Many businesses that run fleets of vehicles use GPS tracking systems to keep an eye on where their cars are. But there is plenty GPS systems don’t tell fleet managers.
Prova Systems, a startup north of Scranton, has developed technology that monitors a lot more than where a car is at any given moment. Its system tracks how the engine is performing, how quickly a driver travels, how many miles a vehicle gets on a gallon of gas and much more. That way, a manager can see if a car has been idling a lot or if a mechanical problem is hurting a vehicle’s performance. Prova doesn’t require the monthly fees that normally come with GPS tracking, and data about a vehicle is collected when it arrives at the garage, not around the clock.
“It’s a lot more affordable than a GPS system,” says John Collins, the company’s president. He says the idea is to help fleet managers hit their fuel-efficiency targets. The company also hopes to break into the insurance market, allowing vehicle insurers to monitor drivers’ performance.
Collins, who lives in New York City but spends part of the week at Prova’s offices, says the company located in northeastern PA because it was a nurturing environment for new businesses. Resources including the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania — which is investing $35,000 in the startup — and the Carbondale Technology Transfer Center, which is providing office space, cemented Prova’s decision.
Source: John Collins, Prova Systems
Writer: Rebecca VanderMeulen
