THE DEFINITIVE TRUCKING SITE

Nov/Dec 2009

Commercial vehicles are, by definition, mobile entities and should, in an ideal world, be out on the road notching up ton-kilometres as much as is legally permissible. For truck fleet owners, this reality is fraught with peril. Africa’s roads are dangerous, where unroadworthy vehicles, poor driving, crumbling road surfaces and hijacking all add to the operational risk of the truck fleet. For commercial fleet owners and managers, ‘out of sight’ is definitely not ‘out of mind’ and in order to remain solvent in these trying financial times, they need to be supervigilant and proactive in managing their on-road risk. Paul Collings speaks to a selection of South Africa’s suppliers of Fleet Management and vehicle tracking systems for some pointers on how best to gain ‘Total Control’ of those mobile assets.

There are four distinct components to any commercial vehicle – the rig, the driver, the cargo and its ‘operating environment’. While operators have little control over the latter, they certainly can do much to ensure the safe and efficient movement of the former three components of their ‘asset base’.

Fleet Management (FM) and vehicle tracking systems are designed to give fleet managers greater visibility of their vehicles while they’re on the road doing business. By using the data generated by these systems, virtually all operational risk areas can be monitored proactively, helping fleets reduce running costs while enhancing their overall competitiveness.

Hardware and software

The evolution of truck electronics and ICT (Information and Communications Technology) over the last decade has enabled a direct real-time flow of mission-critical information between vehicle and home-base. Today, FM/tracking units (black boxes) are able to plug directly into the truck’s on-board computer (OBC) via CANbus and deliver highly accurate data on vehicle status, its mechanical integrity and geographical position, identifying exactly where it is being abused.

The ‘convergence’ of computer software/internet, cellular (GSM/ GPRS) and satellite communications technologies has brought about a new paradigm in the commercial transport industry, where fleet managers can help prevent disaster by identifying risk areas within the fleet using the reports generated by Fleet Management software.

These risk areas are numerous but what follows is an encapsulation of the most threatening, with advice on how best to mitigate them from our friends in the know.

Fuel control

Diesel has always been a sore point with fleet owners and not only because of its price. Excessive diesel consumption and indeed, diesel theft, continue to plague the bottom lines of most truck fleets. The good news is there are ways to curtail the ubiquitous ‘vanishing’ of fuel.

The AFS Group, a leader in automated refuelling technology, supplies eFuel, amongst other fuel management solutions, to a number of its clients to monitor fuel consumption and curb fuel mismanagement, says AFS Group Account Manager, Lisa Esch.

“eFuel is a card-free, cash-free system which enables drivers to procure fuel and oil at a participating retail service station or home- ase station using the AFS technology. The options of onroad and home-base requirements are not mutually exclusive as AFS can combine these into a single, integrated solution.

“The technology enables a vehicle fitted with a Vehicle Identification Unit (VIU) to be identified by a controller connected to the fuelling nozzle once the nozzle is inserted into the fuel inlet on the vehicle. Only once the vehicle has been identified and authorised for refuelling will the pump switch on. This insures that the correct vehicle is refuelled and any attempts at removing the device or refuelling another vehicle will immediately suspend the transaction. Payment for the fuel procured at a retail forecourt is managed through the normal banking infrastructure.”

According to Brendan Horan, General Manager, Sales and Marketing (RSA and Africa) at MiX Telematics: “Fuel costs constitute up to 40 percent of expenses in running a fleet and there are numerous ways of ensuring that the fuel costs of a fleet can be optimised. Sensors added to the tank of the vehicle can show the fleet manager how much fuel was used by the vehicle and this data can be consolidated with the fuel record of the vehicle to show if fuel was removed from the vehicle without authorisation.

“Draining fuel out of the fuel tanks of a vehicle is a huge concern for any fleet manager as it has a direct influence on the profitability of the fleet. We can fit an Ultrasonic Fuel Sensor to the tank to measure fuel level in litres, which can show the fleet manager, in conjunction with the movement report, if an unscheduled stop was made to remove fuel from the vehicle.

“Just monitoring the movement report of the vehicle for unscheduled stops can stop fuel theft as there are only certain reasons why an unscheduled stop is made. The reasons for the unscheduled stops may vary, but through fleet management systems such as the FM range from MiX Telematics Africa, putting an end to unscheduled stops becomes as easy as pushing a button on your computer for a report.”

DigiCore’s Managing Director, Mark Rousseau states that, “On the C-track application, real-time status alerts and a range of reports, as well as trip replays, highlight abusive driving such as taking detours, over revving, speeding and excessive idling, all of which impact on fuel consumption. The tachograph report measures and reports on actual Green Band driving. In the cab, in the case of C-track Solo, the audible warning signal actually alerts the driver to an imminent violation before he actually commits it and affects fuel consumption negatively.

“As regards prevention of diesel theft, the installation of a fuel cap cover switch enables management to identify where the fuel cap was removed and by checking if that is the location of a filling station or not, fleet mangers can establish whether there were any irregularities. Integration to the vehicle’s CANbus facilitates reporting on actual fuel consumption which can be used as a gauge to determine if theft has occurred.”

Says Gareth Crocker, Communications Manager at Tracker: “Excessive fuel consumption is a result of many factors which include over-speeding, over-revving and excessive idling. Tracker’s technology is equipped to give the fleet manager exception reports and alerts in the form of SMS, email or detailed reports on these costly incidents. Tracker can also add additional accessories to our already highly sophisticated device that will monitor fuel levels and assist the fleet manager bring down fuel theft events.”

Another recent entrant into the local FM market is FleetBoard from Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles, which offers extensive reporting functionality on vehicle and driver performance via a direct CANbus link to its back-end system which includes comprehensive web-based and email reporting functionality.

“Our pilot fleets are reporting fuel savings of between five and ten percent, reductions in wear and tear up to ten percent as well as significant decreases in vehicle downtime. We can now say with confidence that the potential savings per vehicle fitted with FleetBoard are in the region of R60 000 per year,” explains Pascal Weiss, Sales and Business Development Manager of FleetBoard. “With a highly skilled technical support team on hand to assist, FleetBoard customers are able to improve efficiencies by identifying which drivers need coaching, where trips can be optimised and when best to schedule vehicle servicing.”

Hijack control

Truck hijacking statistics over the last couple of years have shown that thieves are increasingly targeting cargo rather than the truck itself. Robbing rigs of bounty means either unhitching the trailer and coupling it to a ‘getaway’ truck tractor or simply neutralising the driver/truck and plundering its load at the roadside or in a warehouse near the scene of the crime.

MiX Telematics’ Horan says it is essential that drivers are able to communicate with home-base in the event of a hijacking. This can be done with the addition of ‘voice kits’ for the FM units. "The FM Communicator and the FM Tracer’s Voice Kits enable the driver to automatically dial one of four numbers at the push of a button.”

Further protection can be gained by installing a Matrix Vehicle Tracking MX1 as back-up for recovery only, adds Horan. “This unit has proved itself by being the first unit on the market to use RF and GSM technology to enhance the recovery rate of the vehicle.”

Another new player in the local FM/tracking arena is PFK Electronics with its Autowatch range. According to Ben van Rooyen, PFK’s Divisional Head of Telematics: “Tracking systems must have a (programmable) health check to automatically inform either the control room or end user on a daily, weekly or monthly basis that the system is active and fully functional. The unit must also have a movement sensor with auto response so if the vehicle is illegally moved or towed the unit can automatically wake up and report to the control room. This coupled with a unique Driver ID tag (such as the PFK hands free Walk-Up-Walk-Away remote) ensures that only the authorised driver can drive the vehicle.”

DigiCore’s Rousseau explains: “Off-route and timed-route reporting can indicate deviations from a set route and/or time slots for reaching and leaving waypoints, which could highlight risk to cargo. By reporting immediately (and historically) when and where vehicles have stopped, cargo doors have been opened or a trailer hooked off, C-track highlights potential risk to management. Trailers can be tracked by means of the C-track Assist Trailer with its patented low power consumption. Remote door opening can also be implemented, putting the control as to when and where cargo doors are opened in the hands of management.”

According to Tracker’s Crocker: “Tracker can install sensors that will detect when a vehicle cargo door is opened, immediately notifying the fleet or risk manager. Combined with route adherence and optimisation technology, Tracker is able to protect the cargo. Tracker is installed and used successfully by both cash in transit companies as well as courier companies that move high value goods.”

Vehicle damage control

There can be no arguing the fact that ongoing driver training is the best way to prevent both vehicle abuse (which increases maintenance costs) and collisions. While FM systems alert fleet managers to risky incidents regarding vehicle operations (speeding, over-revving, harsh braking etc.), there can be no substitute for actually seeing the risky driving behaviour occurring.

DriveCam is an in-cab video camera that captures all risky driving events in the form of 12-second video clips that show what happened in the cab and on the road ahead, immediately prior to the incident and immediately thereafter.

“By monitoring on a daily basis all the fleet’s video clips via DriveCam’s ‘expert traffic/driver analysis’ service, fleet managers can identify immediately where driver coaching is necessary,” says Louis Swart, Managing Director of Drive Report, the SA agents for DriveCam, alongside its renowned ‘Report my Driving’ truck sticker/call centre operation.

“It has been proven scientifically that people behave better when they know they’re being watched. DriveCam has helped thousands of fleets around the world reduce accidents and ‘mystery damage’ to vehicles simply because drivers are operating their vehicles professionally,” adds Swart. “Not slowing down for speed bumps is a common destroyer of truck and trailer components but now a thing of the past for our DriveCam clients.”

According to Horan (MiX Telematics), “green-band driving definitely reduces vehicle wear and tear by avoiding harsh acceleration or braking. When a driver constantly damages the brakes through harsh braking, the brakes will need replacing far sooner than necessary, as will tyres, brake drums and other safety-critical components.

“Over revving is another example that can cause damage to the vehicle. The more unnecessary strain put on the vehicle, the sooner the engine will need maintenance. By monitoring driver behaviour, each driver can be trained to drive the vehicle efficiently and safely, using its various technologies effectively, like the retarder, for example.”

DigiCore’s Rousseau corroborates this advice. “C-track furnishes a wealth of information, both in realtime in the form of status alarms and historically, relating to who drives a vehicle when and how, enabling management to identify drivers who need training and to proactively take the necessary measures. By giving drivers feedback on their performance behind the wheel and by remedying poor driving styles/habits, vehicle damage and accidents can be prevented.”

As far as Tracker is concerned, “Vehicle damage happens as a result of reckless driving and vehicle abuse. Tracker technology reports every few minutes as to the speed, position and road that the vehicle is travelling on. The Tracker system can compare the legal speed limit on the route that vehicle is travelling on and report an exception when overspeeding is detected. Harsh braking incidents can also be detected and a notification sent to the fleet manager, either by SMS or e-mail. When drivers know that incidents reported by Tracker are acted upon by management, reckless behaviour decreases and, as such, vehicle damage is reduced,” adds Crocker.

FleetBoard, being a Mercedes-Benz proprietary system, allows Mercedes- Benz technicians to diagnose vehicle faults from a remote location which has dramatically reduced vehicle downtime across the fleets using the system, says Weiss.

“Through early warning signals on imminent component failure, we are able to prevent major damage happening to the truck. Should a vehicle break down, FleetBoard identifies exactly what and where the problem is, allowing repair technicians to take the correct parts to the truck, rather than having to tow the truck to the workshop. This alone has effectively redefined the benchmarks governing truck repair and downtime,” he says.

Insurance control

No fleet can operate successfully without comprehensive vehicle insurance and it’s reassuring to know that there are several dedicated truck insurance companies in South Africa who understand how best to cover all aspects of operational risk in the road freight industry. In many instances, insurers will offer rebates on premiums to clients who fit FM systems and stand-alone back-up tracking units that effectively minimise risk.

According to PFK’s van Rooyen, “Our Autowatch Tracking system has been lauded by insurers because it can be equipped with a wireless immobiliser. Aptly named the ‘Ghost’ by users because of the fact that it is practically untraceable by vehicle thieves, the ‘harness’ immobiliser has a built in RF receiver, so even if thieves find and remove the main tracking system, the miniature Ghost immobiliser hidden in the vehicle’s harness will remain intact and will immobilise the vehicle. The control room can also communicate directly with the Ghost via GSM to immobilize the vehicle remotely. The system offers much more functionality with selected alarm trigger inputs, panic button, battery tamper, ignition sense (hot wire) and outputs to drive an external siren and central locking etc.”

Horan of MiX Telematics says: “Most insurance companies give discounts on monthly premiums when the vehicle has an approved tracking unit installed. It might not be a huge amount for one vehicle, but add the savings on a fleet of 50 or more vehicles and the saving becomes substantial for the fleet owner. In many instances the fleet owner would rather have the vehicle back as soon as possible, ensuring the operation does not stand still, than wait for a replacement vehicle.”

According to Rousseau, “Better driving styles resulting from feedback and coaching given to drivers based on C-track data leads to fewer accidents and thus better insurance ratings. The proactive nature of C-track highlights security threats as soon as possible after they occur and facilitating quick response should in turn lead to a reduction in insurance costs through more success in recovering vehicles and/or cargo.”

According to Swart at Drive Report, “Fleet Management systems that proactively manage driver behaviour do effectively minimise risk. A system like DriveCam not only reduces the chances of an accident occurring, but also gives the truck owner irrefutable evidence as to who actually caused the accident, which leads to speedy claims settlement and excess recovery as well as lower premiums.”

Crocker says, “Most insurance companies will give a discount on premiums if Tracker is installed in the vehicle. In many cases, excesses are also wavered which can amount to a significant saving down the line.”

Driver motivation control

Any truck is only as efficient as the person driving it and as such, drivers need to be motivated to do their best. Most FM systems have driver scoring functionality which delivers unbiased data on how each driver is performing. Many leading fleets use this information to offer financial incentives to drivers.

“C-track provides information which can be used as an objective driver rating tool for a driver incentive scheme. FM systems also provide information which can be used to protect the interests of the driver should he/she be involved in litigation resulting from a traffic violation or accident. C-track can provide vehicle location to direct emergency assistance services should the driver be involved in an accident and unable to talk or broken down in the middle of nowhere and unable to make a voice call,” says Rousseau, emphasising how the benefits of FM/ tracking systems need to be conveyed to the driver.

MiX Telematics advises fleet managers to implement rewards for Green Band driving above a certain percentage. “The savings gained by the fleet owner can be put back into the business by rewarding Green Band drivers with bonuses when they keep driving within these parameters. Training can be given to drivers that are not within these parameters to up-skill them. Through training, drivers realise what their actions can do to the vehicle, and to the bottom line. The more money saved for the fleet owner with Green Band driving, the more bonuses awarded to the driver,” explains Horan.

Tracker’s technology can produce a driver scorecard that is used to incentivise and identify drivers that need attention. “Through Tracker and its partners, advanced driver training can be arranged in the effort to up-skill the drivers,” says Crocker.

Data control

The all important factor underscoring any fleet management system is that the fleet manager must do something with the data gained from the vehicle. It is pointless installing a system and the fleet manager does not manage the data effectively, says Horan.

“With FM-Web from MiX Telematics, management becomes easy as all parameters can be set for reporting on exactly what is necessary for the fleet. It is recommended that the data is collected for a period, analysed and then after a month or two, the fleet manager should start implementing various factors such as driver training and monitoring. The difference before and after can be significant to the bottom line.

“This is why it is important for the fleet manager to understand the system installed in the vehicle. MiX Telematics Africa offers various courses for fleet managers, from basic to advanced, to ensure the fleet manager utilises the system as intended.”

Crocker adds: “Tracking data can be arduous due to the regular intervals that the vehicles report. What is important to the fleet managers is to be notified about exceptions and respond to it. Tracker keeps data on all trips of vehicles for many years and manages most of the data on behalf of the client.”

At DigiCore, the process of data management is such that: “Information generated by C-track can be exported to third party fleet management programmes, to reporting tools e.g. Crystal Reports and Excel, and in itself provides a range of reports from high level  executive dashboards to detailed operational and accident reports. Functions such as maintenance, roadworthiness and license renewal reminders add further value in terms of managing and applying fleet data,” says Rousseau.

Via its ‘managed services’ where video clips are analysed by experts who identify all risky driving incidents, DriveCam streamlines the driver behaviour management process. “Fleet managers only see those driving behaviours that pose a serious risk to the safety of the vehicle, the fleet and other road users,” explains Swart. “The DriveCam software is now web-based with enhanced reporting functionality, driver scoring and profiling, along with archived video footage, which allows fleet owners to monitor their drivers every day via the internet from anywhere in the world.”

Reputation control

FM systems are fundamentally designed to improve efficiencies. Once this happens, the enterprise takes on a ‘best practice’ dimension and becomes a leader in its field. With a groundswell of new laws governing road traffic offences and carbon footprint, all truck operators need to manage their fleets as professionally as possible.

“Results have shown that by enhancing the management of the fleet, it is possible to use fewer vehicles in the fleet. In other instances, the data can show the fleet manager that vehicle A performs better than vehicle B in certain conditions, and in other conditions vehicle B will perform better. This will assist the fleet manager to plan the movements of the fleet better, using the positives of the vehicles to their advantage, ultimately adding value for the customer through more efficient service delivery. Simple things like proper communication with the driver can make a huge difference to the service levels of the fleet,” says Horan.

FM systems like C-track enable a transport operation to meet dead-lines, project delays and plan accordingly. Customers and agents are kept informed of ETAs, while the operator reduces risk and increases rates of recovery. “All of which enhances the level of trust associated with an operator, making the operation more marketable,” says Rousseau.

Left to right: Drive Report’s Louis Swart (MD) and Colin Snyman, Group Marketing Director, PFK Elctronics (developers of Alcoloc). On TV in Sept 2009

Bottom line control

For most professional truck fleet operators, times have never been tougher. The global recession has sunk its teeth firmly into the flesh of the South African economy and commercial transporters have to resort to all-manner of survival strategies to remain afloat. In a business environment short on credit, cash-flow becomes allimportant and ensuring a healthy stash of liquid currency requires strict control of operating expenses.

While hands-on management of drivers and vehicles is the point of departure for the successful fleet, technology plays a huge role in enabling better management of mobile assets. Whether it’s a fullblown Fleet Management system using CANbus, GPS and GSM data, a simple GPS/GSM tracking unit, an in-cab video recording system or a fuel management system, operators need to invest in these technologies, partnering with suppliers who understand and cater to each fleet’s specific business requirements.

Total Control is yours for the asking!