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Fleet Management into the New Age

As we heard into a new century, it seems the basic principals of trucking remain the same as they ever were. Beneath the surface however, it's not so simple. Strict management and cost control systems are now the order of the day. The marketplace is abuzz with a plethora of IT systems, GPS and GSM tracking and vehicle management devices, options to outsource critical areas of the company and so on. A veritable Babettes feast of options and courses writes FleetWatch correspondent Andrew Parker.

Could it be that the modern transport manager now comes in the form of a Bill Gates look-alike with a sheaf of computer print-outs under one arm and a head full of figures and logistics solutions? Be that as it may. We are definitely in a new age of management and the nerds are having a field day out there. I don't really mind if the nerds are happy. Let them play but if they can't deliver the goods, then maybe we should throw some of the computers away and get back to basics.

In just the same way you can order too many courses in a restaurant , it is quite easy to get a dose of information overload from these magnificent but sometimes baffling computerised vehicle management systems. What does a transporter really need? We went back into our archives and had a look there plus we asked some of the industry players what they thought. Bruce Richards of Digicore sent us some ideas as did John Schulkins of Fleet Focus. Thank you very much guys, your input was both valid and appreciated.

From reading through what was sent, it is apparent that the fleet manager must know exactly what type of information he requires to manage his fleet successfully. Richards sent us 17 different aspects of fleet management which we thought was quite conservative. Some of them were optional which would have brought the final tally down a bit.

Schulkins outlined 47 different areas of management applications and options. These covered everything from toll fee management, load distribution reports, CCTV surveillance systems, access control, driver training and load broking.

Schulkins and Richards both divided their menu into four distinct areas: Fleet management, logistics transport management, and security. Both parties had a string emphasis on cost control and integrated IT systems.

What is apparent is that a lot of the systems on the market today offer very much the same type of information. It's just the wrapping and sauces that are different. After all fuel management is fuel management. Some suppliers might call it direct cost savings but if it means you are saving money by eliminating diesel fraud, that's what it means.

Very simply, fleet management systems should help you reduce cost and improve efficiencies. This is done through access and use of up to date cost analysis information - running, fixed and direct costs.

Most systems are, or should be at any rate, modular. This means you only pull out the information you want and leave the rest for the nerds. Once you are au fait with this approach, maybe you can start delving into the system a bit more. One area of concern remains supplier support, system integration and flexibility. It really is not all that difficult but there people out there getting their fingers burnt so watch out. One of the principal problems in the market are over-zealous sales people overselling the product. This raises expectations and when the suppliers do not deliver, it causes problems for everyone. Ultimately the industry as a whole suffers. It slows things down and makes the advent and use of new technology a long and tedious process. Once a potential customers' suspicions have been raised, it can take hell and high water to calm them down again. Perhaps suppliers should be involving more technical people in the presentation and the sale and they should further ensure the customer fully understands what is going on and what he is buying. They should be focusing in on the customer's needs and not just his wants. They must ensure they have the ability to deliver what they promise.

Secondly, and you may not agree with this, in many instances the customer is not always right. Very often there is a distinct split here between his wants and his needs. Customers often want suppliers to deliver the impossible and suppliers should be careful not to fall into the trap of promising to do so. In short, customers also need educating as to the limits and usage of the system they buy into. Lack of user knowledge obviously leads to a lot of argument. An example is Nominated Carriers. They had a system with regional limits installed into a long distance fleet and wondered why it wasn't working. In their case, at least, they accepted some of the responsibility and reacted accordingly. But many other dissatisfied customers may not be so compliant.

Then there is case on which a fleet operator had set the system so all calls were restricted to 60 seconds. You can imagine the chaos, confusion and frustration created when he tried to give his drivers detailed instructions. That customers must demand proper training is pretty obvious. However, the fleet manager won't pitch for the full training period so he doesn't fully understand what his system is all about. It seems there is a learning curve on both sides. Taking this into cognisance, it is apparent that the biggest threat to the IT revolution sweeping across the face of our transport and other industries is the human factor. And if that's the biggest threat, that's good news for the human is an adaptable creature and can be trained. The systems are there, the technology works - the next step in the equation is training. So let's get to it.