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Troubleshooting for Verizon Vehicle Tracker

This help topic specifically covers troubleshooting Verizon related GPS and other tracking issues. It does not cover issues with tracking mobile devices on an app running Aptora Mobile II. Checkout this help topic for that.

  1. All of these tracking options must be purchased. Your account manager will need to enter the correct information on their side for the system to operate. You will need to enter certain registration information that is covered in this article.
  2. We have had clients tell us they called Verizon for help with obtaining a Client Key and Verizon tried to sell them a service. This should not be required.
  3. When entering your Verizon credentials, keep in mind that you are not entering your regular website login information. You are entering your special Developer’s credentials called API Developer Client Key. At this time, we don’t attempt to validate those credentials when they are entered.
  4. For Verizon Only: Check the Asset’s Model Number field. There is a model number in Verizon Reveal (Fleet Complete) that has to be entered in the Total Office Manager > Asset > “Model:” field. If they do not match, the Aptora system will not work.
  5. Make sure that your time zone is set properly in Verizon. Our system uses their time zone.
  6. The Schedule Board Map will only display information that Verizon provides. If you feel that information is missing or inaccurate, please check to see what is on your Verizon or Fleet Complete map. Log into their website and make sure the map works the way you would expect.
  7. Double-check your Asset setup. In order for a Verizon asset to be tracked, the Type must be Vehicle and the Track on Schedule Board Map box must be checked. The VIN number entered into the asset must be an exact match to the one entered into the Verizon system.
  8. The VIN entered into the Total Office Manager asset must match the VIN entered in the Verizon system.
  9. The MEID number should be automatically populated in the database from the frontend software. Do not manually add information into that database field for “Vehicles.”.
  10. Verizon’s API sends us the entire fleet of vehicles. Verizon allow users to “stub in” vehicles with blank info. That will cause intermittent issues in our system because we need those fields filled out. We must always advise people not to have unused/blank vehicles saved in Verizon.
  11. Check to be sure that all of the required fields have been populated, both in Total Office Manager and Verizon. Many times, information is missing or entered incorrectly.
  12. The vehicle number in the Verizon system has to be entered. This can be any number. It doesn’t pertain to the user; it is what populates the MEID field in the API.
  13. You can set the refresh rate of your Total Office Manager map from thirty seconds to ten minutes. We recommend no quicker than every two minutes. Each refresh freezes the schedule board for a moment.
  14. Verizon devices report their data every two minutes (per device). Your map will likely not be in sync with the device’s refresh integral.
  15. When the vehicle is traveling below ten miles per hour, Verizon returns a heading of zero.
  16. Be sure that you do not have the same VIN in two or more assets that are being tracked. This will create multiple GPS entries.
  17. Aptora Mobile II must be running for this system to operate.
  18. Make sure that your time zone is set properly in Verizon. Our system uses their time zone.
  19. Verizon has a series of videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNXltE8HxEnTJbmoD_49gQw

Assets Are Not Being Displayed on the Map

  1. Does the Aptora software receive GPS information? Check Total Office Manager and Aptora Mobile II’s GPS Tracking Lists to see if data is being received. Aptora Mobile II has a GPS Data List. In Total Office Manager, there is a Custom Data View for GPS data. Pay attention to any devices that are working versus those that are not.
  2. You should make sure you are on the latest version of Total Office Manager and Aptora Mobile II.
  3. If the problem is related to tracking a mobile device, please check to see if there are any updates available for that mobile device.
  4. The Schedule Board Map will only display information that Verizon provides. If you feel that information is missing or inaccurate, please check to see what is on your Verizon or Fleet Complete map.
  5. Check to be sure that all of the required fields have been populated, both in Total Office Manager and Verizon.
  6. Check Total Office Manager and Aptora Mobile II’s GPS Tracking Lists to see if data is being received. If it is, check to see if there are any other computers with a working map.
  7. Check to make sure that the Devices button is depressed on the map’s toolbar. That button toggles tracking on and off.
  8. Double-check your Asset setup. In order for a Verizon asset to be tracked, the Type must be Vehicle and the Track on Schedule Board Map box must be checked. The VIN number entered into the asset must be an exact match to the one entered into the Verizon system.
  9. The Aptora GPS Tracking license count must be equal to or greater than the number of assets with this option checked. For example, if you setup ten assets to track and you have five actual tracking licenses from Aptora, your map will display only five assets. Check to see how many assets have the “Track on Schedule Board Map” option checked and compare that to how many licenses you have purchased. Your Aptora Account Manager can tell you how many you own.
  10. The VIN entered into the Total Office Manager asset must match the VIN entered in the Verizon system.
  11. The vehicle number in the Verizon system has to be entered. This can be any number. It doesn’t pertain to the user; it is what populates the MEID field in the API.
  12. Advanced Info for Support: The MEID number should be automatically populated in the database. Do not manually add information into that database field for “Vehicles.”
  13. Advanced Info for Support: The Istruck field in the database should be set to 1.
  14. Advanced Info for Support: The TrackonSB field in the database should be set to 1.

Technical Information on GPS

The following information is technical and meant for those with a desire or a need to know more about how the system works.

  1. When the credentials are entered into the SBMS, they are saved to the database. At this time, we don’t attempt to validate those credentials.
  2. Aptora Mobile II has a Quartz job set up to run every two minutes. Once it finds the Verizon credentials in the database, it will execute the following steps each time it runs:
    1. Request an authorization key from the Verizon API.
    2. Request all vehicle records from the Verizon API.
    3. Using the VIN number, match the Verizon vehicle record to the Total Office Manager Fixed Asset record.
    4. Save the Verizon Vehicle Id as the MEID for the matching TOM Vehicle Fixed Asset.
    5. Request all the vehicle locations from the Verizon API.
    6. Find the most recent location for each vehicle.
    7. If a Verizon location is newer than the last known TOM location, save a new AssetGPS record using the Verizon Vehicle Id as the DeviceId.
  3. GPS data is received from the satellite and sent to the Verizon servers every two minutes (or your Verizon preference). If a vehicle is outside of cellular coverage, the Verizon device will store GPS data for transmission later (for up to 30 days).