the previously mentioned data into the dashboard for several weeks. Samsara has proven to be a strong partner in sustainability tracking in particular, with detailed dashboard sections specifically for emissions tracking and projection, fuel economy, idling, and other sustainability-focused measures.
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Fiscal and Staff Impact
FISCAL IMPACT: The total fiscal impact of the AVL technologies implementation will amount to $11,716.50 for the first year of the contract, followed by $11,298.00 per year for the following two years of the contract, totaling $34,312.50. This provides 50 units and the associated software licensing for a three-year period.
Staff impacts will include scheduling and carrying out installation of the remaining 40 units, a process that takes approximately 15-30 minutes per vehicle dependent largely on cellular connectivity. Additionally, the Town Manager’s Office will house all operations pertaining to usage and analysis of the dashboard and its data, providing administrative permissions and training to involved departments as units are installed.
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Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION: The Council is encouraged to offer questions or comments for the Town Manager’s Office regarding the AVL/Telematics data and the hardware units themselves. The Town Manager’s Office will utilize the data collected from this program to inform future policy decisions in line with Town goals.
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