The truck's last known position is not its current position.
Simply replacing the SIM card will not turn a 2G tracker into an LTE device.
Starting a download does not mean the data has been downloaded successfully.
To assess an event reliably, you need to include readings from both tanks and their combined balance.
Seeing the vehicle in the monitoring app does not yet confirm that data is being sent correctly to e-TOLL.
A truck is on its way to a customer. The dispatcher sees it on the map, knows the route and checks the estimated arrival time. This is the basis of daily work in a transport company. But will the tracker keep sending data after crossing the next border? Has the system downloaded the tachograph files? Did fuel start disappearing during an overnight stop?
GPS monitoring for trucks should help control all these situations. You see its value when you receive reliable information and learn about a problem early enough.
That is why, when choosing a system for trucks, it is worth looking at how the whole process works: from the device installed in the vehicle, through data transmission, to automatic file downloads, fuel measurement and cooperation with external systems.
Truck location - it must be up to date
A point on the map looks convincing. On its own, however, it does not say whether it shows a position from a dozen seconds ago or from two hours ago.
Two separate mechanisms operate in vehicle monitoring. The GPS receiver determines the position based on satellite signals. The cellular modem sends this information to the server, from where it reaches the user.
If cellular connectivity is lost, the device may still know where the vehicle is. However, the office will not receive this information in real time. If the tracker has the right memory and software, it will store the data and send it after the connection is restored. This will allow the history to be reconstructed, but it will not replace the current position during transport execution.
The truck's last known position is not its current position. The system should clearly show this difference.
That is why, in addition to the map, you need information about the time of the last update and a notification when the transmission gap lasts too long.
A 2G tracker may stop sending data abroad
Older telematics installations may still use devices that rely exclusively on 2G technology. Such a device may work on one route and lose the ability to communicate after entering a country or region where the network available to it has been switched off.
The 2G shutdown in Europe is already underway. However, it is not happening everywhere at the same time and does not always include all operators in a given country.
Switzerland
2G networks have been switched off.
Sweden
Tele2 and Telenor switched off 2G in 2025. Telia announces it will keep this technology until the end of 2027.
Norway
Telia switched off 2G in 2025. Telenor announces a shutdown on December 31, 2027.
France
Orange is carrying out phased shutdowns. The next major stages are scheduled for October 6 and 20, 2026, with specific exceptions until December. The schedule applies to the Orange network, not all French operators.
Information status: September 30, 2026. Sources: BAKOM, PTS and Nkom regulators and Orange France. [1][2][3][4]
For a carrier, this means the need to check the specific device and transmission service. Both the modem technology and the SIM card's ability to use operator networks on supported routes are important.
Simply replacing the SIM card will not turn a 2G tracker into an LTE device. If the modem does not support newer technology, the hardware will need to be replaced.
At Multiflot, we develop our own telematics devices that work in LTE technology. However, the choice of solution should always take into account the countries where the fleet operates, available roaming and installation conditions. LTE does not mean coverage everywhere. That is why communication monitoring and clear information when data starts to be missing are equally important.
Tachograph - automatic file downloads should include supervision of the entire process
The ability to download a tachograph file remotely is useful. However, if an employee has to remember every readout, select the vehicle and press a button, much of the obligation still remains on their side.
In a well-organized system, downloads run automatically according to a set schedule. The system monitors the deadline, starts the readout and checks the result.
Starting a download does not mean the data has been downloaded successfully.
The vehicle may be out of coverage. The connection may be interrupted. There may be a problem with authorization, driver card availability or communication with the tachograph. It is important that such a case is detected and handled.
From the user's perspective, specific answers matter:
- When was the data last downloaded successfully?
- Which driver, vehicle and period does it concern?
- Is the file complete and readable?
- Will the system retry a failed attempt?
- Is a deadline requiring intervention approaching?
The Chief Inspectorate of Road Transport indicates a maximum data download period of 28 days of activity for the driver card and 90 days of activity for the vehicle unit. It is worth setting the schedule with an appropriate buffer so that a single technical problem does not immediately mean missing the deadline. [5]
Automation helps meet this obligation. However, it does not release the carrier from supervision or from the need to provide another way to download the data if remote readout proves impossible.
The file has been downloaded. Can it be used?
The message "file downloaded" should be the start of result verification.
You need to distinguish a problem with the file itself from a problem recorded in its contents. An incomplete or damaged file may need to be downloaded again. A correct file, however, may contain information about events, faults or infringements that require separate analysis.
These are different situations and the user should receive a clear explanation. The message "tachograph error" is not very helpful if it is not clear whether the readout should be repeated, the installation checked, a workshop contacted or a specific record explained.
This is not about changing the original tachograph files. It is about preserving source data, identifying the problem and taking the right action.
When choosing a system, also check the scope of the service. Downloading and archiving files, checking their correctness and analyzing infringements may be separate features or services.
Will the driver make it to the customer on time?
The truck is 100 kilometers from the unloading point. Based on this, it is easy to assume it will soon reach the destination. However, the situation changes if the driver must take a break or rest period first.
That is why, in transport, it is useful to combine the vehicle position with information about the driver's current activity and available driving time. This makes it easier to assess the possibility of completing the next order and predict delays.
Live activity view and downloading historical tachograph files are different functions. It is worth checking which of them the selected solution includes and what data it uses for calculations.
Additional value comes from recording arrivals at loading and unloading zones and the time spent on site. The dispatcher then receives the information needed to assess transport progress and explain long waiting times.
Fuel measurement in two tanks requires joint analysis
Fuel control in a truck becomes more demanding when the vehicle has two tanks. They may have different capacities, be connected, and allow fuel to move between them.
In this situation, a drop in the level in one tank does not have to mean fuel has been lost from the vehicle. Some fuel may have flowed into the other tank. Changes in readings may also result from the vehicle tilting and fuel movement.
To assess an event reliably, you need to consider the readings from both tanks and their combined balance.
The entire measurement system matters: probe selection, installation, tank calibration, and the way data is analyzed. A chart alone will not fix an incorrectly performed measurement.
At Multiflota, we use our own fuel probes, telematics devices, and calibration equipment. This allows us to adapt the measurement to the specific installation, instead of basing the assessment only on the factory fuel level gauge.
Fuel control should also work when parked
It is often when the vehicle is parked that you most need to know whether something concerning is happening with the fuel.
In many factory installations, current fuel level data stops being available to telematics after the ignition is switched off. After the vehicle is restarted, the system may detect a difference, but it will not reconstruct the exact moment of the event on that basis.
Measurement based on properly powered probes and a telematics device allows fuel to be monitored also when the vehicle is parked. In the Multiflota solution, the system analyzes changes and can warn the user about a suspicious event before it finishes determining its scale.
The first alert is for response: it is worth checking what is happening around the vehicle. The next one helps assess the size of the confirmed loss. A level drop alone should not automatically be presented as proof of theft.
Delivering a notification in real time of course requires working connectivity. That is why measurement quality and data transmission must be considered together.
We describe more about probes, calibration, and measurement in different vehicles in the article Fleet fuel control.
Integrations with transport exchanges and shipper systems
The shipper wants to know where their transport is and when it will reach the recipient. Manually sending locations, taking screenshots, and answering follow-up calls takes time from both the dispatcher and the driver.
Integrating a GPS system with a transport platform allows the necessary information to be shared automatically. Such solutions are already available on the market, including in transport monitoring services offered by Trans.eu. [6]
When choosing a provider, however, it is worth asking about the specific platform. A claim that we have an API is not the same as a ready integration that can be launched immediately.
You need to establish what data will be shared, how often, who will have access to it, and when sharing will end. The shipper should see the information needed to handle a specific transport, within the agreed scope and timeframe.
System behavior when connectivity is lost is also important. The data recipient should know they are seeing the last available position, instead of assuming the truck is still in the same place.
e-TOLL - a vehicle appearing on the map does not confirm that the service is working
If you also use a telematics device to send data to the Polish e-TOLL system, check carefully what solution you are receiving.
The official e-TOLL service provides lists of approved operators and OBU and ZSL devices. The specific service operator and device model matter. The seller may be an intermediary, so a simple assurance of e-TOLL support needs clarification. [7]
The device must also be correctly registered, linked to the vehicle, and activated in line with the system rules.
Seeing the vehicle in the monitoring application is not yet confirmation that data is being correctly transmitted to e-TOLL.
Before launching the service, establish who is responsible for configuration, how you will check that it works, and how you will be informed about a problem. The provider should clearly explain the scope of support and the procedure in the event of a failure.
Also remember that e-TOLL support in Poland does not automatically mean road toll support in other European countries.
In-house engineering department and installers - who will solve the problem?
Monitoring problems can have different causes. Sometimes it is the device power supply, sometimes data transmission, cooperation with the tachograph, or the way the fuel probe is installed.
That is why it is worth choosing a provider also based on what happens after a fault is reported. Who will check the installation? Who will assess measurement accuracy? Can the company modify its own device and software if a specific application requires it?
At Multiflota, we have our own engineering department, our own telematics devices, fuel probes, and installers. We also use our own measuring equipment and fuel calibration system. Behind this solution is 30 years of team experience in installing and servicing telematics devices.
This gives us the ability to analyze a problem across the entire installation: from the signal in the vehicle, through the device and communication, to the information visible to the user.
If the measurement raises doubts, its cause needs to be diagnosed. A technician should check the operating conditions and installation, take measurements, and, if necessary, recalibrate the tank. This is how you can restore the reliability of the data you base your decisions on.
Truck monitoring tailored to your routes and obligations
A company that mainly drives in Poland needs different solutions than a carrier regularly serving Switzerland, Scandinavia, and France. Tachograph models, the number of fuel tanks, and the platforms used by shippers also matter.
That is why a conversation about monitoring should start with the actual work of the fleet. Only then can the devices, measurement method, data download schedule, and required integrations be selected.
Tell us what trucks you operate, which countries they drive through, and what causes you the most problems today. At Multiflota, we will help you choose a solution that delivers reliable information and reduces the number of matters that require manual supervision.