Omnitracs Navigation 5.8 Release Notes

Using Real Time Traffic

Note: If you are interested in using real time traffic, contact Omnitracs Customer Support to have the option enabled for your organization. 

As anyone involved in transportation knows, the current traffic conditions can affect the best path for your driver to take. Now, you can use real time traffic data to affect changes made to your routes in Omnitracs, as well as how the routes may appear on a map. 

• If you are using Omnitracs Navigation, the route paths can be changed based on the real time traffic data. In addition, the map will indicate the traffic levels. 
• If you are using Autonomous Optimization, real time traffic will be considered when the routes are re-sequenced or unassigned orders are assigned to routes. 
• In FleetView, you can choose to show the real time traffic on the map. 

Setting Real Time Traffic from the Mobile Device 

If you would like your workers to be able to define their own settings for real time traffic, they can be changed on the mobile device at Menu > Path Settings.

The worker must enable Use Real Time Traffic, to have the current traffic conditions when calculating a route. If the worker only wants a new path suggested if it saves a defined amount of time, after enabling real time traffic, the worker must enter the minimum number of minutes that the change will save in Minimum ETA Improvement for a New Recommendation.

Notes: The Minimum ETA Improvement For A New Recommendation option is only available if Enforce Route Plan is disabled and Use Real Time Traffic is enabled.
If the worker wants the original path to be followed without variation, Enforce Route Path must be enabled. 

On the mobile device, when there is a faster path available, how much time is saved with the new path suggestion is read aloud and displays on the screen. The path is automatically re-routed unless the worker dismisses the suggestion.

When looking at the map, the traffic icon designates that a path is based on real time traffic data. The traffic icon is crossed out when real time traffic is disabled or if there is trouble downloading the traffic data.

The roads also display differently when real time traffic has been applied to the path. The color over the road is different, based on how heavy the traffic is. The worker will see a red layer if traffic is heavy, while orange displays if there is medium level traffic.

Enhancements to Omnitracs Navigation

Many updates have been made to Omnitracs Navigation for the 5.8 release. The following enhancements have been included:

• The junction view has been redesigned. Previously when you approached an on or off ramp that was part of your path, the display changed to show just an exit sign. Now the sign displays to the side of the map, so you can still see the map. If you do not close it manually, the junction sign automatically closes once you pass through the on/off ramp.
• Turn-by-Turn audible directions have been expanded. When previously you might only hear "turn left," now the road name and distance are included with the instruction.
• Waypoints are now passed from Roadnet Mobile, ensuring that the paths provided in both Roadnet Mobile and Omnitracs Navigation are the same. If you always want the path followed, even if Omnitracs Navigation can provide a better path due to changing traffic conditions, be sure to check Enforce Route Path, at Menu > Path Settings.