Feature Fleet management Taking control of your fleet
Many companies acknowledge that 2013 will be a year when they will need to do more with fewer resources as increasing customer expectations, an uncertain economic climate and rising fuel prices continue to pressurise the bottom line. Mark Forrest, general manager, Trimble Field Service Management (FSM) has this advice on how to take control of your fleet
F
ield service companies can’t stop using their vehicles, so maintain- ing efficient fleets is essential for any business to remain competi- tive and selecting a solution which boosts productivity whilst reducing costs ensures a business achieves a genuine Return on Investment (ROI). Trimble’s ‘Road Ahead’ study unveiled that 20 per cent of large field- based work forces in the UK are still operating fully manual systems to manage their fleets. Technology in the form of fleet management and telemat- ics technology however was recalled by 65 per cent as being a top area for investment and the area most in need of upgrading.
According to AberdeenGroup surveys, investment in such technolo- gies provides far reaching benefits including: 32 per cent improvement in fleet utilisation; 31 per cent reduction in daily mileage; 25 per cent reduction in idle times; 22 per cent reduction in fuel consumption; 21 per cent reduction in vehicle and operating costs and nine per cent improvement in workforce productivity.
The right technology for you When looking for the right fleet man- agement solution it is recommended to select a full service, end-to-end fleet management provider that will offer you an ‘a la carte’ menu of options so you can start with what you need now
and scale up later. Such a solution provides all the hardware, software and services that a business needs to:- Manage the mobile worker: Track work status, time, location, speed, fuel use and driver safety; Manage the mobile worker’s work: Automate service scheduling and dispatch; Manage the mobile worker’s assets: Keep vehicles running in good condition and maintain inventory, equipment and other field assets.
Take control of fuel efficiency Rising fuel prices are seen as the number one concern in meeting field service priorities so it is imperative that businesses improve the efficiency of their fleets by reducing operating costs tied to fuel use. Challenges include excess fuel consumption from: vehicles travelling outside of planned routes; unauthorised side trips or after hours vehicle use; speeding or excessive engine idling time; lack of proper maintenance/inefficient engine operation.
Fleet management technologies can tackle these challenges. Once deployed, the technology generates real time data of each vehicle to help fleet managers accurately ascertain where fuel is being wasted. It reports on faults and perfor- mance behind the wheel, which can help to lower vehicle idling times (by 50 to 90 per cent), curb excessive speeding and highlight those drivers
which are guilty of poor driving, so their behaviour can be addressed.
Investment in fleet management and telematics can provide far-reach- ing benefits
Take control of the vehicle Efficient management of vehicle fleets is of the utmost importance as it can have a major impact on your bottom line. By following a best practice approach, fleet managers can maximise the performance of their mobile work- force and extend vehicle life whilst, at the same time, saving on running costs. Vehicle diagnostic solutions take routine maintenance checks a step fur- ther by providing real-time data so information can be drawn directly from the vehicle, helping improve vehicle maintenance, service schedul- ing and uptime by getting fault codes and alerts about engine difficulties before they become a major problem. Taking steps to proactively service underperforming vehicles not only significantly reduces on the road risk but minimises vehicle breakdowns or unscheduled downtime which could considerably mitigate fleet costs.
Trimble Field Service
Management
trimble.com/fsm Enter 351
Real-time date capture to improve efficiency B
ooths Supermarkets’ logistics team and drivers are working closely with Isotrak to improve the efficiency of the company’s delivery fleet. Isotrak is equipping all of the retailer’s HGVs with its CANBus module that enables real-time
capture and monitoring of key performance indicators (KPI) to help the Booths’ team focus on improving MPG, idling time, use of cruise control and braking. The driving team makes more than 350 mixed deliveries each week – chilled, frozen and ambient products – to the company’s 29 stores located in North West England and Yorkshire. Each year the fleet covers more than one million road miles. The Isotrak CANBus engine management module generates instant driving style reports that save fuel costs when integrated with daily driver debriefs. On average, companies will realise a five per cent reduction in fuel costs and some have seen as much as 19 per cent fuel cost and CO2 savings when using the system. Isotrak T: 01908 540 700
www.isotrak.uk.com S6 Enter 352
Take control of driver safety Promoting a safe driving culture is essential. A safe driver is a cost-effec- tive driver. They have fewer accidents, they are more productive and they tend to drive more efficiently, reducing the fuel bill.
Careless driving can cost companies thousands or even millions of pounds each year. Figures from Fleet200 mem- bers indicate that their drivers have 174,000 accidents a year, resulting in a single Fleet200 company spending £1.3 million on accidents per year. Driver safety solutions available today monitor driving behaviour, offering real time feedback to the driver and providing complete back office analysis of aggressive manoeu- vres, such as hard acceleration, braking, turns and speed. With this data at hand, drivers can instantly change their driving style and recom- mendations on training can be made for individual drivers, resulting in lower accidents and liability.
JULY/AUGUST 2013 Materials Handling & Logistics
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