fleet management Archives - Employee Transport Management

How to tackle major issues that are affecting your fleet business

Posted on April 4, 2022 by emptranssup-useradm

Transportation Management System without any doubt is one of the hectic jobs out there. A fleet manager has to make sure that every fleet is on schedule and have to manage the entire business. Apart from that, he should monitor all the employees as passenger safety is at stake.

But there is a solution to the hectic job of managers. The solution can not only ease off their work pressure but also increase the efficiency of the fleet. And the cherry on the topping would be the money it will save in terms of fuel efficiency.

All these can be availed by installing a Transportation Management System. Let’s see how it will be of help.

Fleets which could not keep up with the schedule

Fleets should always work in harmony. A slight alteration in schedule can create a knock on effect and can jeopardize the timing of the entire fleet. Often these kinds of issues are commonly seen in fleets which have not an efficient management system.

Solution:

Transportation management system can efficiently track and monitor vehicles and routes which are causing delay. The system can suggest optimized routes which will be quicker than that of the old one. With proper hardware integration, it can also monitor the working condition of vehicles and prompt managers to rectify it.

Spot the bad drivers

Once a vehicle starts rolling it’s entirely the responsibility of drivers to carry out rest of the job. However, some drivers will lag behind the schedule by taking long breaks or even run slower than that of the proposed speed.

Solution:

Transportation Management system can track which vehicle is lagging behind and can notify the manager whom in turn can have a talk with the driver and find out what’s wrong.

Fuel it’s crucial

In order to be profitable, every vehicle in a fleet should run on a ration of petrol. However, drivers who fear malfunction usually do not turn of the vehicle when it’s at a halt. As a result, fuel will be wasted. The loss will be hefty if it’s in the case of a fleet which has hundreds of vehicles or more.

Solution:

Solving this issue is tricky even though finding the issue is a piece of cake with a transportation management system. However, to rectify the issue a deeper understanding is needed. Since it’s in the hands of the driver, proper instruction along with personalized goals must be given. Slow process indeed, but effective.

Too many Trips

Sometimes managers make the mistake of charting too many vehicles to a single destination carrying few passengers. An extra vehicle can cause a considerable amount of money to a transportation company.

Read Also: “CCTV integration to Transportation Management System – Possibilities”

Solution:

A management system will notify manager if a vehicle is assigned to the same route twice. It can also suggest vehicle in accordance with the number passengers. This rectification will increase the efficiency of the fleet a lot.

Managing the assets

Vehicles are the biggest asset of a fleet management company. Often inefficiency in management will result in negligence and poor maintenance of the vehicle. Often correct vehicle service will not be carried over and as a result, malfunction happens.

Solution:

Vehicle management system can prompt managers about the service date of vehicles. With proper hardware integration, the system can also find out any irregularity in the pattern of engine performance.

Embracing technology to an extent can be a great deal of help to any business. Same is in the case of companies which are into transportation. However, the key is to choose the right one since a surplus of products is now available in the market.

Top 5 ways IOT (Internet of Things) Will Help in Fleet Management

Posted on March 14, 2022February 20, 2023 by emptranssup-useradm

Before we jump into the benefits of IOT in fleet management let’s discuss what’s IOT and why they are going to be next big thing?

According to Business Insider, by the end of 2020 24 billion internet connected device will be active around the globe.

Far-seeing the possibilities’ US government are planning to invest $8.8 Billon in the IOT market. The astonishing part about this investment is that previous year it was just around $1.1 Billion.

Since IOT is spreading like wildfire isn’t it obvious that it’s going to have a deep-rooted impact on each and every aspects of our day-to-day life?

The story is exactly the same when it comes to transportation and business related to it.

Let’s dig deep,

What exactly is IOT?

Precisely, IOT is the connection of your physical device to the internet. A physical device can be anything, computers, Smartphone’s, wearable’s, tablets, TV, kitchen equipment etc., literally it can be anything that’s confined to the digital world.

In short, these devices are exchanging data back and forth seamlessly so that they keep connected 24×7.

What sort of remarkable changes can IOT bring in transport safety?

WHO has released a shocking report on May 2017. According to the report, around 1.25 million people die each year owing to accidents.

The report clearly indicated that speeding is one of the major causes of accidents globally. However, it is true that speeding is entirely a personal choice. What IOT can do in this situation is that it can monitor as well as notify a driver upon his erratic behavior through connected transportation.

Quite simply, connected transportation means WIFI and other sensor-enabled vehicles that can exchange data with the internet.

By connecting a vehicle to the internet, issues such as bad weather, traffic congestion, and bad route can be foreseen in advance.

Above all, this kind of smart transportation initiatives can help create safer roads, lesser accidents and save a lot of money.

In the case of fleet business, since all the vehicles are connected, they will be secure, predictive as well as cost-effective.

To get an exact idea about how powerful IOT is going to be, Gartner has recently released a report in which they have estimated that by the end of 2020 quarter of billion cars will be connected.

Coming back to fleet management, IOT‘s use can’t be restricted to just tracking.

Their top 5 uses include,

1. Keep an eye on your driver behaviour

Drivers tend to stop the fleet vehicle multiple times causing disruption in the proposed time schedule. During these stops, they tend not to turn off their vehicle in fear of malfunction.

Another scenario is that drivers sometimes drive in a reckless manner causing potential danger to the passengers.

By installing a fleet management solution which supports IOT, all these behaviors can

Be monitored, that too continuously.

2. Helps in creating a green environment

Idling (not stopping the engine when the vehicle is at a short halt) is a menace when it comes to fleet business. They are often considered as not dangerous and left alone. However, researchers have found out that over a billion gallon of diesel is being wasted globally because of vehicle idling and more than 10 million ton of greenhouse gas is pumped into our atmosphere owing to it.

Read Also:“10 Future Transportation Methods That Will Change The Way We Travel”

By using a Transportation Management solution idling time can be closely monitored and notification can be given to the driver in real-time.

3. Check on the parts of your vehicle

With proper hardware installation, a fleet management system which is connected to the IOT can closely monitor engine and other parts which are subjected to wear and tear. For instance, imagine that your car battery level is low or engine is performing in an erratic way. A fleet management system can graph out this behaviour and compare it to the normal behaviour of your vehicle parts. If there is any irregularity, authorized personals can be informed, thus saving a vehicle from grave damages.

4. Get hold of the precious data

Data have always had godly power in our lives. In the case of a fleet, an enormous amount of data is sent to a vehicle management system with the help of IOT. This enormous quantity of data can be processed using the software-hardware system and come up with magnificent results that will assure efficiency of your fleet.

5. Save Money

Primary motto of any business would be to earn the profit. Same is the story in the case of a fleet business. However, there are certain factors which make fleet business risky. The most dangerous one would be the fuel consumption.

A fleet management system can track as well as compare data so that fuel can be saved. Prompting tax payment, notifying proper maintenance schedule, comparing expenditure etc. also helps a lot in saving money.

Top 5 Dominant Trends in Commercial Fleet Management Sector

Posted on March 3, 2022February 20, 2023 by emptranssup-useradm

In modern times, innovations in consumer technology are giving innovations in corporate technology a hard run for their money. Keeping this in mind, you would need to understand on how the commercial fleet management is evolving in the wave of the technologies.

Another hurdle in front of any fleet owner or managers in this technological advancement would be to figure out on how these innovations could make their way into the sphere of fleet management and improve their business.

Let us now have a glance at the 5 dominant trends in commercial fleet management that will change fleet business forever.

1.Predictive maintenance

Instead of waiting for a mishap to happen, fleet managers will advocate a proactive approach towards vehicle health. Maintenance needs to be undertaken on a routine basis before it melts to serious breakdowns.

With OEM (in built) telematics, fleet managers have better inputs about mechanical and physical condition of a vehicle. When vehicles are going to share this data in real time, a better feedback system is put in place.

2.Autonomous vehicle preparation

There is a widespread interest among self-driving autonomous vehicles. Several automobile giants Nissan and Mercedes group have invested millions in this domain. There is bound to be continuous development and research in this stream with added infrastructure needed to support them.

Read Also: “Failure to Motivate Employees – How It Impacts the Management”

Advanced driver assistance system would be a nice value addition. It is expected to extend much beyond the physical terrain and in the coming years is expected to scale new heights.

3.IoT focus to be more on vehicles

In the last few years all of us have heard of IoT(Internet of Things). This wave is going to spread manifold as we become connected to the internet. It would of prime concern to fleet owners on how it is going to have an impact on their vehicles. With the number of vehicles expected to grow in the coming years, a Herculean effort will be devoted to research on how they are going to interact with the environment.

This growth is expected to churn in benefits for the mobile workforces. The benefit is likely to spell over to plumbers, landscaper or pest control that is on the field jobs.

4.Better choices related to OEM telematics

This is not something new! But in the coming year it is likely that more companies are going to offer Telematics hardware as part of the set up. It is for the gamut of vehicles and not merely restricted to the traditional commercial ones.

This promises to be good news for all the fleet owners as benefits in the form of ease of adoption, vehicle data in a comprehensive manner along with zero maintenance is assured. With the help of this software any new vehicle could be activated online, and it does enable real time monitoring as well. With the help of 4 G connections better data connection is assured and mobile workers are better equipped to be productive on the roads.

5.Real-time logistics

The latest trend hitting the ground is the ability of logistics fleet integrating with your supply chain in real-time. The advanced telematics will allow fleet management to be cloud-based and help monitor the location and movement of your vehicles, temperature, pressure and other factors affecting your fleet.

The vehicles will reply on sensors which will automatically integrate the entire supply chain process. The transmit of information to the software will be made easier and generate an efficient invoice and bills for your loads.

Conclusion:

With technology and innovation constantly moving ahead of its time, the entire commercial fleet management community should look out for the latest recommendations to the industry. Fleets needs to effectively manage data, decode it, and use it in effective planning and meaningful KPI’s.

Data Analytics and Its Use in Fleet Management

Posted on February 17, 2022February 20, 2023 by emptranssup-useradm

The application of data analytics in every industry has become imperative, and the data in fleet management sector is no exception. Since data generated in fleet management are sensitive, it can be put to use in many ways so as to increase the overall efficiency of the fleet.

Let’s have a look at how data can be used.

Power of Fleet Data in Management

Modern transport operations have started to include vehicle telematics as an integral part of their process, which mainly consists of tracking and diagnostics in particular.

More fleet managers have begun to recognize and understand the needs of their drivers, fleet, and customers and are starting to leverage the power of big data for this purpose.

The daily data that fleets generate are massive, ranging from telematics info to conditions of road and even vehicle health status.

The information that is available to fleet managers can be used not just to understand historical events, but also to make decisions for the future and manage existing operations.

Many fleet managers have already started to adopt vehicle telematics to monitor their vehicles in real time, providing them with data that allows them to support and protect their drivers and fleets and also optimize their business.

The most effective way to get visibility in fleet management is by adopting a data-driven approach. Data helps identify potential issues before they become a problem and will also assist in recognizing new opportunities.

The significant advantage is that it’s entirely customizable so you can choose metrics that matter most to your business and use them to track and report activities.

Enhancement of Fleet Productivity

It is understood that the effects of big data and predictive analytics on fleet productivity is highly favorable. With the right usage of data analytics, the fleet industry can even achieve better productivity.

There will be accessibility to more fleet data which will improve efficiency and gain the capability to make the substantial increase in driver and vehicle productivity.

Research suggests that as early as 2004, UPS turned to fleet data to improve efficiency, and it was discovered that in on-going traffic, making left turns wasted time and fuel, and led to a lot of accidents.

It resulted in the ‘minimize left turns policy’, that ultimately saved UPS over a million gallon of fuel every year.

Today, SaaS fleet analytics providers can help develop and implement benchmarks and best practices for increasing efficiency, reducing costs and emissions, and keeping drivers, vehicles, and payloads safe by empowering enumerable fleets of all sizes, across different industries with the data available from them.

Utilization of Assets

You can understand and analyze how each vehicle in your fleet is being used with the timely information provided by fleet data analytics. It helps you get an accurate picture instead of depending on paper trails and gut instinct.

For instance, you can use the data to find out which individual vehicles or items of machinery are spending more time lying idle, or which ones are in need of servicing after exertive use for a prolonged period.

By assessing how the vehicles in your fleet are used, you can implement necessary changes which can save time and increase efficiency. It helps to improve operational efficiency and efficient employment of workforce.

Management of Fuel

Any vehicle requires fuel to run on, and that is an expensive part of managing a vehicle fleet. In the past however it used to be challenging to maintain costs or forecast spending with the exact accuracy.

Data analytics lets you measure and track usage and even help prevent thefts. With the convenient facility to track individual vehicles and drivers, you can monitor the usage and compare it against company policy.

For example, if your drivers are filling up their private cars on the company’s account, analytics will help you by providing visibility and identify the problem to put an end to it.

You can get a clear understanding based on this data of how fuel is being consumed across your business, which will enable your company to save substantial amount of money.

Improving Business Success

If fleet managers leverage upon big data, it can improve their chances of success.

All aspects of fleet management including crucial decisions like vehicle selection, maintenance management, and driver safety planning, etc. are achieved and performed with the help of this data.

Fleets can improve efficiency, operate with fewer resources, and show an increase in productivity with the continued use of fleet analytics and accessibility to more fleet data.

Importance of Implementation

While this technology can be used to improve fleet performance and road safety, its application is what makes it all the more effective and efficient in bringing results.

Although the benefits of employing this technology can generate the data needed to manage risk, it is appropriate implementation of this data which is the key to success.

It is crucial that the systems and processes are first in place and is active before any technology solution is introduced. Choosing the right vendor for technology is critical to make proper use of technology.

Fleet managers should receive comprehensive training and information about the technology during training.

Conclusion

When it comes to managing fleet data is crucial to make important decisions to improve the return on investment and safeguard the fleet and its drivers. If used properly the data can be used to make decisions for the future and save up a lot on fuel and money.

Optimizing Fleet Performance During Summer Season

Posted on April 17, 2018February 20, 2023 by emptranssup-useradm

Summertime in 2022 is scorching than the previous years. Temperatures have gone to an all-time high of late and it’s really hard to stay outdoors these times.

With the increase in global warming, things have gone worse. Heat cramps, dehydration, and fainting are common among people.

While you take the case of transportation, there are so many important things to be considered that would be grist to the mill while traveling during the summertime.

These precautions and measures if adopted properly would benefit the drivers, travelers, and the managers who manage the fleet of vehicles in an organization.

1. Get the help of GPS

With the help of GPS-enabled tracking devices, it’s capable of re-routing the whole fleet route away from traffic congestions, summer congestion. This can also help the drivers to avoid time-wasting trips back to the office.

2. Optimum Route Finding

Getting stuck up in a traffic jam this summer would be the last thing you want to have. Always use mobile applications like Waze to give an outline of the traffic setup on your scheduled route and suggest better ways to avoid it.

3. Save Fuel

Adopt strategies like tracking and maintaining a list of your fuel expenses. As you know during summertime, the fuel usages are high compared to normal seasons. Always park your vehicles in places that provide shade.

4. Have the Data

Data is gold. Always have the previous years’ analytics on vehicle performance, fuel efficiencies, employee efficiency, and devise a proper plan according to it for optimizing fleet performance.

5. Maintenance Concerns

Maintenance costs are always high during summertime. Statistics say that the engine heat may go up by 20% during a hot season depending on the climate followed by wear and tear for tires at 15%.

The air conditioner maintenance is one spot of bother that needs to be taken care of.

6. Air Condition Usage

Always switch off the air condition systems while not required. It’s advisable to use the air condition on optimum levels as the chances of it getting damaged are very high.

7. Vehicle Overheating

Nothing is more frustrating than a breakdown on a sunny day. Imagine how many people it would affect in an organization if something like that happens. In order to avoid this scenario, the vehicle caretakers need to refill and clean the vehicle cooling systems.

Technology has advanced to a level wherein engine diagnostics could be sent to the fleet managers and make them aware of the systems once in a while.

The OBD can be installed and setup in the vehicle dashboard and updates can be sent to the control room. Engine diagnostic data is very critical in these circumstances.

8. Tire and Batteries

Underinflated and overinflated tires are a big no in the case of summertime. The chances of the tires getting deflated quickly are very high. Properly inflated tires would add value while fleet optimization is taken into account.

With respect to batteries, studies show that summer heat kills batteries 33% faster. The overheat increases the chemical processes occurring in lead-acid batteries and it would make the battery electrolytes evaporate.

Preventive maintenance checkups are very important for batteries during summertime.

9. Engine Belt Maintenance

The engine belts are to be inspected for cracks, wear, and tears during summertime. This check is often overlooked by the caretakers of the vehicle, but if it’s done properly, can save a lot of time and money.

The below-given costs are the main costs that would incur while doing maintenance during summertime.

Wear and tear on vehicles
Air condition overheating
Diminished Vehicle power
Poor visibility
Tire wear
Brake wear

A fleet manager must be ready and thoughtful about optimizing the whole process from end to end fleet management. There are different aspects of technology apart from traditional ways that can create a positive impact in this domain.

Technology-wise, here are a few things to be adopted and implemented thoroughly,

Fleet analysis, routing, and fleet right-sizing
Fleet assessment and performance benchmarking
Operational cost analysis
Evaluation for performance improvement opportunities
Specifications and configurations
Equipment utilization
Resources review

Conclusion

The development of an in detail optimizing fleet performance enhancement plan which displays optimization opportunities and realization of financial and operational gains are important when fleet management is taken into consideration.

Ongoing monitoring and an action plan are to be set up to ensure iterative improvement in fleet optimization every time. This should not be kept as an erratic process.

Usage of fleet optimizing applications which include global positioning system hardware can always improve the performance.