March 2008, Work Truck - Feature
Telematics Solutions Help Fleets Improve Productivity & Trim Costs
By Cindy Brauer
Butterfield Lumber Improves Route Efficiency
roy Mortensen, operations manager for Butterfield Lumber, based in Salt Lake City, oversees a fleet of pickup trucks and 18-wheelers. He uses GPS Insight for tracking and routing capabilities.
"I use the system to improve efficiency. It delivers unlimited real-time vehicle tracking," Mortensen said. He monitors driver speed and idle time and has reduced idle times from 48 percent to 23 percent.
"Drivers were a little apprehensive about the system at first. I set up geofences to measure irregularities between time and distance that allows me to verify driver travel time from one location to another."
GEM Plumbing Monitors Fleet Location and Utilization
n addition to overseeing a fleet of GM, Ford, and Mitsubishi vehicles, from box trucks to vans, Larry Gemma, president of Gem Plumbing, based in Lincoln, R.I., is responsible for operations, inventory, and the Gem University employee training program. Servicing most of New England, Gemma implemented @Road’s GeoManager program in 2000 to help control the increasing fuel and labor costs.
Gemma customized the MRM program to monitor vehicle location and use, receive maintenance alerts, more effectively route plumbers and technicians, wirelessly send invoices to his office, verify accident reporting, and take advantage of geofencing and timekeeping amenities.
He also integrated the system with GPS to obtain real-time traffic reports and reroute drivers using a navigation system. Before implementing @Road, fleet costs totaled 7.5 percent of gross sales. Those costs were reduced to 5.2 percent, said Gemma. In addition, on-time productivity increased from 52 percent to 61 percent.
To gain employee acceptance, "We explained to employees our goal was to create efficiencies, which would increase company profits and allow us to pay our employees more money," said Gemma. wt