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Self-hosting & operations
OwnTracks / GPS source setup
Connect a driver's phone as a GPS source via OwnTracks: what to install, how the connection is configured, and how tracks reach Wintertrace.
Wintertrace does not ship its own tracking client. GPS tracks are collected through the free, open-source app OwnTracks (iOS and Android). The app runs in the background on the driver’s smartphone and sends location data directly to your own Wintertrace installation — not to any third-party service. This page describes the technical connection; the feature from a user’s perspective is covered on GPS tracking.
The HTTP endpoint
Location data arrives over a lightweight HTTP interface:
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Endpoint | POST /api/owntracks |
| Authentication | HTTP Basic Auth with driver-specific credentials |
| Data format | JSON per the OwnTracks specification |
| Response | 200 OK on successful processing |
Because data goes directly from the driver’s phone to your server, your installation should be reachable over HTTPS — location data should travel encrypted. The endpoint is part of the standard application and is available as soon as the document root points correctly to public/ (see Installation).
Credentials and provisioning
You do not need to configure OwnTracks manually. The flow is deliberately short enough that a driver with no technical background can be set up and ready to go:
- Create a driver in the admin area. Wintertrace automatically generates OwnTracks credentials for GPS tracking.
- On the driver detail page, display these credentials as a QR code.
- The driver scans the QR code with the OwnTracks app — the connection is established.
Credentials are driver-specific, so every track is unambiguously linked to one driver. They can be rotated at any time — for example if a device is lost or a driver leaves. After rotation, the driver scans the new QR code once.
Assigning vehicles
Vehicles are managed centrally with a name, registration plate, and an optional OwnTracks device identifier. You can assign a default vehicle to a driver that is pre-selected when a service job starts — which saves a step during an early-morning run.
When a driver leaves
When a driver’s account is anonymised, their OwnTracks credentials are irreversibly replaced with placeholder values. Service records remain fully intact but can no longer be linked to a real person. Data handling in that scenario is described in detail under Data ownership, export & server migration.