GPS Data Errors: Trucks Reporting Under Same Number

Understanding the Error

It is rare to have two trucks reporting under the same number, and in most cases your ELD system is set up in a way that does not allow this to happen. There are two situations that could potentially result in two trucks being assigned the same number:

1. You use multiple ELD systems

You may be in a situation where you are transitioning between ELD systems OR you regularly use multiple connections, as in the example below where a customer is subscribed to both Omnitracs and Director:

When a truck number is present in both connections, Truckspy recognizes this and combines the data received from both (instead of listing the same truck number twice). 

In theory, data pulled from both connections should be the same and there should be no discrepancies. If one of the truck numbers is assigned incorrectly, we will essentially be receiving data from two different vehicles simultaneously. 

This and many other issues can be easily avoided by making sure your truck numbers are correct and always up to date in your connection(s).

2. You are an ISE customer

Most ELD systems do not allow duplicate truck numbers, but ISE is the exception to this. This means that on occasion, devices are accidentally assigned the same number. If this happens, Truckspy will be pulling data from two devices under the same truck number, throwing an error.

Again, this highlights the importance of making sure that your truck numbers are correct. Something as simple as a typo can result in a lot of data that needs to be reassigned.

If neither of the above situations applies to you, it is not possible for two of your trucks to be reporting under the same number and your error is a result of a different underlying issue. 

Identifying the Error

As this is not a very common issue, there is not one specific error message that can easily be used to identify it, but one example is the message below:

“This vehicle has a data error: It is impossible to travel [XXX] mi in a state per day, max allowed is 1600 mi, occurred on [Date]”

Since the data being pulled from the two trucks is so different, the system throws an error suggesting that the truck has travelled an unreasonable distance in a 24-hour period, even though this is not the case.

See below for examples of trucks that are pulling data from two devices simultaneously:

In this case it is not easy to look at the positions highlighted in red and see which ones are directly causing the error, as this will be an ongoing issue until it is resolved. The key in identifying the problem is to look closely at the data:

Notice that the above data frequently skips back and forth between an odometer reading around 560,000 and 1038400. There are no gaps in data or time in between. This indicates that the data is coming from two different trucks, both running at the same time.

Resolving the Error

Once you have identified this type of error, check both connections to see if one of the trucks is labelled incorrectly. 

Correct the truck numbers as soon as possible so that all data from that point forward will be accurate.

You will then need to contact Truckspy Support at [e-mail] so that we can further assist you in resolving the issue.