# Choosing a tracking mix per site

> How to combine staff phones, site gateways, vehicle gateways and live trackers on a site, starting with phones and adding hardware where it pays off.

Last updated: 2026-11-02

Start every site with tags and staff phones, then add fixed hardware only where a zone must update on its own or where nobody walks. Most fleets mix all four methods over time: phones for the yard, site gateways at the gate and wash bay, vehicle gateways on trucks, and live trackers on units that travel alone.

## How do the four methods compare?

| | Staff phones | Site gateway | Vehicle gateway | Live tracker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hears tags | When someone walks past | All the time, at one spot | While the vehicle drives | All the time, near the unit |
| Position | Zone on your site | The zone it watches | With the vehicle | GPS over 4G, anywhere |
| Fixed hardware | None | Yes, needs power | Yes, wired to the vehicle | Yes, on the unit |
| Best for | The whole yard | Stages and handover points | Attachments that ride along | Units that go out alone |

## What questions decide the mix?

1. **Do people walk most of the site every day?** Then phones cover it. If not, add site gateways in the quiet areas.
2. **Should a stage log itself?** Put a site gateway at the gate, wash bay or workshop.
3. **Do attachments travel on your trucks?** Fit vehicle gateways on those trucks.
4. **Do units go to a site on their own?** Fit them with live trackers.
5. **Do you already own BLE tags?** Keep them. See [Bring your own hardware](/hardware/buy-lease-or-bring-your-own/).

## Can I change the mix later?

Yes. Every listener reports to the same inventory, so adding a gateway or a tracker changes nothing for the team. The asset shows up in the same zones, with more sightings.