Turbo dispatch
Encyclopedia
Turbo Dispatch is a public domain
standard for the electronic transfer of job details, initially using packet radio
, but now also using the Internet
. It is used throughout the United Kingdom
to pass the details of stranded motorists between all the major UK motoring organisations and their 500 plus Vehicle Recovery
agents. In many cases it is also used by the Vehicle Recovery agent, to pass the details to the attending recovery vehicle.
On 30 June 1994, a group of representatives from the UK seven major motoring organisations and the Institute of Vehicle Recovery, were invited a meeting at Brooklands Museum
. Brooklands Museum was chosen as the venue because the meeting's chairman Andy Lambert
was involved with the museum, having transported the vast majority of the exhibits there and could therefore show people items they would not normally get to see. He clearly hoped that this would be enough incentive to get ‘the clubs’ to sit-down in the same room together. It soon emerged that it was a shared dream of all those present, that ‘common standards’ for all aspects of vehicle recovery
, could be introduced to the industry. Amongst other things, this group laid the foundations of Turbo Dispatch project.
Because of the reliability of delivery needed it was decide that Mobitex
should be used. In the UK kingdom there was only one provider of Mobitex, this is today a subsidiary of BT (British Telecom) called Transcomm, but at the start of the project it was called RAM Data. This is why many users still refer to RAMing jobs. Motor Trade Software's (MTS) Ian Lane designed and wrote the protocols along with the gateway software. Much pioneering work was carried out during early 1995. In the autumn of 1995 Green Flag and Delta Rescue were the first Motoring Organisations to start experimenting with Transmissions to the Garages, with the first genuine Job being sent to Southbank Garage at the end of the year.
The point where most Recovery Operators learned about Turbo Dispatch, was during AVRO EX 1996. Despite it being Green Flag
s 25th Anniversary, the Motoring Organisation set up a mini ‘Control Room’ at the show and let people see for the first time, just how well the system worked. By the end of that year the Automobile Association
had set up a trial in London, sending jobs to selected Recovery Operators.
Towards the end of 1997, the AA's Evan Anderson became greatly involved in promoting the concept of Turbo Dispatch within the AA. This was undoubtedly the turning point, because Evan seemed to accept that although MTS and RAM did have a monopoly, it was not an intentional one. Anyone else could develop a system, but quite simply nobody else had successfully done so.
In the following year, the RAC
went live and by the end of the year, all the ‘major players’ in the industry had adopted Turbo Dispatch. By the year 2005 it is estimated that around 92% of the 4 million ‘garaged’ breakdowns a year, are sent to Recovery Operators using Turbo Dispatch.
The system is clearly popular with the Motoring Organisations, because of the saving in job dispatcher talking on the telephone, to the Recovery Operators. What surprised a lot of people was how popular it was with the operators as well, mainly for the same reasons. A busy control does not want to take job details over the telephone, at least not when he can have it appear on his computer screen. Because he could then use the same system to dispatch the job to his driver, it meant the whole process can be handled in seconds.
Typically, the Recovery Operator job logging and invoicing system is based around an IBM PC compatible. This will be connected to the Mobitex data network by a Masc. Radio Modem (sometimes called a Mobidem) using one of the PC's RS232C communication ports. Job transmission will entail the Motoring Organisations computer using the Recovery Operator unique Mobidem number to call his computer.
Once a connection has been made the job details are transmitted in the data format defined in the Turbo Dispatch Format Manual, and the call terminated. A dedicated communications computer will usually be employed to constantly monitor the Radio Modem via the RS232 port. This will operate a program TD.EXE, running under Windows 98 or later. Data received from the Radio Modem will be transferred to an incoming message queue on the other computer, for subsequent automatic processing by the main job taking software (a maximum of 5 seconds delay). An audible sound will also be generated by the communications computer.
Immediately the job details are received by the Recovery Operator’s communications computer, it will transmit an automatic acknowledgement to the origin of the job message and place the job details in a queue awaiting manual acceptance by the Recovery Operator’s controller. Job Dispatch will be completed by the Recovery Operator’s controller, either by accepting, or rejecting the job and the corresponding transaction being dispatched to the Motoring Organisation.
The Turbo Dispatch application was initially restricted to employing the MASC protocol of the Transcomm Mobile Data Network. This Protocol was adopted because it eliminates the complexity of retries which would result from employing a session based protocol on the radio modems e.g. Hayes or X28
The Turbo Dispatch Standards Group used to meet on average two or three times a year. Its brief was to “Maintain a common standard for message and data formats to be used in electronic data communications between Host Computers and, or Data Terminals. In fixed, mobile environment”.
The picture on the right was taken in 2006 at a meeting in BT Transcomm's Heathrow headquarters. All major Motoring Organisations send representatives and number of selected Recover Operators also attend. All changes and additions to the standard are discussed and have to be agreed by those present at the meeting. As there is little commercial advantage to any organisation (an improvement for one will normally also benefit the others), there is usually a large amount of agreement. Copies of the standard are available from MTT or public domain sources.
In 2010 BT Transcomm announced the closure of the Mobitex Network in the UK.
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
standard for the electronic transfer of job details, initially using packet radio
Packet radio
Packet radio is a form of packet switching technology used to transmit digital data via radio or wireless communications links. It uses the same concepts of data transmission via Datagram that are fundamental to communications via the Internet, as opposed to the older techniques used by dedicated...
, but now also using the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. It is used throughout the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to pass the details of stranded motorists between all the major UK motoring organisations and their 500 plus Vehicle Recovery
Vehicle recovery
Vehicle recovery is the recovery of any vehicle to another place, generally speaking with a commercial vehicle known as a recovery vehicle, tow truck or spectacle lift....
agents. In many cases it is also used by the Vehicle Recovery agent, to pass the details to the attending recovery vehicle.
History
Brooklands Museum
Brooklands Museum is an independent charitable trust, established in 1987, whose aim is to conserve, protect and interpret the unique heritage of the Brooklands site. It is located south of Weybridge, Surrey and was first opened regularly in 1991 on of the original 1907 motor-racing circuit...
. Brooklands Museum was chosen as the venue because the meeting's chairman Andy Lambert
Andy Lambert
Andy Lambert is well known in the vehicle recovery industry having been managing director of both The National Rescue Group and Motor Trade Software...
was involved with the museum, having transported the vast majority of the exhibits there and could therefore show people items they would not normally get to see. He clearly hoped that this would be enough incentive to get ‘the clubs’ to sit-down in the same room together. It soon emerged that it was a shared dream of all those present, that ‘common standards’ for all aspects of vehicle recovery
Vehicle recovery
Vehicle recovery is the recovery of any vehicle to another place, generally speaking with a commercial vehicle known as a recovery vehicle, tow truck or spectacle lift....
, could be introduced to the industry. Amongst other things, this group laid the foundations of Turbo Dispatch project.
Because of the reliability of delivery needed it was decide that Mobitex
Mobitex
Mobitex is an OSI based open standard, national public access wireless packet-switched data network. Mobitex puts great emphasis on safety and reliability with its use by military, police, firefighters and ambulance services. Mobitex was developed in the beginning of the 1980s by the Swedish...
should be used. In the UK kingdom there was only one provider of Mobitex, this is today a subsidiary of BT (British Telecom) called Transcomm, but at the start of the project it was called RAM Data. This is why many users still refer to RAMing jobs. Motor Trade Software's (MTS) Ian Lane designed and wrote the protocols along with the gateway software. Much pioneering work was carried out during early 1995. In the autumn of 1995 Green Flag and Delta Rescue were the first Motoring Organisations to start experimenting with Transmissions to the Garages, with the first genuine Job being sent to Southbank Garage at the end of the year.
The point where most Recovery Operators learned about Turbo Dispatch, was during AVRO EX 1996. Despite it being Green Flag
Green Flag
Green Flag is a roadside rescue company based in the UK. It was formed in 1971 as the National Breakdown Recovery Club and operated under this name under the ownership of National Car Parks until 1994, when it was renamed Green Flag as a symbolic brand name...
s 25th Anniversary, the Motoring Organisation set up a mini ‘Control Room’ at the show and let people see for the first time, just how well the system worked. By the end of that year the Automobile Association
The Automobile Association
The Automobile Association , a British motoring association founded in 1905 was demutualised in 1999 to become a private limited company which currently provides car insurance, driving lessons, breakdown cover, loans and motoring advice, and other services...
had set up a trial in London, sending jobs to selected Recovery Operators.
Towards the end of 1997, the AA's Evan Anderson became greatly involved in promoting the concept of Turbo Dispatch within the AA. This was undoubtedly the turning point, because Evan seemed to accept that although MTS and RAM did have a monopoly, it was not an intentional one. Anyone else could develop a system, but quite simply nobody else had successfully done so.
In the following year, the RAC
RAC plc
RAC Limited is a breakdown company in the United Kingdom supplying products and services for motorists. Initially formed as the "Associate Section" of the Royal Automobile Club, it was incorporated as R.A.C. Motoring Services Ltd. in 1978. It was then sold by the members of the Royal Automobile...
went live and by the end of the year, all the ‘major players’ in the industry had adopted Turbo Dispatch. By the year 2005 it is estimated that around 92% of the 4 million ‘garaged’ breakdowns a year, are sent to Recovery Operators using Turbo Dispatch.
The system is clearly popular with the Motoring Organisations, because of the saving in job dispatcher talking on the telephone, to the Recovery Operators. What surprised a lot of people was how popular it was with the operators as well, mainly for the same reasons. A busy control does not want to take job details over the telephone, at least not when he can have it appear on his computer screen. Because he could then use the same system to dispatch the job to his driver, it meant the whole process can be handled in seconds.
Technical review
The following notes describe the method of automatically transferring job details from a motoring organisation (or club’s) computer into their Recovery Operators computer using the Mobitex data network. Since each of the Motoring Organisations is likely to have its own unique computer system and working practices, it is not practical to attempt to define how automatic job transfer would be best achieved for them. Consequently only a typical Recovery Operator’s computer installation is defined below.Typically, the Recovery Operator job logging and invoicing system is based around an IBM PC compatible. This will be connected to the Mobitex data network by a Masc. Radio Modem (sometimes called a Mobidem) using one of the PC's RS232C communication ports. Job transmission will entail the Motoring Organisations computer using the Recovery Operator unique Mobidem number to call his computer.
Once a connection has been made the job details are transmitted in the data format defined in the Turbo Dispatch Format Manual, and the call terminated. A dedicated communications computer will usually be employed to constantly monitor the Radio Modem via the RS232 port. This will operate a program TD.EXE, running under Windows 98 or later. Data received from the Radio Modem will be transferred to an incoming message queue on the other computer, for subsequent automatic processing by the main job taking software (a maximum of 5 seconds delay). An audible sound will also be generated by the communications computer.
Immediately the job details are received by the Recovery Operator’s communications computer, it will transmit an automatic acknowledgement to the origin of the job message and place the job details in a queue awaiting manual acceptance by the Recovery Operator’s controller. Job Dispatch will be completed by the Recovery Operator’s controller, either by accepting, or rejecting the job and the corresponding transaction being dispatched to the Motoring Organisation.
The Turbo Dispatch application was initially restricted to employing the MASC protocol of the Transcomm Mobile Data Network. This Protocol was adopted because it eliminates the complexity of retries which would result from employing a session based protocol on the radio modems e.g. Hayes or X28
Control
The picture on the right was taken in 2006 at a meeting in BT Transcomm's Heathrow headquarters. All major Motoring Organisations send representatives and number of selected Recover Operators also attend. All changes and additions to the standard are discussed and have to be agreed by those present at the meeting. As there is little commercial advantage to any organisation (an improvement for one will normally also benefit the others), there is usually a large amount of agreement. Copies of the standard are available from MTT or public domain sources.
In 2010 BT Transcomm announced the closure of the Mobitex Network in the UK.