FLEET MANAGEMENT

The business of vehicle tracking and stolen vehicle recovery exists as a distinctive entity quite separate from Fleet Management (FM). While the latter is about reducing operational costs and boosting efficiencies, the former is primarily about vehicle security, knowing where it is when it gets stolen and having teams in place to recover it. South Africa has three vehicle tracking major players and it looks like they're about to expand their operations to include FM products and services, writes Paul Collings.

Netstar is a household name with a strong track record in the vehicle tracking/stolen vehicle recovery business. While in the past, tracking companies have espoused the policy of 'sticking to core competencies', Netstar (officially known as Altech Netstar) has announced its foray into the fleet management industry with the launch of BEE company, Altech Netstar Fleet Management Services (ANFMS).
 

	A team of Volvo trucks owned by Madison Freight Lines, all running on Netstar’s Vigil FM system.      Henry Smith will lead Altech Netstar Fleet management Services into the demanding business of truck fleet efficiency.

Expanding services
According to Altech ceo Craig Venter, "Altech Netstar has invested a great deal in research and development resources over many years developing our fleet management technology. We have been extremely successful since launching our fleet management operation and we feel that the opportunities in this market will be further enhanced as a result of the empowerment initiative with Nariku."

While companies around the world start to focus on optimising their return on existing fleet assets, Venter says that fleet management has become an exciting growth area for Altech Netstar: "All of our experience in tracking, location based technology; RF engineering and consumer services, uniquely positions ANFMS to make this business into a star performer for the group, both in South Africa and in other developing markets."

Distinct entities
Henry Smith, general manager of Altech Netstar Fleet Management Services says, "there are two aspects to Altech Netstar. Altech Netstar uses proprietary technology in the recovery of stolen vehicles, while Altech Netstar Fleet Management Services focuses on telematics employing GPS and GSM-based technologies in its Vigil platform, the focus of which is on putting a solution in place that will add business intelligence to transport operations without personnel having to keep an eye on it the whole time."

Using its telematics platform, Vigil offers real-time management of vehicles and drivers to enhance performance, productivity and cost savings, explains Smith. "Being a sister company of Altech Netstar means that as part of its service, ANFMS offers its customers a one stop solution including stolen vehicle recovery, 24/7 exception monitoring and technical back up."

He is also quick to point out that "theft of physical assets is not the most grievous problem that managers have to face. More important is theft of time when an employee misappropriates or misuses a vehicle. It can be something as simple as a driver taking a vehicle off route to carry out personal business, to the unauthorized use of heavy equipment by employees. Apart from the per hour cost of the vehicle itself, aspects such as the invalidation of insurance have to be considered."
 

Vigil: Street-level mapping is a key feature of all top FM systems and Vigil has it.

Intelligent footprint
The ANFMS philosophy, explains Smith is to "analyse risk and productivity simultaneously. Risk is comparatively straightforward. This vehicle has to operate within set parameters. Should a transgression of these parameters occur, onboard systems activate a real-time alert, which is relayed to the 24/7 control rooms situated in eight of the nine provinces of South Africa." 

On the all important issue of data leveraging and productivity improvements, Smith says, "ANFMS will present data as useable business intelligence, highlighting aspects such as poor driving habits, for example. Reports will also be generated which will slot into most accounting packages. This can be used to generate invoices and other financial projections. The data we deliver will allow the fleet owner to constantly fine-tune his business, whatever the size. Our prime concern is presenting data that will work as hard as our customers do."