What is AIS-140? GPS tracking rules for commercial vehicles in India
Quick answer: AIS-140 is the Indian standard for vehicle location tracking devices with emergency buttons in public-service and commercial vehicles. Your device reports to the state VLTS; Apna Tracker can be added as a second server.
Key takeaways
- AIS-140 is an Automotive Industry Standard for vehicle location tracking devices (VLTD) and emergency buttons in public-service vehicles in India.
- An AIS-140 device reports to the state’s vehicle tracking system (VLTS); requirements and deadlines differ by state, so confirm with your RTO.
- The same device can also send data to a second server such as Apna Tracker, giving you a full fleet dashboard without touching government reporting.
AIS-140 in one paragraph
AIS-140 is an Automotive Industry Standard that defines vehicle location tracking devices (VLTD) and emergency (panic) buttons for public-service vehicles in India. Under rules from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), such vehicles are fitted with an approved VLTD that sends location and emergency alerts to the state’s vehicle tracking system (VLTS).
Which vehicles need it?
It applies to public-service and commercial passenger vehicles such as buses, school buses, taxis and cabs, and many states extend it to goods vehicles through permit and fitness rules. Requirements and deadlines differ by state, so always confirm with your RTO or state transport department.
What does an AIS-140 device do?
- Reports GPS location at fixed intervals to the state VLTS backend.
- Sends an emergency alert when a panic button is pressed.
- Uses mobile networks to send data, and stores positions when the network is weak.
- Can send the same data to a second server, such as Apna Tracker.
Government VLTS vs Apna Tracker
| State VLTS (primary) | Apna Tracker (secondary) | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Compliance and emergency response | Running your fleet day to day |
| Who uses it | Transport department, control room | Owner, managers, supervisors |
| Features | Location, panic alerts | Live map, trips, stoppages, daily km, overspeed, geofences, fuel, reports |
| Changes needed | None | Second server added on the same device |
How to set it up with Apna Tracker
- Share your device make and model (for example iTriangle Bharat 101) with us.
- We add Apna Tracker as the secondary server — the primary VLTS link is not touched.
- Log in to the Apna Tracker app or app.apnatrack.in and see your vehicles live.
Sources
- Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)
- Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) — publisher of Automotive Industry Standards
Need help? Talk to Apna Tracker
Our team in Bikaner answers in Hindi or English, and can install or set up devices for you anywhere in India.