Accredited Telematics Providers Association

Accredited Telematics Providers Association (ATPA) is an independent association established to promote the integrity of vehicle tracking system providers in support of end users.

Accredited Telematics Providers Association is an association with 4 missions:
     1. To provide a distinction between Tier-1 service providers and telemarketer/google-ad-word/ reseller type companies;
     2. To provide users with a mechanism to verify and maintain peak performance of providers;
     3. To provide members with resources and benefits to improve their business success;
     4. To promote telematics as a tool to maximize fleet management performance.


Background
The Telematics industry (GPS), in 2011, is in a similar state as the 'mobile pager' and long distance telephone services industries were in the early 1990's (a store in every strip mall, a phone call or email from somebody different every day). The phenomena was possible due to the easy point of entry for new providers, which only needed a business entity, available credit, and a call list to market the service. As technology changed the pager and long distance markets worked its way to silent death.

Today, anybody can be a GPS provider, in an instant. Established providers gladly re-sell their service by building 'branding' into their software and providing turn-key support: hardware, software, support and billing. The only challenge for a new business owner is finding a customer.

Buyers could not differentiate between a re-seller and the provider. There are "top 10 lists" for to ask a potential provider, but there has been no way for users to verify answers.

Recognizing the lack of leadership, the onslaught of providers and confusing information, ATPA was founded to provide a central, accurate focal point for the industry.


Accreditation
Accredited Telematics Providers Association (ATPA) has established criteria to clearly separate the companies who "have what it takes" from those who are "jumping into the game to make a quick buck."

ATPA thoroughly vets providers prior to granting them accreditation. There is not a limit to how many companies may be accredited, but they each must meet the same strict criteria. ATPA provides a quality control mechanism for the buyer, much more powerful than the Better Business Bureau, because complaints will be investigated on behalf of the user. A provider's accreditation is subject to revocation for failure to perform.

Buyers can now simply ask: Are you accredited through ATPA?

Providers can simply state: Ensure that your provider is accredited through TPA.