BRS computer matches drivers to vehicles
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• Commercial fleet operators are to be offered a computer programme to maximize the utilization of drivers and vehicles. It is based on research carried out by the consultancy service of the BRS Group.
The project sought to determine the likely pattern of availability of operating units (vehicle plus driver) by finding the mathematical relationship between driver and vehicle availability.
BRS quotes the example of 10 operational units in a licensing class, with non-availability of drivers owing to sickness, etc, and of vehicles due to breakdowns or maintenance, both averaging 10 per cent.
This showed that 10 units would be available 12.2 per cent of the time, more than seven units would be available 86.5 per cent of the time, and at least one spare driver would be on hand 34.4 per cent of the time.
Although the method used by BRS is simple in concept, the solving of a problem involves much calculation and it was appropriate to devise a computer programme. This programme is to be put at the disposal of all BRS regional companies and, at very low cost, to companies and organizations operating transport.
It can be used to help determine the number of drivers and vehicles necessary to meet given service levels in terms of vehicles on the road, and also the amount that can be afforded to be spent in reducing non-availabilities, eg on more preventive vehicle maintenance.
The data needed to run the programme is historical or projected driver nonavailabilities and vehicle non-availabilities. The programme takes account of different categories of drivers and automatically allows for spare drivers to be allocated to vehicles in lower licence classes.
Mr R. Trigell, consultancy manager, British Road Services Ltd, gave details of the BRS research project recently to the transport study group of the Operational Research Society.