Every job recorded.
Every claim, defensible.
PTO switch monitoring, in-cab cameras, timestamped GPS evidence, and a live-data API that plugs straight into your dispatch system — built for tow operators, recovery agents, and private security response fleets across South Africa.
The Challenge
Tow, Recovery & Security Fleets Face Unique Pressures
Disputed claims, unverified PTO use, slow dispatch, and the very real risk of a winch operator getting hijacked while loading a recovery — together they erode margin in a liability-heavy, after-hours industry.
Disputes & Liability
Without verifiable proof of when a vehicle was recovered, where the PTO was activated, and how long the job took, operators are wide open to fraudulent claims and insurer SLA disputes.
Slow Dispatch
Not knowing which truck is closest or which is sitting idle means controllers route the wrong unit, clients wait, and an insurer SLA gets blown — by minutes that show up on next month's penalty report.
Unverified PTO Use
Winches and hydraulics are expensive to maintain. Without timestamped activation logs, you can't prove the PTO was used on a specific job, schedule servicing by hours, or catch off-book usage.
Loading & Hijack Risk
Recovery and security crews work alone, often after dark, often in high-risk areas. Without rear-loading and in-cab cameras, a hijacking or staged accident leaves you with no footage and no defence.
Our Solution
PTO, Dispatch & Cameras — Working Together
From the moment a controller dispatches a unit to the moment it returns to depot — every PTO activation, every camera event, every GPS position timestamped and recoverable.
PTO Switch Monitoring
- Timestamped on/off events with GPS coordinates
- Duration logged per activation, per shift, per driver
- Alert if the PTO is used outside an approved geofence
- Heavy-duty industrial magnetic switch — vibration rated
Live-Data API for Dispatch Systems
- REST API for GPS, PTO, and event data
- Live RabbitMQ stream for sub-second telemetry
- Plugs into specialised tow / recovery dispatch software
- Designed for the white-label dispatch platforms operators already run
In-Cab + Rear-Loading Cameras
- AI dashcam — driver fatigue, road events, FCW
- Rear-loading camera — winch in action, hijack evidence
- Cabin-facing lens for lone-operator safety
- Footage cross-referenced with PTO events on a single timeline
Insurance-Grade Job Evidence
- GPS track: dispatch → scene → drop-off → depot
- Route replay with PTO timestamps overlaid
- On-demand export pack (PDF + footage clips) per job
- Insurer SLA reporting straight from the dispatch console
PTO Event Report
Live DataEvery PTO activation,
timestamped & mapped.
Real PTO event report from an ACM-tracked recovery fleet operating across the Johannesburg metro. Each row is a winch or boom activation — vehicle, driver, exact timestamp, and a clustered map view of where every event happened.
Live snapshot from a real ACM Destiny deployment. Driver names and vehicle registrations have been anonymised. Customer reference available on request.
Hardware
The Recovery-Truck Stack
One tracker, one PTO sensor kit, two cameras — fitted by an ACM technician and feeding the same job timeline.
Telematics
ACM Light Tracker
Hardwired · 4G · IP67
Concealed install behind the dash. Live GPS, geofencing, trip history, and the digital inputs that the PTO sensor kit hooks into.
- 4 digital + 2 analogue inputs
- 2.5 m GNSS accuracy
- 170 mAh internal backup
PTO Detection
ACM PTO Sensor Kit
Industrial magnetic switch · Vibration-rated
A heavy-duty industrial magnetic switch wired to a digital input on the tracker. Detects movement of the winch or boom and logs the activation event with a timestamp and GPS position.
- Industrial-grade magnetic contact
- Vibration & weather resistant
- Fitted by ACM technician
In-Cab Camera
ACM AI Dashcam
Forward road · Driver-facing
Dual-lens AI cam. Forward lens captures the road and any incident the driver gets pulled into. Cabin lens watches for fatigue, phone use, and lone-operator safety on after-hours jobs.
- DMS + ADAS event detection
- 4G + GPS + WiFi connected
- On-demand HD streaming
Loading Camera
ACM Rear Cam
Weatherproof · Looking back
Mounted on the back of the truck or trailer body, looking back over the loading deck. Records the winch in action, any vehicle being loaded, and anyone approaching the operator from behind.
- Hijack & staged-incident evidence
- IR night vision
- Pairs with cabin MDVR
Tow Truck Pricing
Three building blocks — pick what you need, scale per truck
Telematics
ACM Advance
/vehicle/month · tracker + ACM Destiny
- Live GPS tracking on ACM Destiny
- Trip history & route replay
- Geofencing & alerts
- Driver behaviour scoring
- Mobile app access
- Live-data API access (for dispatch)
Cameras
ACM Camera Solution
/vehicle/month · AI dashcam + video platform
- AI dashcam (forward + cabin lens)
- Driver fatigue & phone-use alerts
- Forward-collision & lane-departure
- On-demand HD video streaming
- Cloud-stored event footage
- Optional rear-loading camera (+ MDVR)
PTO Detection
ACM PTO Sensor Kit
per sensor · no monthly add-on
- Industrial magnetic switch & wiring
- Timestamped PTO event logging
- Route replay with PTO overlay
- Insurance-grade evidence export
- Vibration & weather resistant housing
- Fitted by ACM technician
Dispatch-system integrations & extras— REST API access, live RabbitMQ telemetry stream, white-label dispatch console pairing, additional sensors, and 24/7 bureau service — are scoped and quoted separately based on fleet size and the dispatch software you're already running.
* Pricing excludes VAT. Installation by qualified ACM technician. Volume discounts for fleets over 10 units.
Case Study
RepresentativeA single route-replay export resolved a disputed insurance job — and shaved nearly six minutes off average dispatch response.
A Gauteng-based tow and recovery operator running multiple insurer SLAs was carrying the typical pain of the trade: disputed claims with no verifiable PTO timestamps, dispatchers guessing at which truck was closest, and equipment servicing tied to calendar dates rather than actual usage hours. After fitment, route replay with PTO overlay became the default evidence pack for any disputed job.
Average dispatch response improved from ~14 to ~8 minutes once controllers had real-time nearest-truck visibility
PTO log data used to schedule hydraulic servicing by hours rather than calendar weeks — preventing roadside failures
Disputed insurance jobs resolved within 24 hours using route-replay exports with PTO and GPS evidence
* Representative scenario based on typical SA tow & recovery deployments and industry-benchmark outcomes. Actual results vary by fleet size, route profile, and insurer SLA structure. Named customer references available on request.
Ready to Prove Every Job?
Our technicians fit the tracker, the industrial PTO switch, and the cameras — and we hand you the API to plug straight into the dispatch system you already run.