A web-based UCU fleet management system: a case study of Uganda Christian University
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Date
2026-04-26
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Uganda Christian University
Abstract
Transportation services are a critical component of institutional operations in universities, supporting academic fieldwork, administrative functions, and logistical coordination across departments. Uganda Christian University currently relies on a partially manual fleet management process where vehicle requests are submitted through paper forms, approvals are handled manually, and vehicle dispatch coordination is conducted through the Facilities and Capital Projects Office. This process often leads to delays in approvals, lack of transparency in vehicle availability, and increased administrative workload. This project presents the design and implementation of a Digital Fleet Management System aimed at improving efficiency in vehicle booking, approval workflows, driver assignment, and fleet monitoring at Uganda Christian University. The system is implemented as a web-based application using a modern technology stack consisting of React for the frontend interface, Node.js with Express for the backend services, and MySQL as the relational database management system. Security mechanisms including JSON Web Token (JWT) authentication and encrypt password hashing were implemented to ensure secure system access and role-based authorization.
The system introduces multiple user roles including administrators, drivers, and requesters, each interacting with the system through role-specific dashboards. Core functionalities include vehicle browsing, transport request submission, automated vehicle availability checks, prevention of double bookings, trip assignment, and system activity logging. The system integrates frontend, backend, and database components to create a unified digital workflow that replaces manual paper- based transport request procedures. Implementation results demonstrate that the proposed system significantly improves operational
efficiency by centralizing fleet information, automating approval workflows, and providing real- time visibility of vehicle usage. The system also lays the foundation for future enhancements such as mobile application support, GPS vehicle tracking, and cloud deployment.
Description
Undergraduate