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It's never been easier to monitor vehicles and drivers and
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improve your operational efficiency. There's even help from the truck makers. Sharon Clancy reports on factory-fitted telematics systems.
Are you one of those people whose eyes glaze over whenever the subject of telematics comes up, dismissing it as fancy high-tech stuff divorced from the practicalities of day-to-day truck operations? If so, you might be missing a golden opportunity to improve your bottom line through better management: telematics can help you keep track of vehicles, drivers' hours, fuel consumption, delivery schedules and servicing bills.
The trick is to stop thinking of telematics as a technology you ought to get to grips with when you've got time, and to start looking at how telematics systems can help you run your business more efficiently. At a basic level, telematics means capturing on-board data about the vehicle and driver performance. This information is a vital element in any telematics package because of its big impact on overall costs. Reducing engine idle time, for example, directly improves fuel consumption, especially on multi-drop operations.
Reducing the fuel consumption by even a fraction can have a dramatic effect on your annual fuel bill, and the higher the mileage, the bigger the potential saving.
When you combine this basic data capture with GPS tracking and mobile communications, you get what most people think of as telematics. You can retrieve the on-board data without the vehicle returning to base, so can react more quickly to any emerging problem. Also, because you can communicate with the vehicle or driver whenever necessary, there is more opportunity to cut costs. If you know where vehicles are, for exam
ple, you know which one is closest to an available load and can re-route it. You can direct drivers precisely to an unfamiliar drop address, or re-route them round a congestion hot spot. You can tell your customers when a vehicle is due, or prove exactly how long your truck was kept waiting at an RDC.
In-depth data
Nowadays. you don't have to go further than your local truck dealer to get some of these benefits: the truck will even indude the cost of the kit in contract hire and leasing packages. Dealers stand a
better chance of keeping you as a customer if they can help you achieve maximum fuel economy on your trucks. And if a truck's fuel consumption is poor, they want you to have enough performance data to judge whether it is the driver or the truck that is at fault.
Gathering in-depth vehicle telemetry data is much easier on modern trucks thanks to their CAN bus (Computer Area Network) electrical systems. The CAN bus carries data from the various electronic control systems, relaying it to a Fentral vehicle management computer. Even on older vehicles, it is possible to access performance data, although if you want more than very basic information, you will have to retrofit an on-board data kapture unit such as those from ICS black Box, Siemens VDO or VeM IS.
Although data can be stored on a
rnartcard or retrieved by plugging a cornuter into a communications port, emote data downloading is now rela'vely simple to do, via a GSM mobile telephone, data and/or radio network. Michael Leeming, general manager of AN Telematics Service, says operators
n get all the telemetry data they need for o more than L3 per month per truck.
1.1
e advantage is that it can be autoatic—you do not have to remember to !lo it. But the truth is that raw data isn't necessarily that useful. What you need is a +way of converting it by telematics into information, and then into knowledge. It As about you knowing your firm, your trucks and your operating margins.
1 Busy operators may not have the time to produce reports which provide this easy knowledge: a fact recognised by some of the truck manufacturers, includ ing Daf, MAN, Scania and Volvo. They offer Internet-based fleet reporting systems in which, for a monthly fee, they will download the data from the truck and produce reports according to your criteria which you can then retrieve from their website. MAN charges L65 a month for its comprehensive service, but points out that that is easily recouped in the fuel savings that usually result.
Reports can be as basic or comprehensive as you want, ranging from a simple snapshot of the fleet over a given period down to individual trucks and drivers. MAN, for example, can tell you how often a particular driver used the exhaust and service brakes, when he selected cruise control, how long he spent in each gear and even how many times he depressed the clutch.
What's on offer
Volvo was the first truck manufacturer to integrate truck management and communications functions in a single telematics package with its ground-breaking Dynafleet system. Dynafleet II incorporates a stylish pop-up colour monitor which has improved clarity. It is used to display messages, driver and map infor mation and can also serve as the display screen for a reversing camera. There are two versions: Vehicle Management, which is specific to Volvo vehicles, and Transport Management which can be used in mixed-marque fleets.
Dynafleet Online is the Internet-based service that allows operators to get reports on all the vehicles in the fleet for a monthly subscription charge. Volvo argues that if a third party is compiling the data and preparing the reports, there is more likelihood the data will actually get used and operators will make the comparisons needed to initiate changes that will help them cut costs. Data available includes distance covered, fuel consumption, the next scheduled service and driver information.
MAN first introduced telematics packages with the TG-A range and began offering them to ERF operators last year. There is now a separate division called MAN-ERF Telematic Services. It offers the usual real-time data information and communications services, but also direct connection to MAN's breakdown recovery network. Response to a breakdown is more efficient because MAN dealers can remotely access the vehicle CAN-bus which allows the technician remote access to diagnostic codes, ensuring he arrives with the correct parts and tools.
Vehicle location data is displayed in full postcode detail with a high-resolution map. The operator can also assign out-of-bounds areas that sound an alarm at the transport office. MAN says another benefit is that operators have proof of location in the event of a dispute or penalty charge for late delivery.
Driver performance
Scania is on the second generation of its Fleet Analysis System. The Vehicle Data Communicator (VDC) transmits data from the vehicle to the telematics portal without any intervention by the driver. As well as location, it can transmit selected information from the vehicle's CAN-bus data network.
Data includes mileage, fuel consumption and engine running time, in total and during engine idling periods. Combined with a Casio Cassiopeia personal digital assistant (P DA) or hand-held computer, the VDC is transformed into a GSM-based communications centre, receiving and sending messages both by test SMS and hands-free voice. It can incorporate route-planner software so drivers can be sent precise instructions about how to find delivery addresses. Back in the office, the FAS can be used to measure and compare data for different vehicles and drivers.
Driver performance can be a contentious issue, points out Scania, but it says the Fleet Analysis System managers can tackle the problem of under-performance objectively. Drivers can check even their actual performance against a target value on the dashboard.
Early versions of DaimlerChrysler's Fleetboard telematics system were specific to Mercedes-Benz, but the German truck maker has signed up to the FMS standard. The in-cab keyboard and communications port can even be fitted on conventionally-wired trucks, but if you want to exploit the full potential of Fleetboard, you'll need to retrofit VeMIS (Vehicle Management Information System) to capture on-board data.
Mercedes-Benz first introduced its internet-based Fleetboard telematics service in Europe two years ago. The service is built around what Mercedes calls "the brain" of a haulage company—the despatch department. It ranges from vehicle and maintenance management to load planning and vehicle despatch, mapping and tracking.
Analysis reports
Renault was an early pioneer of onboard vehicle data capture with the Mack-developed V-MAC (Vehicle Management and Control) system. V-MAC III is designed for electronically-controlled Euro-3 engines and a vehicle control unit, VECU. Infomax software is used to produce analysis reports. Renault has teamed up with Alcatel and Groeneveld to provide remote downloading of vehicle data and communications via either satellite or GSM networks. The in-cab unit allows the driver to monitor his own performance and send and receive operational messages.
Foden was one of the first to recognise that collecting data is only the first step: it needs to be collated in user-friendly reports if operators are to maximise the benefits. That's exactly what the FODEX (Foden Data Extraction Service) system does. It works with both Caterpillar and Cummins engines in the Alpha range. Data is extracted from the engine electronic control units. VODEX downloads the data at pre-agreed intervals via a GSM link, without driver or operator intervention. It then produces summaries of vehicle performance and detailed analysis of improvement opportunities. Information can include individual and group truck performance, trip reports, delay reports, trailer information.
There is an in-cab data input screen for drivers to record information on deliveries, delays and other operational information, and a data acquisition unit for downloading and transmitting the data to the FODEX Centre in Sandbach.
Daf offers telematics through Daf-tel, its internet-based fleet management system developed in conjunction with BT's Fleet On-line service. This combines Siemens VDO Automotive's FM2000 incab hardware with communications from BT redcare, which has wide experience of fixed asset monitoring and secure data ommunications.
The data is collected in real time, and perators can choose to manage the fleet n an exception basis, with e-mail alerts if parameters are exceeded. There are over 3o configurable reports and charts including vehicle utilisation reports, identifying Under-used and surplus vehicles.
Daf says potential savings include up to 7% in fuel costs, up to 15% on tyres through reduced mileage from more effibent trip planning, and 15% on insurance premiums.
Iveco is the latest truck maker to embrace telematics with its Sateltrack nternet-based fleet management system find the Comp Daily telematics package On the new Daily van. On trucks, data is ollected by the Vehicle Data Interface (VDI), fitted as standard on all Stralis rnodels and an optional retrofit on any Iveco truck with an electronically-controlled Cursor engine. An on-board telematics unit combines a GPS tracking device, data transmission unit and GSM Communications capability. It can take Inputs from other sensors, including those monitoring temperature and door openings.
AN-makes systems
Factory-fitted telematics are a recent development, so far confined mainly to trucks. To bring vans and older, conventionally-wired, vehicles into the picture, you'll need to retrofit an on-board data capture unit, usually fitting in the radio slot in the dashboard.
They can interface with various system on the truck or van, including the rev counter, tachograph (where fitted), fuel meter, power-take-off, and exhaust brake. The trip computer displays instantaneous or trip fuel consumption to encourage light throttle application at cruising speeds. Each driver has a smart card which must be inserted before the vehide can be driven. Operators can preset performance parameters and the units record when they are exceeded.
VeMIS, ICS Black Box and Siemens VDO are the best known of the third-party data-capture systems. VeMIS pioneered on-board computers and already has 10,000 units in service. The company was bought by DaimlerChrysler in z000, but managing director Richard Case stresses that VeMIS remains an all-makes solution. It can, for example, collect fuel data from trucks with older engines and on Cummins Celect engines.
The optional driver-training console provides reminders of engine characteristics and limits for deceleration, speed and idling times for that particular vehicle. "It's like having a driver trainer permanently in the cab. Even experienced drivers may need to adapt their driver style when changing vehicles to get the most economical performance."
The latest model, VeMIS 3, incorporates integrated telematics functions such as tracking and communications and has four expansion ports to connect to other devices.
Siemens VDO's FM2000 data recorder fits behind the dashboard, recording time, motion and distance details of the vehicle's activity.
Up to four other functions can be added, and the FM terminal allows the driver to record operational data such as reasons for waiting time or customer account numbers. Data can be analysed using FM2000 software or downloaded remotely.