Electronic vehicle pager for Thamesport

The pagers replace the swipe card system that was in place and mean that hauliers no longer have to consult a display board in the lorry park for their booking slot.

Under the new system, hauliers are issued with an electronic pager on arrival at the port. Each pager is fitted with a tag identifier which is programmed with the relevant booking details (import/export container number) and vehicle registration, and is unique to the haulier.

Vehicles wait in a designated parking area until they are called to proceed to the gatehouse by the pager, which vibrates and makes a “beeping” sound when activated. The pager links into the port’s host computer system, which determines the time slot for each haulier.

At the gatehouse, the haulier is required to hold the pager up to a tag reader situated next to the cab window, and the port’s security officer confirms the booking details to the host computer. A printout is produced, which allocates the haulier a collection/dropoff location within the port.

When the haulier takes the printout, the barrier is raised and the vehicle can proceed into the port.

To exit the Port, the haulier reports to the outgate and drops his pager into a collection chute. A tag reader confirms that the pager has been returned, and the exit barrier is then raised.