US and UAE partnership unveils advanced telemetry system to avoid illegal dumping

Details of the system which tracks vehicles and drivers and what they are doing at all times, including where they are working, what they are dumping and precisely where they are dumping it, is being outlined at the Middle East Waste Management Summit (26-28 May 2009).

Dubai in particular has been beset with the problem of illegal dumping. Sewage tankers were found to be flushing their tanks down inland storm water drains, resulting in raw sewage contaminating Dubai beaches as well as unwelcome front page news worldwide.

Telargo of the United States, a global provider of what is known as advanced track and telemetry technology, and Dubai-based ArabIT, the company's certified service provider for the UAE, exhibitors at the summit at Dubai Airport Expo, say they have the answer.

The Telargo Fleet Management System installed in vehicles, reports accurately on work being done by the vehicles and their drivers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"In essence, telemetry allows you to know what both vehicles and drivers are doing at all times, how fast they are driving, where they are working, where they are dumping, what they are dumping and what they are collecting," said Chris Wiener, General Manager of ArabIT.

"Authorities have acknowledged the practice of illegal dumping," he added. "In spite of best efforts, however, including high fines, deportation and rewards for those who report illegal dumpers, only a relatively small percentage of offenders are caught."

"We believe a more effective approach would be the compulsory monitoring of every vehicle in a fleet, municipality or contractor owned. Contracts should also only be awarded to companies who have the system in place, providing round-the-clock monitoring of fleets. Until now, vehicle fleet managements have been unable to monitor accurately what their trucks and drivers are doing and when. In addition customers, in this case municipalities, have been unable to monitor the contractors," Wiener added.

The telemetry system would provide an immediate alert if a vehicle makes unauthorised stops along prescribed routes or discharges anywhere other than the approved zone.

The system would also provide performance reports; route and time planning, automated to take into account traffic flow and alerting management if a vehicle runs behind schedule; and the ability to reschedule contractors to avoid congestion at dump sites, further reducing the risk of drivers dumping illegally.

The Telargo system combines established technologies from Global Positioning System and wireless communication to digital mapping and hosted as well as mobile applications. Telargo has implemented systems for clients in Austria, Brazil, Hong Kong, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Macao, Malaysia, Mexico, Slovenia, Thailand, Turkey, and the United States as well as the UAE.