The
world of trucking fleets is changing as transport owners turn to telematics to
reduce costs in an industry where overheads are rising and profit margins are
being squeezed. Telematics is the technology of sending, receiving and
storing information to keep track of your vehicles remotely through
telecommunication devices.
The
benefits are being felt in the optimisation of fleets and rebates in services
such as insurance. In addition, such mechanisms provide a sense of comfort to
banks when advancing loans for trucks as these measures indicate good
management of assets which ultimately lead to better residual values for future
trade-ins or sales.
With
telematics covering virtually every aspect of a vehicle’s operations and
security, trucks are becoming safer, driver behaviour is improving and
accidents are being brought under control - all to the benefit of owners who
are seeing advantages when dealing with insurance and financial services
providers.
Telematics
has changed dramatically since the days when control of vehicles was limited to
the use of paper-based tachographs that had to be analysed by owners – a
process that was not only tedious and absorbed administration time, but was
also unable to immediately address concerns regarding misuse of vehicles by
drivers.
Increasingly,
the insurance industry is turning to telematics to assess the use of vehicles
and the behaviour of drivers through devices that can record and report on up
to 32 inputs simultaneously. The advantage is that these inputs can be managed
and inspected from a central point by fleet managers. In addition, instructions
can be sent from a remote site to a vehicle anywhere in the country by a
supervisor who can then control certain responses of the vehicle.
Advances
in communication and information technology has seen telematics being
transformed from a ‘grudge’ insurance product to a service that has become an
ally for fleet operators wishing to maximise their operations and keep a tight
rein on costs. In times when cost, particularly fuel costs, are rising
and margins come under pressure, some fleet owners try to cut corners where
vehicle maintenance is concerned.
Operators
using telematics are seeing the benefits. Their trucks are constantly monitored
and assessed, so these precautions are being rewarded with reductions in their
insurance costs. In addition, as these systems help schedule and monitor
routes, telematics users have been able to reduce the number of vehicles in
their fleets without compromising service.
Top
of the range telematics systems installed in heavy commercial and mining
vehicles now enable devices such as driver-behaviour indicators to show in real
time how a driver is behaving in the cab of a truck. Linked to voice,
this means that a driver can be cautioned immediately if he is speeding,
braking too harsh, taking corners too fast or leaving the vehicle to idle for
long periods.
Linking
the results delivered by these services has also enabled owners to take
corrective action through the use of driver training academies. Drivers with
bad habits are now often referred to academies for refresher courses where they
can improve their vehicle handling skills. This ensures that drivers remain
aware, the quality of driving is enhanced and road safety is improved for all
road users.
Whilst
the driver is being monitored, systems can also control routing and scheduling
options that can integrate with warehousing facilities and weighbridges. The
progress of a vehicle along a pre-ordained route, its distance from a warehouse
and estimated time of arrival allow for better logistic and turn-around
benefits.
Live
activity-dashboards enable owners to log in at any time and obtain information
on where exactly vehicles are, how many are on the road and how many are
parked. The emphasis is on supplying information that allows transport managers
to have the hindsight, insight and foresight to plan for fleet optimisation.
Typically, services can begin monitoring a vehicle even before it has left its allotted parking bay at a depot. Driver identification tools enable a fleet manager to see exactly which driver is at the wheel of each vehicle in the fleet. A driver unauthorised to use a vehicle can be stopped from doing so as the vehicle system will not recognise his driver ‘terminal pin.’ Seatbelt and open-door sensors make sure that basic safety functions are adhered to before a vehicle gets underway. Other typical features available in the market include:
Truck
hijacking remains a problem especially on isolated roads. Devices like panic
buttons can relay a vehicle’s exact position to response teams. A control
room operator can then remotely slow down the vehicle, activate hooters and set
lights flashing, to draw attention to the truck. These actions have
proven to be massive deterrents to potential hijackers.
Trucks
today represent a massive investment with operators often spending more than R
1 000 000 on a single horse and trailer unit. It therefore makes
sense to take the necessary steps to safeguard vehicles, make the driver’s task
an easy one and also ensure the safety of others on our highways and byways.
Fleet
managers often experience operational redundancies, a spiralling workload and
high costs, but telematics can help to increase your efficiency and bring down
costs.
Telematics
can also be useful in the case of an accident, as data collected during
accidents can help with the process of increasing the speed and accuracy with
which insurance claims are managed.
Contributed by: Toni
Fritz, Executive Head of Vehicle and Asset Finance, Business at Standard Bank
and Hein Jordt, MD of Ctrack Fleet Management Solutions
