Capital Equipment News July 2018

FLEET MANAGEMENT

to retrieve information and put corrective measures in place. The Control Package is an advanced set of services that help fleet owners utilise vehicle and driver follow-ups and operational information to support their transport processes. “The Control Package is particularly effective for fleet owners who need the most up-to-date vehicle information available at all times,” says Van der Westhuizen. As is the case with the Monitoring Package, the Control Package allows access to Scania’s app, the Scania Fleet Management portal on any computer and all the information offered through the Monitoring Package. However, fleet managers can also access additional useful information and functions, including: • Driver Evaluation – it lets fleet owners check drivers’ driving style so they can help them improve their driving to save fuel and reduce vehicle wear. • Vehicle Evaluation – lets fleet managers check the vehicles’ performance parameters, including fuel economy and emissions so they can troubleshoot maintenance to reduce downtime. • Fuel Report – provides an overview of fuelling events such as when and where refuelling occurred, which driver carried it out and how much the fuel level changed. • Events Report – provides a list of occurred events in the fleet. An event could be, for example, low engine oil pressure, or truck door opened. • Vehicle Tracking – lets fleet managers follow their fleet and monitor each vehicle’s status. They can also know each driver’s location, speed and accumulated driving time. It also allows for setting geofence alarms for borders and restricted areas. • Fleet Position – shows the fleet’s current positions, vehicle status (on/off, moving direction), and accumulated driving time. • Messaging Service – offers quick and easy communication across the company’s workforce through instant messaging, increasing efficiency and reducing downtime. “For further peace of mind, the sys- tem also offers traceability and safe storage of historical communication,” explains Van der Westhuizen. “What also makes the Control Package a unique offering is that there are a fixed communication costs with no costly roaming charges,” even when the vehicle is travelling cross-border. Fighting the big enemy Fuel is widely regarded as the biggest cost driver for many fleets and the

The Control Package is an advanced set of services that help fleet owners utilise vehicle and driver follow-ups and operational information to support their transport processes.

current incessant fuel price increases continue to put fleet owners under pressure. Van der Westhuizen says 45% of the TCO is for variable costs such as fuel, tyres and tolls, among other things. He reasons that fuel is a major portion in this group and is estimated to contribute 30-40% of the TCO based on operation. Van der Westhuizen agrees that there are a number of enemies when it comes to fuel management, all the way from unnecessary idling, poor driving standards and fuel siphoning. “When a customer has the Control Package, it allows them to be in full control of their vehicles, anywhere, anytime. We can identify any drastic fuel level drop and the geographic point it occurred to get to the bottom of possible fuel theft,” says Van der Westhuizen. One major factor that affects fuel consumption, according to Van der Westhuizen, is driver behaviour. By utilising Driver Evaluation reports, fleet managers can identify areas

The Monitoring Package is an easy-to-use service that puts fleet owners on the right track to improving their fleet economy – even for small fleets.

where their drivers can improve to optimise fuel consumption. “This is an ongoing process, and the bigger the fleet, the bigger the savings. Being consistent on monitoring driving styles and continuous coaching can result in a significant fuel saving,” concludes Van der Westhuizen. ❂

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