Glossary of Terms

ABS or an Anti-Lock Braking System is a piece of safety equipment that prevents the wheels of a vehicle from locking up under emergency, panic, or harsh braking conditions. In case of sudden braking, there is a possibility of an immediate loss of traction between the tires and the road surface.

Acceleration is the rate at which the vehicle speed increases.

An accelerometer is the electromechanical part of the telematics device that tells the position of the vehicle and its rate of change. In other words, it measures acceleration.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) refers to technologies designed to improve safety for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. Commonly used ADAS are anti-lock braking systems, parking assist, lane assist, tire pressure monitoring, night vision improvements, blind spot detection, and adaptive cruise control.

Alternative fuels are any materials or substances that can be used as fuel other than traditional fossil fuel. Bio-diesel, bio-alcohol, hydrogen, and chemically stored electricity are all examples of alternative fuel.

An automatic on-board recording device (AOBRD) is an in-vehicle device used to keep driver logs. The most common type of AOBRD is an electronic logging device (ELD). The FMCSA 1988 AOBRD rule first defined AOBRDs with far fewer requirements as an option for drivers who wanted to move away from paper logs. The 2012 ELD mandate replaced the 1988 rule but grandfathered in some existing AOBRDs. Electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs) also qualify as AOBRDs.

An application-programming interface (API) is a set of programming instructions and standards for accessing a web-based software application or web tool. It allows software applications to connect, communicate, and exchange information or functionality with each other.

Many of our Partner integrations use APIs to allow you to access GPS data inside their software.

A fleet vehicle or piece of equipment declines in value over time due to wear and tear. Asset depreciation is the cost of it spread over its effective life.

Asset Tracking systems help to manage equipment (generally high-value assets such as generators, tools or OHVs) using GPS asset tracking devices, barcodes or RFID tags. It is used to improve security and utilization of a company’s physical assets.

Biofuel is a product of natural vegetable oils and fats made through a chemical process that converts oils and fats into fatty acid methyl esters. It is a clean-burning renewable fuel intended to be blended with petroleum diesel fuel or its substitute.

A wireless connection used for everyday equipment like computers and phones. It only connects over a short distance and replaces cable connections. Linxup's ELD tablets use bluetooth to communicate.

The release of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere. In relation to vehicles, carbon emissions are considered to be the exhaust gases produced by internal combustion engines running on gasoline or diesel.

Keeping a vehicle moving without accelerating while the vehicle remains in gear. When coasting, no fuel is injected into the engine and therefore no fuel is consumed. It is recommended not to coast while the vehicle is out of gear or with the clutch depressed because it reduces driver control.

A commercial driver's license is a driver's license required to operate large, heavy, or hazardous material vehicles.

A commercial motor vehicle is defined as a vehicle (generally over 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating) used for business, transporting product or people between states. All vehicles transporting hazardous materials (whether for interstate commerce or not) are also considered CMVs.

A motor vehicle that is equipped with in-car telematics. This allows connections to other devices in the car or services, networks, and devices outside the car.

Linxup's integration with Ford is an example of how connected vehicles can access and share vehicle data.

A dash camera records video and sometimes audio outside and/or inside of the vehicle. When tied to GPS data and alerts, dash cameras provide fleet managers with a complete picture of activity around and within a vehicle. Linxup dash cameras operate 24/7 and include theft prevention technology even when drivers are not present.

A dashboard is a visual display of Key Performance Indicators (KPI), shown in one view, making it easy to stay constantly updated on the information that is important to a business.

Deceleration is the rate at which the vehicle speed decreases. It is the opposite of acceleration.

Diagnostic trouble codes are codes prescribed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) to track problems detected by a vehicle's on-board computer. When a check engine light is triggered, it generates a code to let technicians pinpoint the problem and fix it. These codes can be read and reported by a GPS device.

In-vehicle device that digitally records speed, distance, and driving time.

The DOT (or USDOT) is the United States Department of Transportation, a federal cabinet department of the U.S. government concerned with transportation. It was established in 1966 and began operating on April 1, 1967. It is governed by the United States Secretary of Transportation.

Driving behavior is an indication of how a driver drives the vehicle and is determined from various inputs such as speed, braking, coasting, gear shifting, idling, and steering. Driving behavior can positively impact fuel costs, maintenance, and insurance premiums and help reduce the total cost of vehicle ownership.

A driving event occurs when a driver exceeds a certain level of deceleration or acceleration. It is measured by an accelerometer and recorded during braking, cornering and steering, and sudden deceleration, such as a crash.

Drivers' hours regulations protect driver's safety and other road users by ensuring all drivers are in a suitable condition to operate vehicles.

A DVIR is a driver vehicle inspection report, which needs to be completed daily by drivers for any commercial vehicle they operate. An ELD solution helps manage DVIRs for drivers.

Eco driving is a way of operating a vehicle to control and reduce unnecessary fuel consumption, improve drive and road safety, and minimize risk.

ELD stands for Electronic Logging Device. It is Department of Transportation (DOT) mandated electronic hardware that connects to a vehicle’s engine to record driving hours. It includes a screen for the driver, so they can monitor their current status and print hour logs when required by DOT inspectors.

Fleet maintenance refers to all the processes that keep your fleet’s vehicles in good working order, ensuring that they are as safe and effective as possible.

An industry term used for a broad range of solutions for vehicle-related applications that help companies manage their fleets of vehicles, such as cars, vans, trucks, and buses.

A combination of vehicle-based technology and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) that helps businesses improve vehicle performance, save fuel, improve driver safety, aid risk management, and increase overall fleet efficiency.

The person within a company responsible for everything related to company vehicles and drivers.

All activities related to making a fleet of vehicles more effective and efficient through the use of a fleet management solution. For example, actionable insights that are derived from detailed reports about fuel usage by individuals and the fleet.

Fleet tracking is a management system that uses GPS tracking to monitor the activity of fleet vehicles and assets (e.g., workers, equipment). It is often referred to as vehicle tracking or AVL. A fleet is generally a collection of land-based assets, such as cars, trucks, field workers and powered or unpowered equipment (e.g., trailers).

FMCSA stands for Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. It is an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that was created in 2000. Its primary aim is to improve the safety performance of commercial vehicles, (e.g., large trucks, buses) and minimize accidents across the United States trucking industry.

ELD solutions must be registered with the FMCSA. View Linxup's registration by visiting the FMCSA and typing "Linxup" in the search bar.

Fuel cards or fleet cards are used as a payment method for gasoline, diesel, and other fuels. In some cases, fleet cards can be used for vehicle maintenance and expenses.

Fuel usage of a vehicle measured in l/100 km or MPG (miles per gallon). These metrics act as a standard way of defining and comparing a vehicle’s fuel consumption and efficiency.

The relationship between fuel usage and distance traveled. Monitoring additional fuel waste opportunities such as idling can help fleet managers conserve fuel for additional business savings.

A feature of vehicle tracking systems which uses GPS to define geographical boundaries. It can alert a dispatcher when a driver deviates from a route or enters or leaves pre-defined geographical areas.

GPS stands for Global Positioning System. GPS is a satellite-based radio navigation system that consists of up to 32 space satellites, developed by the US Department of Defense. Anyone traveling with a GPS receiver can determine their own position and velocity, thanks to orbiting GPS satellites that are free to use, 24/7, anywhere in the world.

Gross vehicle weight is the total weight of large trucks, hauling trailers, and other large vehicles. This is a vital variable for fleet managers to consider for ensuring the safety of roadways.

HOS (hours of service) is the maximum allowable working hours for commercial motor vehicle drivers in a given period. It also defines how much rest a truck driver should have between shifts.

Linxup's ELD solution tracks hours of service.

Running the engine of a vehicle when the vehicle is not in motion. Common idling situations are standing still at a red light or waiting while parked with the engine running. Reducing idling has a positive effect on fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.

The International Fuel Tax Agreement is an agreement between Canadian provinces and the lower 48 states of the United States to simplify the reporting of fuel in multiple jurisdictions.

Fleet maintenance records are details that archive the schedules, vehicle defect reports, safety inspections, and more of a fleet's assets.

Mobile resource management is the combination of traditional telematics functionality combined with mobile workforce management for your team out in the field. Examples include ELD, route optimization, driver coaching apps, proof of service, commercial navigation, electronic logbooks and Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIR); all on a single MRM platform. That means no more need to develop expensive API’s or maintain multiple sets of mobile devices to get different location tracking and work order management systems to talk to each other.

On-Board Diagnostics is automotive terminology for a vehicle’s self-diagnostic and reporting capability. OBD systems were designed to monitor engine performance as well as provide early warnings of malfunctions. It assists in the service and repair of vehicles because it allows quick and simple retrieval of vital automobile diagnostics information from the OBD system using simple scanning tools. The OBD system was introduced by car manufacturers in the 1980s, and the most modern version is OBD-II. In most cars or light commercial vehicles the OBD-II port can be found below the steering wheel.

The process of planning and optimizing routes for a vehicle or a fleet of vehicles by taking into account location, driving time, and distance.

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is a software distribution model where a provider hosts applications and makes them accessible to clients over the internet. You pay for the usage instead of buying and being owner of the software. The SaaS provider is responsible for installation, maintenance, and support of the platform and it removes the expense of hardware, maintenance, and licensing from an organization.

Telematics is a range of technologies that leverage connectivity (internet or short-range communications technology) with location, diagnostic, or other information to provide convenience (for example tire inflation notification or setting the vehicle's internal temperature), safety (for example location based warnings or road conditions), and communications services.

The process of determining the current and historic locations (and other information) of a vehicle or fleet using GPS technology.

A trip is a movement of a vehicle from a start position to an end position.

Tire pressure monitoring systems help you avoid vehicle downtime by keeping the correct tire pressure and keeping the vehicle safe on the road.

When a vehicle is not available for use for any reason, that period of time is referred to as vehicle downtime. Vehicle downtime can be triggered for a number of reasons, though often the cause is some form of malfunction or damage to the vehicle that requires repairs or part replacements.

A set of processes and features that an organization uses to improve the productivity of individual employees. In relation to fleet management, it helps improve communication between drivers on the road and in the office.