IT expert plea for commercial fleets to exploit their telematics systems’ power
Certain transport and logistics fleets are failing to exploit their telecommunications and informatics systems fully, to their detriment, telematics technology developer Euclidic Systems claims.
It charges parts of the industry of using such systems as a compliance tactic while ignoring the significant productivity power they contain.
“The technology is gold-standard, with the latest data around every business imperative, from environmental impacts to customer service,” Euclidic Systems CEO Chris Witt says.
“But often it’s just left in a drawer.
“Companies invest in the latest technology to comply with the regulations and tick the compliance box. Then it’s ignored.
“There’s little monitoring, management or training, which is exactly what the technology is designed to encourage. Companies are wasting money on their fleets and drivers.
“Ultimately the end customers are missing out.
“The benefits of using the technology are potentially life-saving.
“Fewer accidents, improved safety, driver and passenger protection, reduced fuel consumption, maintenance and servicing make the case for less damage to the environment and the bottom line.”
Read about Austroads’ use of telematics on freight route analysis, here
Witt was not moved to name clients but relates that one, an electrical services company with 30 on-road technicians was finding trucks with an average of 95km of unauthorised km per vehicle a week.
Though it had implemented a telematics solution, the gains had lapsed due to disinterest of a new general manager.
In another example, a national diversified industrial services fleet of 730 trucks and off-road assets had been unable to make best use of tracking data from a legacy 2G network until it was upgraded and integrated with a more modern blended 4G and satellite system.
The fix allowed that company to automate the collection of large volumes of compliance, maintenance and safety alert data for a national fleet management solution.