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A finger on the pulse
Page 16
Page 17
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Cybit's John Wisdom talks telematics, vehicle tracking systems, round-the-world yachting races and the benefits available to operators.
WortisRoger Brown / ri-la9es:: Graham Richardson
WHAT HAVE vehicle tracking and a round-the-world yacht race got in common, you may ask?
Quite a lot, as it happens. One leading provider of vehicle tracking systems to the road transport industry has also been involved in recording the position, direction and speed of each yacht in the nine-month Volvo Ocean Race, which began last October. Thanks to Cybit's BlueFinger tracking technology, yachting fans have been able to follow the progress of each of the 10 stages of the 37,000-nautical-mile race in the form of a three-dimensional image.
And although the day-to-day routine of transporting goods by road is not perhaps regarded as glamorous as that of round-the-world yachting, it is just as important to Cybit, which boasts a customer list that includes Fowler Welch-Coolchain, RCS Logistics and Abel and Cole.
Gaining momentum
John Wisdom, group sales and marketing director at the company, has more than 20 years' experience in the transport and logistics industry working at companies such as Ryder, Nedlloyd Group, United States Line and Geest.
And he is positively evangelistic about the merits of telematics.
"Hauliers are beginning to realise the significant benefits of the technology, which can help reduce operating costs
and improve efficiencies': he tells CM. "Fuel costs can be reduced by utilising vehicle telematics to manage routing and scheduling; operational control; speed management; driver behaviour; and vehicle performance."
He adds: "It allows fleet engineers to study detailed vehicle performance analysis through real-time delivery and processing of detailed data. In addition, there are tools to help haulage firms comply with an increasing legislative, taxation and compliance burden."
Product launch
Last year, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire-based Cybit unveiled Fleetstar Logistics — a telematics software package developed in conjunction with Truck 24 (a leading German-based telematics vendor that Cybit acquired in April 2008).
As part of the Fleetstar package, trucks are fitted with a small electronic unit that is tracked by GPS in real-time. Data is transmitted via the 02 network to Cybit's online control centre. The software provides information on both vehicle and driver, and includes workflow management, engine management reporting, fuel performance monitoring. and drivers' hours compliance.
Wisdom reveals: "Most telematics platforms operate across several different industry sectors. However, Fleetstar Logistics is meant for the logistics in
dustry only; and we believe we have an excellent knowledge of the requirements of road transport operators."
Fleetstar incorporates a timesheet, which displays the times a vehicle has spent moving, stopped at a job, at base, idling, or at unauthorised locations. Its duty-of-care module has been specifically designed to help organisations deal with the requirements of the Corporate Manslaughter Act.
It allows fleet managers and company directors to log core data to demonstrate their compliance and to easily monitor excessive journey times, speeds, driver licence validity, vehicle service history and driver qualifications — all linked to live positioning information. This data can be recorded, stored and produced on demand.
Wisdom says: "Cybit's growth has previously been fuelled by a corporate need to manage costs, emissions and customer service.
Recent parliamentary legislation, including the Corporate Manslaughter Act, provides further incentive for organisations to invest in technology to monitor compliance.
"Telematics provides systematic procedures and reporting that enhances an organisation's ability to comply without any undue administrative burden."
Security benefits
According to Wisdom, it is also possible for operators to improve fleet security through the use of software technology.
Wisdom says that when a company has a truck parked in a depot overnight, its software can send an alert informing a manager if it is taken or moved unexpectedly.
"This is particularly important if a truck is carrying high-value goods," he adds "We believe security telematics can be particularly useful for the likes of scrap metal firms and for companies wanting to check the whereabouts of their trailers."
Wisdom believes the technology could also be beneficial for businesses in the home delivery sector; "Home delivery drivers make a large number of drops; the driver pulls up outside a house, and may leave the key in the ignition — which may make it a target. Telematics can send an alert to the company boss should this happen."
It may not be quite as glamorous as sailing around the world, but anything that makes vehicles run more efficiently is certainly worth alerting the company boss about, •