Ross Bentley hears how software is helping make fleet management
more efficient and reduce petrol usage
Is it really only a few weeks since the fuel crisis? It all
started with the queues at petrol stations and soon escalated to a
break down in food deliveries and worries about the emergency
services - but what did we learn from the fuel crisis?
"One thing that became apparent during the fuel crisis was the
fragility of the transport system," says Clive Girling, marketing
director at Isotrak, a supplier of fleet management software for
the transport business.
"Basically, vendors which are working in this space develop
software that promotes efficient use of vehicles, which in turn
helps profits but also makes the best use of fuel resources - an
issue that became a top priority last month," he says.
Girlings says tracking software that enables fleet managers to
keep track of where each of their vehicles is at any given time
cuts down the amount of unnecessary journeys that vehicles have to
make.
"For instance, if a pick-up has to be made from Harlow, software
now exists that enables fleet managers, using an easy-to-use
graphical screen application, to click on a map, which will give
the location of the nearest vehicles to Harlow. The managers can
then call a vehicle and ask the driver to divert to the pick-up
point, rather than having to send out a new vehicle," he
explains.
"Backhauling", according to Girling, is being made possible by
modern technology. "It refers to the practice of optimising the
time a vehicle is on the road by organising a return delivery of
goods. A lorry normally takes goods from A to B but if it were
possible to ensure that it also carried a load back from B to A,
the haulier would increase profits and efficiency.
"We are seeing this starting to happen through 'freight
exchanges', an idea that runs along the same lines as a
business-to-business marketplace," says Girling. "It's a Web site
where companies that need a load transported can get in touch with
haulage and delivery businesses. It allows companies to organise
trips much more effectively."
While these sites are in their infancy, Girling says they look
set to grow at a huge rate in the next few years.
He believes what is hindering full-scale adoption of
freight-exchanges is the lack of a standard electronic proof of
delivery technology. "If you're doing business with a company you
have just met through an exchange, you need some kind of assurance
that your goods have arrived at the designated location."
Girling says he is seeing the introduction of electronic tagging
and tracking devices that can be attached to pallets and individual
items.
More digital technology is being included in vehicles these
days. This, he says, is a good thing, because the more data that's
available, the more analysis on vehicle performance is
possible.
clive.girling@isotrak.com