Geotab wins approval for Smart OBM integration in Australia

Geotab has received TCA approval for its Smart On-Board Mass integration with Airtec in Australia, extending its heavy vehicle compliance offering for operators using regulated access schemes.

The approval allows heavy haulage fleets to use Geotab's telematics system and Airtec's certified Smart OBM system on a single platform. Operators can use the combined system for Telematics Monitoring Application schemes that require Smart OBM, as well as TMA schemes without Smart OBM and Road Infrastructure Management schemes.

This fills a gap in Geotab's Australian product set. Heavy vehicle fleets using Geotab telematics that also needed Smart OBM to access some networks previously had to add a separate supplier to meet those requirements.

Under the approved pairing, Geotab's GO9-LTM device in hardware variants D, E and F is combined with Airtec's AXS Series Smart OBM system. Smart OBM systems use sensors to measure axle group and gross mass and send that information through approved compliance channels.

For fleet operators, the practical issue is road access as much as compliance. Some heavy vehicle access schemes require Smart OBM for vehicles seeking entry to restricted routes, including parts of the Higher Mass Limits and Performance Based Standards networks.

The combined system also gives operators a single place to manage vehicle telematics and certified mass information, reducing the need for separate systems across dispatch, compliance and safety functions.

Compliance gap

Australia's heavy vehicle rules place particular weight on monitored access, approved devices and auditable data. In that setting, mass monitoring is not just a loading issue, but part of broader obligations around safe operation and chain of responsibility.

The integration is intended to help operators show they are staying within legal weight limits while managing vehicle location and identity data through the same platform. Fleets can also use the information before departure to identify loading problems that could lead to overload breaches.

For road managers and regulators, Smart OBM data supports access decisions on routes that would otherwise be restricted. The system is designed with controls to detect and reduce tampering, with data made available through TCA channels.

Andrew Hintz, Associate Vice President, Heavy Transport APAC, Geotab, described the approval as a key step for the company in the local market.

"This approval completes Geotab's Australian compliance suite and removes one of the most significant barriers our heavy haulage customers have faced," said Andrew Hintz, Associate Vice President, Heavy Transport APAC, Geotab.

"Operators no longer need to compromise or manage multiple vendors to meet regulatory Smart OBM requirements. With Smart OBM now fully integrated, Geotab can provide a single source of truth for vehicle location, identity and certified mass data, delivering regulatory confidence, operational efficiency and real productivity gains."

Partner role

Airtec supplies the Smart OBM side of the approved pairing through its AXS Series system. The integration is aimed at giving fleets real-time access to mass data while avoiding extra complexity in the compliance process.

"Airtec's Smart OBM technology has been designed to deliver accurate, reliable and regulator-ready mass data in real time," said Jacinta Lane, General Manager, Airtec.

"By pairing with Geotab, we're enabling fleets to simplify compliance, prevent overloading and unlock road access without added complexity. This collaboration sets a new benchmark for how Smart OBM should work in practice."

The approval also strengthens Geotab's position in a segment where operators often need support beyond vehicle tracking alone. Heavy haulage fleets working under access schemes must manage audits, records and responses to regulator requests alongside telematics data.

Geotab also works with compliance service partners including Prodrive Compliance on tasks such as NHVR audit preparation, driver work diary reviews and assistance with Notice to Produce requests.

The company serves about 100,000 customers globally and processes 100 billion data points a day from more than 5 million vehicle subscriptions.