Tracking trucking in real-time
With more than 70 trucks traveling an estimated 9 million kilometres a year throughout the North Island, up-to-the-minute information about vehicle location is key to efficient fleet management for haulage company Smith and Davies...
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Based on Auckland’s North Shore, Smith and Davies is a family-owned haulage business which provides a range of services including bulk haulage, removal of contaminated waste, road reconstruction and management, as well as moving heavy machinery. “We needed a simple method of knowing where each of our trucks are so we can make decisions about who is best placed to do a particular job and also monitor performance,” says Smith and Davies managing director Graham MacKinnon. The answer was Telecom Locate+ which combines GPS vehicle tracking technology and Navman Fleet Manager software with Telecom New Zealand’s national mobile data network. Real-time information Telecom business partner Orb Communications helped to design and specify a working solution, assisted with the roll out, and continues to provide ongoing support. Orb Communications marketing manager Andrew Charlesworth says Orb’s Albany office is located conveniently close to Smith and Davies’ head office, but the company can also call upon any of Orb Communication’s 43 branches, located from Kaitaia to Invercargill, if need be. Each truck has been fitted with a Halo Qube In-Vehicle Unit which links up with the GPS satellite navigation network. “Basically this allows head office to see what’s happening with the truck but it also assists the driver to do his job, by providing navigational information for example,” says Charlesworth. Prior to introducing Locate+ the firm’s dispatcher was reliant on contacting drivers on radio telephones to find where they were, which was time consuming and not always reliable. The Locate+ reporting system means that Smith and Davies can track a vehicle’s route and monitor speeds during a journey. The company discovered that its trucks were often spending a long time idling, increasing fuel consumption and also adding to engine wear and tear. “With our new system we are able to monitor idling time and drivers are becoming more conscious of not running the truck unnecessarily,” MacKinnon says. Telecom’s extensive mobile coverage has meant the firm has had no difficulty locating trucks. And because Locate+ is accessed over the internet, the company’s supervisors do not need to be centrally based to view the system. “If they have their laptop they can log in from anywhere to check progress rather than having to go to a dedicated machine,” he says. The bulk of the firm’s vehicles were fitted with the technology over Christmas last year, and while it is too early for detailed analysis, MacKinnon is convinced of its benefit. Improving productivity “This would be linked into our billing process so that it can automatically be updated in real time rather than relying on our present paper-based records,” he says. “We’re committed to maintaining our reputation for excellent customer service and ensuring our fleet meets standards for health and safety and quality management,” MacKinnon says. “Locate+ will be an essential tool to helping us achieve our goals.”
For more information Orb Communications |
July 2005
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