2.27.18
OnTerra Systems, Web mapping experts and a long-time Bing Maps reseller, today announced that it offers access to powerful new Bing Maps Fleet APIs (application program interfaces) with lower minimum purchase requirements of $500 a year. By offering new Bing Maps Fleet Management APIs at a more modest starting price point, OnTerra Systems makes Bing Maps’ new fleet management functionality available and financially feasible for independent software developers and small to mid-sized companies with fleets.
In December 2017, Microsoft/Bing Maps introduced four, new, premium fleet management APIs that offer unique functions not available through most other web mapping suppliers. The four new APIs include:
• Bing Maps Truck Routing API
• Bing Maps Distance Matrix API
• Bing Maps Isochrone API
• Bing Maps Snap-to-Road API
Typically, the minimum cost to access Bing Maps Fleet APIs is $5,000 per year, which can be cost-prohibitive for small to mid-sized companies and modestly sized independent software vendors who want access to this fleet management technology. As a Bing Maps reseller, OnTerra Systems is able to offer access to these new functions for minimums of just $500 a year.
“OnTerra Systems offers a lower cost per entry for these premium fleet management capabilities that software developers cannot get from large web mapping vendors directly,” said Steve Milroy, OnTerra Systems president. “As a result, software developers and small to mid-sized fleets can gain access to these powerful new fleet management & route optimization development tools from OnTerra.”
New Premium Fleet APIs from Bing Maps Offer Advanced Fleet Management & Route Optimization Functions
OnTerra Systems provides affordable access to the following new Bing Fleet Management Application Program Interfaces:
Bing Maps Truck Routing API: This new Truck Routing API is ideal for any fleet vehicle subject to some type of truck-related restrictions, including:
• Physical restrictions (vehicles that may be too wide, too high-profile, or too heavy for a given road);
• Legal restrictions (roads where trucks are restricted because of community regulations); and
• HazMat restrictions (restrictions on transporting corrosives, chemicals, or radioactive materials).
Dealing with these types of restrictions is an important part of any route planning software solution for fleets with larger vehicles or specialized loads. For any business or organization that has to deal with truck-related restrictions, this new API goes far beyond standard route planning APIs by offering information on driving restrictions that can be incorporated into a vehicle routing application. This API is unique to Bing Maps.
Bing Maps Isochrone API: This API allows software developers to create a perimeter on a web map that shows how far someone can drive in a specific amount of time aka a Drive Time Polygon. This advanced application is ideal for any business that guarantees delivery times. By using this technology, developers can add a function to the routing software that defines the perimeter of a zone that you can drive in, for example, 15 minutes or less. This allows delivery businesses to determine what deliveries they can take on, while meeting their consumer promises of delivery within a specific period of time. This is a unique function not currently available on Google Maps.
Bing Maps Snap-to-Road API: This Snap-to-Road advanced routing function involves the ability to take GPS points and correlate them to the nearest road. This allows a route planning system to accurately display the route and also correlate the speed limits on specific roads to determine if their drivers are honoring speed limits, driving too slowly, or driving too fast.
Bing Maps Distance Matrix API: A distance matrix is core functionality for route optimization for fleets. This API provides advanced routing functionality that blends two key route optimization functions: 1) Determining the shortest distance from point to point, and 2) Adding a predictive traffic component. By blending recommendations on the shortest distance, and also factoring drive times based on traffic patterns at specific times such as rush hour, this API provides a higher level of route optimization.
“OnTerra Systems’ mission is to provide cost-effective access to traditionally expensive & complicated web mapping technology,” said Mr. Milroy. “We are fulfilling our mission by offering developers of routing software affordable access to these advanced route planning APIs, starting at just $500 per year.”
