Mobile data terminals feature a screen on which to view information and an onscreen keyboard or keypad for entering information. MDTs may be simple display and keypad units, intended to be connected to a separate black-box or AVL (see below) computer. While MDTs were originally dumb terminals most have been replaced with fully functional PC hardware, known as MDCs (Mobile Digital Computers). While the MDC term is more correct, MDT is still widely used. Other common terms include MVC (Motor Vehicle Computer) and names of manufacturers such as Mentor.
In the earlier days of computer-aided dispatching (CAD), many MDT's were custom devices costing in excess of $3,000, used with specialized point to point radios. While applications like taxi and package delivery often still use custom designed terminals, transportation providers now have the ability to switch to ruggedized laptops costing less than $300, utilizing the Internet or private IP networks connected to and over it.
The large, Android-powered touch-screen MDT mounts quickly and securely via a RAM mount. There’s no complex wiring to install, so transfers between vehicles are easy.
Thanks to intelligent engineering and development, the MDT now enables software to make your organization’s services more valuable to the communities it serves. By automating as many processes as possible, the tablet allows your employees to provide safer, more reliable services for the client.
Drivers gain the advantage of an automatically updated, detailed manifest, while dispatchers monitor driver and vehicle activity in real-time. Audible notifications and color-coding emphasize changes to keep drivers aware of updates. Dispatchers can send messages instantly to all drivers or specify one or more recipients. Drivers can use the quick and easy virtual keyboard to send preset (“canned”) messages to save time or custom messages back to the dispatchers.
The agency may now equip the tablet with software developed with driver and passenger safety as the highest priority. After all, what’s more important to your organization’s success than its safety record? The tablet MDT system can incorporate Automatic Vehicle Location and GPS technology to help dispatchers track drivers’ movements and speeds. Turn-by-turn voice directions and automatic screen locking aids safe driving habits when vehicles are in motion.
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