Restricted Data Mode

Restricted Data Mode allows you to prevent MyGeotab from storing GPS coordinates and/or GPS speed for vehicles under certain circumstances.

When Restricted Data Mode is enabled, location features that use GPS, such as position, trips, speed profiles, and GPS-based events, are not available in MyGeotab because the data points required for these features are not stored and made available in the database.

Note:

Data collected during time periods when Restricted Data Mode is enabled is stored for 60 days on the Gateway servers and then deleted. It is only accessible to Geotab engineers with the appropriate credentials.

Features that do not use GPS and GPS speed (if applied) will continue to be displayed in MyGeotab and available without interruption. Since GPS data is not accessible in Restricted Data Mode, other features such as reports or Add-Ins will function differently when the feature is enabled.

Restricted Data Mode is intended for customer use cases such as:

  • Personal driving in company vehicles — Cases in which drivers are allowed to drive company vehicles off hours for their personal use.

  • Contractors with personal vehicles — Cases in which contractors drive their personal vehicles for business use for certain time periods of the day, but do not want their personal activity tracked after hours.

  • Leasing — Leasing companies that do not need to see where the vehicles are, but want maintenance data to automate how they maintain their vehicles. Data is shared with the customer database, where they have full access to the GPS data

  • Law enforcement — Cases in which law enforcement vehicles need to be untracked for certain periods due to the nature of their work.

Restricted Data Mode should not be used in conjunction with compliance features, such as Hours of Service (HOS) or International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) reporting.

In cases where a need arises for data collected during time periods when the asset was in Restricted Data Mode, such as an accident or vehicle theft, the Geotab Support team can extract restricted data from the GO device or Gateway. In these cases, the fleet manager must log a support ticket and demonstrate that they have a legal basis for retrieving the data. Geotab may also request additional documentation from the fleet owner to properly evaluate the request.

There are three ways to enable Restricted Data Mode:

  • Rules: Set conditions to automatically turn Restricted Data Mode on and off, e.g. after work hours rule.

  • Manual: Fleet operators can manually toggle Restricted Data Mode on or off while using MyGeotab.

  • Drive App Add-In: A driver who is assigned to the vehicle can place the vehicle in or out of Restricted Data Mode using the Restricted Data Mode Add-In.

Note:

Restricted Data Mode is incompatible with Data Sharing. If you are using data sharing in your database, the data points that are unavailable in the primary database while an asset is in Restricted Data Mode will still be available in the target database. Restricted Data Mode only applies to the database to the asset's primary database where the feature was applied, and does not take effect in shared database environments.

Enabling Restricted Data Mode for a database

Learn how to enable Restricted Data Mode for your database to make it available to your users.

Before you can configure Restricted Data Mode using rules or allow users to enable it via the Drive app, an Administrator must enable the functionality for your database.
  1. Click the Profile icon in the top toolbar and select System Settings.
  2. Select the Assets tab.
  3. Click Yes to enable the Restricted Data Mode toggle. If you want GPS speed to be restricted alongside GPS coordinates, click Yes to enable the Include GPS speed in the restricted data toggle.
  4. Click Save.
Your changes will take effect immediately.

Enabling Restricted Data Mode manually

Learn how to manually enable Restricted Data Mode for an asset on the Asset Details page.

  1. Navigate to the Assets page in the main menu.
  2. Select the desired vehicle from the list.
  3. On the Asset Details page, click the toggle beneath the minimap to put the vehicle into Restricted Data Mode.
  4. If you want your asset to be removed from Restricted Data Mode when it meets the conditions for your rules, check the Rules can turn off Restricted Data Mode off checkbox.
    Note:

    If you leave the checkbox unchecked, your asset will remain in Restricted Data Mode until you manually disable it using the toggle.

  5. Click Save.
Putting an asset into Restricted Data Mode takes effect immediately.

Assets in Restricted Data Mode

Assets with Restricted Data Mode enabled appear differently on the Trips History page and on the Map.

When Restricted Data Mode is enabled or disabled, the Trips History page displays an entry to indicate that the feature has been turned on or off. This prevents the trip history log from displaying gaps when Restricted Data Mode is enabled.

The Trips History page showing entries for an asset entering and exiting Restricted Data Mode.

Similarly, when Restricted Data Mode is enabled, the asset panel on the Map page indicates that the location, status, and speed of the asset is restricted. It also displays the date and time at which the mode was enabled.

If a user searches on the Map page for an asset that is currently in Restricted Data Mode, the side panel will display a notification stating that the asset is in Restricted Data Mode and that its position on the map is currently unavailable.

The asset panel on the Map page showing an asset in Restricted Data Mode with its position unavailable.

Configuring Restricted Data Mode using rules

Learn how to configure Restricted Data Mode to automatically turn on and off based on conditions set in your database's rules.

  1. Navigate to Groups & Rules > Rules from the main menu.
  2. On the Rules page, click Add.
  3. Create a name for your rule.
  4. Under the Conditions tab, set your desired conditions for triggering Restricted Data Mode.
  5. Under the Notifications tab, select More and click Put asset(s) into or out of restricted data mode from the dropdown menu.
  6. Click the Add button, then click Save.

Restricted Data Mode and Work Hours rules

Work Hours rules can enable Restricted Data Mode for your assets when they stop working and disable it when they start working again.

A common use case for Restricted Data Mode is enabling the feature after work hours. This use is common when drivers are allowed to use their work vehicle for personal purposes after work hours and prevents users from needing to manually enable Restricted Data Mode at the end of every work day.

To automatically enable and disable Restricted Data Mode for specified time periods, you must create two rules: one to enable the mode at the beginning of the time period, and one to disable the mode at the end of the time period. You cannot create one rule to perform both operations.

Note:

When you need to create a rule for assets that operate on different working hour schedules, use the device-specific work hour conditions in the rule configuration:

Device work hours: Use this to trigger the rule when an event occurs during the work hours assigned to the specific asset.

After work hours device: Use this to trigger the rule when an event occurs after the work hours assigned to the specific asset.

Creating a Work Hours rule for Restricted Data Mode

Learn how to create a Work Hours rule to disable Restricted Data Mode for assets at the beginning of their working hours.

  1. Navigate to Groups & Rules > Rules from the main menu.
  2. On the Rules page, click the Add button.
  3. On the Rule Edit page, create a name for your new rule. In this example, the rule is named Work Hours.
  4. Under the Conditions tab, click the Advanced conditions editor button.
  5. Paste the following code into the Advanced Conditions Editor. This condition checks to see if the vehicle is on, and if the current time is during standard work hours (e.g. 08:00 –17:00).
    And(
 Ignition[true],
 RuleWorkHours[workHours=WorkTimeStandardHoursId],
)
  6. Under the Notifications tab, select More and click Put asset(s) into or out of Restricted Data Mode from the dropdown menu.
  7. Click Exclude, then click Add.
  8. Click Save.

Creating an After Work Hours rule for Restricted Data Mode

Learn how to create an After Work Hours rule to enable Restricted Data Mode for assets at the end of their working hours.

  1. Navigate to Groups & Rules > Rules from the main menu.
  2. On the Rules page, click the Add button.
  3. On the Rules Edit page, create a name for your new rule. In this example, the rule is named After Work Hours.
  4. Under the Conditions tab, click the Advanced conditions editor button.
  5. Paste the following code into the Advanced Conditions Editor. This condition checks to see if the vehicle is on, and if the current time is after standard work hours (e.g. 08:00 –17:00).
    And(
 Ignition[true],
 AfterRuleWorkHours[workHours=WorkTimeStandardHoursId],
)
  6. Under the Notifications tab, select More and click Put asset(s) into or out of Restricted Data Mode from the dropdown menu.
  7. Click Include, then click Add.
  8. Click Save.

Restricted Data Mode and zone rules

You can create rules to enable Restricted Data Mode for your assets inside specified zones, such as a driver’s Home zone.

Creating rules to enable Restricted Data Mode inside designated zones prevents users from needing to enable and disable the mode every time they enter or leave a private zone, and reduces missing data from drivers forgetting to disable the mode.

Note:

To automatically enable and disable Restricted Data Mode for entering and exiting zones, you must create two rules: one to enable the mode when an asset enters the zone, and one to disable the mode when the asset exits the zone. You cannot create one rule to perform both operations.

Creating a zones rule to enable Restricted Data Mode

Learn how to create a rule to enable Restricted Data Mode when an asset enters a specified zone.

  1. Navigate to Groups & Rules > Rules from the main menu.
  2. On the Rules page, click Add.
  3. On the Rule Edit page, name the new rule.
  4. Under the Conditions tab, click Zone or Zone type.
  5. Under , click select the desired zone from the dropdown menu in the Zone field.
  6. Click Inside to define the Event, then click Add. The Conditions editor will update to display the selected event and zone.
  7. Under the Notifications tab, select More and click Put asset in or out of restricted data mode from the dropdown menu.
  8. Click Include, then click Add.
  9. Click Save.

Creating a zones rule to disable Restricted Data Mode

Learn how to create a rule to disable Restricted Data Mode when an asset exits a specified zone.

  1. Navigate to Groups & Rules > Rules from the main menu.
  2. On the Rules page, click Add.
  3. On the Rule Edit page, name the new rule.
  4. Under the Conditions tab, click Zone or Zone type.
  5. Under , click select the desired zone from the dropdown menu in the Zone field.
  6. Click Outside to define the Event, then click Add. The Conditions editor will update to display the selected event and zone.
  7. Under the Notifications tab, select More and click Put asset in or out of restricted data mode from the dropdown menu.
  8. Click Exclude, then click Add.
  9. Click Save.

Trips and GPS speed in Restricted Data Mode

When GPS speed is disabled in your Restricted Data Mode settings, trips are calculated using Ignition data instead of GPS.

When you enable the Delete GPS-based speed records in the restricted data toggle in System Settings, GPS speed data is not stored for assets in Restricted Data Mode. This affects how trips are calculated:

  • GPS speed enabled — Trips are created using both GPS coordinates and GPS speed data.

  • GPS speed disabled — Trips are created using Ignition data only (engine on/off events). GPS-based distance and speed calculations are not available for these trips.

Note:

Enable the GPS speed toggle only if your use case requires complete removal of speed data. If GPS-based distance reporting is important for your fleet, keep the GPS speed toggle disabled.

GPS speed profiles and Restricted Data Mode

When Restricted Data Mode is enabled, GPS speed profiles are unavailable, but engine speed profiles remain accessible.

MyGeotab supports two types of speed profiles: GPS and engine.

  • GPS speed profile — Unavailable for time periods when Restricted Data Mode is enabled, because GPS data is not stored during those periods.

  • Engine speed profile — Remains available even when Restricted Data Mode is enabled. Engine speed data does not rely on GPS coordinates and remains recorded and displayed.

Note:

If GPS speed is disabled in your database's Restricted Data Mode settings, trips are created using Ignition data only rather than GPS-based distance calculations.

Restricted Data Mode and collision rules

Major and Minor Collision rules are incompatible with Restricted Data Mode.

When Restricted Data Mode is enabled for an asset, GPS data is blocked. Because the Major and Minor Collision rules rely on GPS data to detect and report collision events, these rules do not function while Restricted Data Mode is active.

Collisions that occur during a period when Restricted Data Mode is enabled will not be detected or reported in MyGeotab.

Note:

If your database uses Major or Minor Collision rules, consider the impact of enabling Restricted Data Mode on your fleet's safety monitoring before applying it.

Restricted Data Mode and the Drive App

The Restricted Data Mode Add-In can be installed from the Marketplace to allow drivers to enable or disable Restricted Data Mode from the Drive App.

Installing the Restricted Data Mode Add-In

  1. Navigate to the Marketplace from the main menu.
  2. Use the Search bar to search for Restricted Data Mode.
  3. On the Marketplace Restricted Data Mode Add-In page, press Install Now and follow the on-screen instructions.

Once installed, the Add-In appears in the Drive App for assigned drivers.

Minimum security clearances

Access to the Restricted Data Mode Add-In is controlled by security clearances. Drivers must have the Administer Restricted Data Mode Status clearance before they can use the Add-In.

Note:

This clearance is currently only available via the API. Contact your reseller or Geotab support for assistance.

To add the clearance to a Drive App user security group:

  1. Navigate to Administration > Users from the main menu.
  2. Click Clearances and select Drive App user.
  3. On the Security Clearance Edit page, click Add sub-clearance.
  4. Name the new sub-clearance, then search for and select Administer Restricted Data Mode Status.
  5. Click Save.

Enabling Restricted Data Mode using the Drive App Add-In

  1. Log in to the Drive App.
  2. From the Dashboard, tap Restricted Data Mode.
  3. On the Restricted Data Mode Setting screen, tap Restricted Data Mode. The Current Status updates to Restricted Data Mode.
Note:

Users can verify Restricted Data Mode status by navigating to the Asset Edit page in MyGeotab.

Auditing Restricted Data Mode

Restricted Data Mode status changes are recorded in the Audit Log as Add device data privacy change events.

Every time Restricted Data Mode is enabled or disabled for an asset — whether by a rule, manually, or via the Drive App Add-In — the change is recorded in the MyGeotab Audit Log.

To view Restricted Data Mode status changes in the Audit Log:

  1. Click the Profile icon in the top toolbar.
  2. Select Audit Log.
  3. Filter or search for Add device data privacy change events to see a history of Restricted Data Mode status changes.

Each log entry records the asset, the user or rule that triggered the change, and the timestamp of the event.