Power System Engineering - Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)

Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) is a means for determining the geographic location of a vehicle and transmitting this information to dispatchers and supervisors. It enables utilities to maximize the efficiency and safety of their field employees.

AVL is often also referred to as global positioning system (GPS) tracking, fleet tracking, satellite tracking, vehicle tracking, asset tracking, and mobile workforce management (MWM). Call it what you will, AVL technology is an important management tool. When laptops and/or personal digital assistants (PDAs) are also located in the vehicle, the driver can find the quickest route to his destination while using the utility’s geographic information system (GIS) map as an overlay.

What can PSE do to assist utilities with AVL?

PSE can mitigate the risk of selecting an inappropriate AVL technology or service. Several key questions must be considered when making an AVL technology and vendor selection, including:

Does the utility desire to show vehicle locations while overlaying their own GIS maps?
Is there a desire to use or upgrade the utility’s own land mobile radio (LMR) communications system as the communications media or lease airtime from cellular or satellite providers?
What is the level of coverage with the existing cellular providers?
Who are the specialized AVL service providers that can bundle both the air-time and AVL software packages and features?
Does the preferred list of AVL providers have an interface to the utility’s LMR system?
Is there a preference to integrate basic AVL into a more advanced mobile work management system whereby the “system” has the intelligence to suggest what technician or vehicle to dispatch based on location, what skill sets must the user have and what tasks are required in the service/work order?
What AVL features/capabilities are a must have requirement?


The AVL Procurement Process PSE has found that an AVL investment costs far less than advance metering infrastructure (AMI), customer information system (CIS), GIS or other major automation programs, and because of this, often less due-diligence is justified for AVL. However, PSE can add value to the procurement process to provide the following:


Working with the utility to help answer the key questions above and to identify other key questions to consider. Prioritizing the utility’s requirements and needs. Educating the utility on appropriate vendors without the utility having to invite a group of vendors into their offices. Creation of a contract document or the creation of a request for proposal (RFP).