Technology

Geofencing

Definition

A virtual perimeter for a real-world geographic area. In NEMT software, it is a radius (e.g., 500 feet) drawn around a pickup or drop-off address.

Overview

Automation. When a driver enters the "Geofence," the software can automatically mark the status as "Arrived," proving the driver was on site.

The GPS coordinates of the vehicle are compared against the coordinates of the geofence. If they match, a trigger fires.

Geofence is a circle around a point (The Destination). Route is the line between points.

What are common pitfalls with Geofencing?

Radius too small: Setting the fence at 50 feet, but the driver parks 100 feet away at a large hospital entrance, so the "Arrive" timestamp doesn't capture.
Drift: GPS drift in cities causing false arrivals/departures.

What are the best practices for Geofencing?

Set Geofences to roughly 0.1 miles (approx 500ft) for large facilities.
Use geofencing alerts to notify the member: "Your driver is entering your neighborhood."

Verizon Connect - Geofencing Explained