diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 5b12735f..d2ebaede 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ FROM pelias/libpostal_baseimage
 LABEL maintainer="pelias@mapzen.com"
 
 EXPOSE 3100
-EXPOSE 3150
 
 # Where the app is built and run inside the docker fs
 ENV WORK=/opt/pelias
@@ -13,27 +12,31 @@ ENV WORK=/opt/pelias
 # Used indirectly for saving npm logs etc.
 ENV HOME=/opt/pelias
 
-# Update git submodules
-RUN git submodule update --init --recursive --remote
+#Set geotrans IP
+ENV GEOTRANS_IP=10.0.2.62
 
 WORKDIR ${WORK}
 COPY . ${WORK}
 
+# install required utilities
+RUN apt-get update && \
+    apt-get install -y vim curl
+
+# install node 6.x
+RUN curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_8.x | bash - && \
+    apt-get install -y nodejs
+
+# move original node and symlink
+RUN mv /usr/local/bin/node /usr/local/bin/node.original
+
+RUN ln -s /usr/bin/nodejs /usr/local/bin/node
+
 
 # Build and set permissions for arbitrary non-root user
 RUN npm install && \
   npm test && \
   chmod -R a+rwX .
 
-
-
-# Compile GeoTrans
-RUN npm install --unsafe-perm geotrans-mgrs-converter
-# Install node-gyp for GeoTrans
-RUN npm install -g node-gyp
-# Configure and build NBIND for Geotrans node module
-RUN node-gyp configure build --directory=node_modules/geotrans-mgrs-converter/
-
 # Run geotrans env variable script
 #RUN . ./node_modules/geotrans-mgrs-converter/install.sh
 # Don't run as root, because there's no reason to (https://docs.docker.com/engine/articles/dockerfile_best-practices/#user).
@@ -41,3 +44,9 @@ RUN node-gyp configure build --directory=node_modules/geotrans-mgrs-converter/
 RUN chown -R 9999:9999 ${WORK}
 # USER 9999
 
+# start service
+CMD [ "npm", "start" ]
+
+
+
+
diff --git a/controller/convert.js b/controller/convert.js
index 21cd08a9..dcffd5b0 100644
--- a/controller/convert.js
+++ b/controller/convert.js
@@ -1,43 +1,37 @@
-"use strict";
-
+'use strict';
 
 const _ = require('lodash');
 const DATUM = 'WGE';
 const external = require('../service/external');
-const logger = require( 'pelias-logger' ).get( 'api' );
-
-"use strict";
-
 
 
 function converter( req, res, next) {
-  let result;
-  try{
     if(_.find(req.query, (val, key) => val === 'mgrs')){
-      //If mgrs is specified as a conversion parameter
-      //let mgrsConverter = new MGRS_converter(DATUM);
-      if(req.query.from === 'mgrs' && req.query.to === 'decdeg'){
-        logger.info("testing");
-        result = external.geotrans(req.query.q);
-        logger.info(result);
-      }
-    }
-    if(typeof result === 'string' && result.indexOf('ERROR') > -1){
-      //Relay error
-      throw result;
+        if(req.query.from === 'mgrs' && req.query.to === 'decdeg'){
+            try{
+                external.geotrans(req.query.q).then(function(gtResult){
+                    if(typeof gtResult === 'string' && gtResult.indexOf('ERROR') > -1){
+                        res.send(gtResult);
+                        throw gtResult;
+                    }
+                    else{
+                        res.send(addQueryProperties(gtResult, req.query));
+                    }
+                }).catch(function(error){
+                    res.send({'error':error});
+                });
+            }
+            catch(error){
+                res.send({'error': error});
+            }
+        }
     }
-    result.properties.from = req.query.from;
-    result.properties.to = req.query.to;
-    if(result.properties.name.toLowerCase() !== req.query.q.toLowerCase()){
-      result.properties.name = req.query.q.toUpperCase();
-    }
-  }
-  catch(error){
-    result = {"error": error};
-  }
-  finally{
-    res.send(result);
-  }
+}
+
+function addQueryProperties (geojson, query){
+    geojson.properties.from = query.from;
+    geojson.properties.to = query.to;
+    return geojson;
 }
 
 module.exports = converter;
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d32e37cc..1fde4123 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@
     "predicates": "^2.0.0",
     "retry": "^0.10.1",
     "stats-lite": "^2.0.4",
-    "through2": "^2.0.3"
+    "through2": "^2.0.3",
+    "axios": "^0.17.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "ciao": "^1.0.0",
diff --git a/service/external.js b/service/external.js
index caf1ab74..c341852f 100644
--- a/service/external.js
+++ b/service/external.js
@@ -1,18 +1,23 @@
-const request = require('request');
-const logger = require('pelias-logger').get('api');
-
 "use strict";
 
-async function geotrans(coord) { 
+const axios = require('axios');
+const geotransIP = process.env.GEOTRANS_IP;
+
+function geotrans(coord) { 
     let result;
-    request(`http://10.0.2.62:3150?datum=WGE&coord=${coord}`, function (error, response, body) {
-        logger.info(response.body);
-        result = response.body;
+    return axios.get(`http://${geotransIP}:3150`, {
+        params:{
+            'datum':'WGE',
+            'coord':coord
+        }
+    })
+    .then(function (response){
+        return response.data;
+    }).catch(function (reason){
+        return reason;
     });
-    return result;
-    
 }
-
+  
 module.exports = {
     geotrans: geotrans
 };
\ No newline at end of file