What's new in Geotab Drive — Version 2003

As of October 1st, 2024 Geotab is no longer offering the rate plans of Base, Regulatory, Pro, or ProPlus to new customers in favor of a new streamlined offering of GO Plan. Existing customers will be transitioned. To learn more about the advantages of GO Plan please contact your authorized Geotab Partner Reseller or your Geotab Partner Account Manager.

Geotab Users: To verify your version: go to MyGeotab > Administration > About, and check the build number, (e.g. 5.7.2003.xxx release).

Resellers: Review this post for important changes affecting your customers and note any recommendations.

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General improvements

Availability notifications now out of Feature Preview

In the previous release, we featured a new Availability screen where drivers can review duty status notifications, and monitor their driving limits. For this release, this Availability feature is out of feature preview, and available by default.

Using the Availability feature, users can:

• Apply the Exempt HOS exemption.
• Monitor remaining rest periods.
• Receive warnings for upcoming and potential violations.

Added a field for database name

Drivers can now check their company database name in the App’s Settings screen.

Improved message text for driver feedback

For better clarity, Geotab has updated the message text on the Send Feedback screen. For immediate support, drivers are advised to contact their Administrator or their Support Team.

Improved message text for interactive prompts

Available user actions are now more prominently displayed in interactive prompts. For example, for the prompt “You have logs that require action,” the instructions “Tap here to review” will also be displayed alongside in bold text.

DVIR camera feature is available on the Pro and ProPlus plans

In the previous release, we introduced the camera feature to the DVIR workflow. This feature is only available for devices on the Pro and ProPlus plans.

Updated HOS exemption custom naming rules

To avoid confusion, the HOS exemption cannot share names with an existing status or exemption, and if attempted, the App will display an error.

Improved text-to-speech behavior 

We've reduced the amount of text-to-speech that is read out loud to make the service more concise and informative. In particular:

• Text is only read out loud for a violation if the App is running in the background, or when the lock screen is activated.
• For multiple upcoming violations, the App will read "upcoming violations" without specifying each violation.
• For easier listening, the App will only read how much time is remaining in the workday, e.g., "30 minutes remaining."

Improved messaging text for unplugged IOX-USB

For vehicles equipped with IOX-USB expansion, an unplugged alert will now only appear if the IOX is unplugged and the telematics device is out of network coverage.

Improved logout workflow

To get you into the App and on the road faster, the logout/login workflow has been streamlined. Currently, drivers are asked to change their status to OFF or ON when logging out of the App. They were also asked to verify logs the next time they logged in. For most drivers however, the only verification required was their OFF/ON status from the previous logout. Now, the logout feature will automatically verify the ON/OFF status shortening the process and simplifying the workflow.

Clock-in/Clock-out feature now available by request

The Clock-in/Clock-out feature is no longer available by default. To ensure drivers get the most out of this custom feature, please contact eld@geotab.com to enable Clock-in/Clock-out, and to answer any questions you may have. The Clock-in/Clock-out feature can be enabled in the 2002 and 2003 releases using custom code.

Canadian DVIR (Beta)

Note: Our Canadian DVIR is currently in Beta. For Canadian DVIRs, sections specific to Canada are NOT available in DVIR reports at this time.

Improved Canadian DVIR workflow

Based on the vehicle’s license plate State/Province, and the location of the device, the following changes have been made to the Canadian DVIR workflow:

• Added three new fields to the DVIR: Hubometer 
  (for trailer inspection only), Height of load and Width of load.

• Added a new Inspector role with the option to complete the DVIR as an Inspector, or as a Driver. User’s must select a role before saving the inspection.

Note: Functionality for choosing the role has been custom coded behind DVIRINSPECTORROLE.

• Added a compliance message prompting the Driver to accept/reject the inspection before the Inspector can proceed to the Repair/Certify workflow.
• If the Driver rejects the inspection, the Inspector cannot proceed, and is returned to the New Inspections screen. The Inspector can either view the previous DVIR, or start a new inspection.
• The Inspector also receives the compliance prompt and can accept/reject the inspection.

Note: The option to allow Inspectors to accept/reject inspections prevents users from getting stuck in the inspections screen, in the event they chose the Inspector role in error.

The following fields have been added or renamed in the DVIR:

• Inspection type (Pre-trip, In-trip, Post-trip) moved closer to the bottom of the screen
• No major or minor defects (renamed from No Defects)
• Carrier Address (renamed from Company Address)
• Carrier Name (renamed from Company Name)
• Hubometer (for trailers only)
• Name of Inspector
• Name of Operator
• Height of Load
• Width of Load
• VIN

Added new inspection fields for Canadian DVIRs

To accommodate the workflow changes described above, Canadian DVIRs in MyGeotab will now include Hubometer, Height of Load and Width of Load.

Minor defects can be carried forward for Canadian DVIRs

For Canadian DVIRs, the App treats minor (normal) defects the same way it treats unregulated defects. This allows defects to be carried forward from one DVIR to the next without marking them as “repaired” or “not necessary.”

Show multiple DVIRs in Inspection Mode

In Ontario, drivers can add a defect to a previously reported DVIR and mark the date for that specific defect. To achieve this in the Drive App, we introduced the In-trip inspection type in the previous release. In-trip inspections allows users to add defects found during their current trip.

For this release, In-trip inspections with defects can now be displayed in Inspection Mode, along with the latest Pre or Post-inspections. If an In-trip inspection has no defects, the App will only display the latest pre or post-trip inspection. This feature is only available for vehicles in Ontario, using license plate province or location.

Languages

Translation support for Drive App Add-Ins

Like the MyGeotab Add-ins, the Geotab Drive Add-ins can be requested in all supported languages. More information can be found in our Github Repository.

Geotab Drive SDK updates

New parameters available for TextMessageSearch

The following parameters are now available as a search options in the TextMessage API:

• IsDelivered (boolean)
• IsRead (boolean)
• UserSearch

Improvements to the DVIRLog object

• For Canadian DVIR Logs, the driver can mark a DVIRLog created by an inspector as rejected, and be able to start a new one after that. Partners and integrators can search for those rejected logs using the new IncludeRejected (boolean) flag in the DVIRLogSearch.
• The following new fields have been added to the DVIRLog object to account for Canadian DVIR:
  • authorityAddress
  • authorityName
  • Hubometer/Odometer
  • loadHeight
  • loadWidth
  • isInspectedByDriver

See Also: Getting to know the MyGeotab SDK

Contributors: Mehant Parkash, Product Manager, ELD; Francisco Milanez Neto, Technical Writer; Heather Holmes, Technical Writer; Inshaal Badar, Senior Content Writer