Tag: GPS

construction tracking, gps, gofleet, construction, equipment

Have A Construction Site? Here’s Why You Need Asset Tracking

Posted on | by Alexis | Leave a Comment on Have A Construction Site? Here’s Why You Need Asset Tracking

Employing asset tracking solutions for your construction business allows you to access and assess critical performance data of your assets in real-time, whether you’re on-site or not. When you can collect and access data, you’re able to maximize the utilization of assets that are essential for the daily operations across your sites and operations

 

With so many asset tracking and management options available to the construction industry, it’s difficult to know which one is the best option for you. In this post, we’ll help guide you towards the best choice for your assets and your business. Below, we’ve listed some of the most important things that asset trackers can provide to your construction business.

 

Modular Construction Tracking

 

Building something offsite? Modular projects require many of the same protocols as on-site builds. “There’s definitely a benefit, especially depending on how they’re putting these modules together,” says William Hudson one of GoFleet’s Sales Consultant’s. “I’ve had a use case with a construction company that wanted different asset tracking for different pieces of pipe. So they had a lay down yard, then put an asset tracker on everything to differentiate which piece was which, as well as where they were located at any given point in time.” 

 

Asset trackers have a number of similar applications, allowing project managers to access critical data, such as equipment details and materials used. “So now, instead of walking through a massive field of all these different parts, you can actually know exactly where they’re located by the name of the device, instead of wasting time and productivity looking for each individual piece,” says Hudson.

 

Reduced Theft

 

One of the biggest challenges facing the construction industry is theft. People will often target small assets because they can be hidden and removed easily. But even larger assets are at risk for theft. Asset trackers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, helping improve the security of your construction assets and reduce the risk of theft and loss by tracking and tagging your tools, machinery, vehicles, equipment and building materials. 

 

As an example, GoFleet’s BeWired asset tracker is an end-to-end asset tracking solution for non-vehicle assets of all sizes, including trailers, dry containers and heavy equipment. BeWired can be integrated by third-party software to provide data such as movement alerts, detailed location and movement history, triggering updates and much more.

 

More Safety For Your Construction Workers

 

Recent reports claim that accidents on a construction site are among the most frequent causes of injury or accidental death. Faulty equipment represents significant safety hazards to workers on your site; by effectively tracking, managing and maintaining construction machinery and other assets, you can help prevent accidents. 

 

Schedule Repairs And Maintenance

 

Your site’s assets are critical for your business operation. One of the most important factors in managing construction equipment and tools involves knowing exactly what you have and how much they cost to operate. It’s also important to know when your assets require maintenance, repair or replacement. 

 

Use asset tracking to record an asset’s lifecycle and determine its peak performance, as well as when it needs to be repaired. “When an asset is actually plugged into a vehicle, you’re getting a lot more data coming in, like engine health, how the vehicle is being treated, how is this vehicle being driven?” says Hudson. 

 

Construction vehicles are no exception. “If you think in terms of construction, for example an excavator, a spreader, backhoe, trackers can plug into those as well,” Hudson continues. “There’s a lot more data coming in once you plug a tracker into a vehicle, because that vehicle has its own computer.”

 

Collected data can generate an asset profile that enables you to plan a preventative maintenance schedule and avoid unplanned downtime. By assessing your asset’s overall “health”, you can determine which ones are profitable, and which ones have a greater cost of ownership than your budget allows.

 

What To Consider Before You Purchase An Asset Tracker For Your Construction Business

 

Asset trackers can be used in the construction industry in a number of different ways, and most solutions are scalable, meaning they can apply to small and medium construction businesses, as well as larger construction enterprises with multiple sites and plants. 

 

As part of a comprehensive, end-to-end solution service, GoFleet can help you choose the right asset tracker for your construction operation. Here are some of the key pieces we would help you determine before making a purchase decision:

 

What Data Can Your Asset Trackers Provide?

 

In construction, the asset lifecycle starts with the decision to acquire or rent an asset, which can then be identified and tracked from acquisition to removal. 

 

The right asset tracker can gauge the entire cycle process of your assets, allowing contractors and project managers to determine the operational lifespan of an asset. By tracking your equipment, tools, plants, and vehicles, construction companies can begin to understand the need for certain assets and help avoid costly outcomes such as unplanned downtime. It also enables you to figure out the remaining service life of all assets, so you can plan ahead and invest in new equipment when needed. From these data sets, you could ostensibly create reports such as maintenance schedules to help your assets operate at maximum efficiency. 

 

Is Data Tracked In Real-Time?

 

Real-time tracking produces specific data around asset usage and location. An effective asset tracker can help you register and account for all of your construction assets; knowing their exact location helps increase productivity and reduce job lead times. For example, GoFleet’s BeWired asset tracker comes network and application-ready, protecting and tracking your equipment and other assets with a detailed history of their movement and location, usage reports, maintenance monitoring to prevent breakdowns, misuse alerts and more.

 

Do Your Employees Need Training?

 

Depending on the teams that require access, you’ll need to know how much training your workers need to operate the trackers. You should also be aware of training costs and how long it takes to train key stakeholders. The BeWired trackers are easy to install, maintenance-free and there’s no reader required, providing full support for a large number of devices and workers.

 

Conclusion

 

Asset tracking allows your business to maximize the assets you have, as well as their utilization. By using them within the construction industry, asset tracking also allows project managers, contractors and managers to enhance the lifespan of their assets, and improve business operations. At GoFleet, our consultants will help you identify your company’s goals, as well as determine the trackers you need based on size and scope, to deliver optimal results. Moreover, our experts will help you build an asset tracking system that’s scalable and can evolve with you as your business continues to grow. Contact us today!

yellow transport truck

EVs Are Here; Is Your Fleet Ready?

Posted on | by Alexis | Leave a Comment on EVs Are Here; Is Your Fleet Ready?

Many fleets are choosing to make the switch to electric vehicles (EVs). Or rather, the choice is being made for them. In Europe, gas-powered vehicles will no longer be sold to consumers as of 2025. The question is no longer if EVs will be commonplace on the road, but when.

 

To add to this challenge, EV manufacturers aren’t required to standardize the way in which they provide access to vehicle-side data, which could, in theory, require a new approach for accessing said data (and essential telematics insights) for each new EV model that hits the road. That is, of course, unless there is a telematics platform that helps bridge the gap and allow for a seamless integration of data.

 

Looking 5-10 years into the future, fleet managers closer to home are recognizing that transport vehicles are on the list to get “plugged in”, and that there’s inherent value in investing in the infrastructure to support them. But what do they need to know to make wise investments in EVs and their supporting architecture, while supporting the vehicles they already have? In this piece we’ll look at what you need to know to invest in the EV evolution, and how GoFleet can help make the transition near-effortless.

 

GoFleet Can Assess Your Current Vehicles

 

There’s no need to dispense with your entire gas-powered fleet just yet. The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is an estimate of the total cost to own a car for a five year period. It includes all spent expenses and losses incurred due to the vehicle’s depreciation. As a general rule of thumb, it’s time to replace your vehicle when the costs to repair are higher than the costs to buy, and using the TCO is a great way to predict and assess which vehicles will stay and which ones need to be replaced. This is just one of the ways GoFleet can save you time and money; purchase less and use what you’ve got.

 

Let us help you decrease the risk when the time comes to make difficult purchasing decisions. We’ll help you gauge the health of your gas-powered fleet, guide you through what to replace, and how to pool your resources more efficiently and effectively. We’ll help you create a hybridized fleet based on your business needs, while weighing them against the EV wave.

 

The OEM Connection

 

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are already collecting data around vehicle heath. GoFleet offers a software interface that partners with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to leverage embedded telematics systems and improve your purchasing decisions. Currently we support over 100 EV makes and models, including John Deere, Ford, GM and International to feed your UI with essential information.

 

The data produced by vehicles provide critical insights that help fleet operators manage and optimize their vehicles. Any vehicle that is not supported could become a liability for fleet managers.

 

GoFleet has spent years developing an industry-leading approach to accessing data, and we have intentionally built systems to make it easier and quicker to “speak with” various EV models, ensuring that we continue to grow our list of supported EVs.

 

We offer support for fleets of all sizes, including the largest EV makes and models available. We work directly with vehicle manufacturers to develop unique access to EV data, ensuring your EVs will have strong, critical data support now and in the future as you continue to augment your fleet. We have your entire fleet covered, and you can operate in confidence knowing there’s nothing missing from your data.

 

Manage New EVs Through Custom Notifications

 

GoFleet can create customized notifications and personalized, built-in rules to manage your EV fleet successfully. You can for example:

  • Receive notifications when a vehicle’s battery reaches a critical level while on the road and requires charging
  • Prioritize charging order for fleet EVs based on lowest charge level
  • Remind drivers when it’s time to plug in and charge the battery
  • Avoid charging during peak electricity times and rates by establishing ‘no-charge time’ rules

 

Map Functionality

 

Immediate charging status provides a view of which vehicles are actively being charged at any given time. GoFleet’s telematics include battery charge data in real-time, as well as charging status, allowing you to identify which EVs in your fleet have the greatest battery charge so you can dispatch the right vehicles to get the job done. 

 

GoFleet Keyless Solutions

 

What if you could remotely manage your fleet with a digital key solution that enables multiple drivers to share vehicles, without the need for physical key exchanges? The ability to use any vehicle without keys lowers the number of vehicles in your fleet to save time, money and resources. 

 

GoFleet provides a mobile app that allows you to start the vehicle and unlock the doors remotely. Secured keyless access ensures only authorized drivers can access your vehicles. No more waiting for the driver of an assigned vehicle to show up with the only set of keys in the fleet; with secured keyless access, you can take advantage of complete fleet visibility to reduce, repurpose or redistribute assets and increase utilization.

 

“It’s real money,” says Vishal Singh, President of GoFleet. Singh is a major proponent of cost-saving efficiencies through digital keyless solutions. “At any given time, only 50% of your vehicles are running. So rather than sharing keys, everyone has access to an app that allows them to use any vehicle in the fleet. So now you’ve lowered the number of vehicles you need in your fleet.” A move, Singh says, that can add up to major savings over time. 

 

“Let’s say I cut 20% of the vehicles in my fleet. If the average cost of a vehicle is $50,000, that’s a million dollars I’ve just saved because those vehicles aren’t just sitting in the lot. And I’m basically operating at the same efficiency and capacity as before, with fewer vehicles,” Singh says.

 

Reporting

 

Whether you have a gas-powered fleet or are looking to incorporate EVs into your business, GoFleet’s telematics can offer cost-saving opportunities with detailed reporting and valuable insights into how your vehicles are operating. Manage and support your fleet through real-time updates. Review fuel and energy usage to assess an average electric range and the performance of your EVs against regular fuel vehicles. 

 

Determine if you’re maximizing battery usage with a charging report; a complete history of your EVs from a charging perspective, showing you when and where your EVs are charging, how long they were charging at a specific location, and the amount of charge they received. GoFleet’s EV Charge Assurance provides an in-depth look at the charging status of all of your fleet’s electric vehicles, ensuring that they’re charged and ready to complete their route:

  • Receive alerts when battery levels of a vehicle reaches a dangerously low level while on the road and requires charging. 
  • Send reminders to your drivers when it’s time to plug in and create a charging order for your vehicles.
  • Eliminate charging during peak hours; set hours when your fleet should not charge due to peak electricity rate times and receive notifications when a vehicle is charging during those hours.

 

Conclusion

 

Making the transition to an electric fleet requires a shift in mindset. What does your fleet need? How can you make the best choice around when and how you acquire new vehicles? Whether you’re already ahead of the curve with a new EV fleet, or looking to integrate electric vehicles into your existing roster, GoFleet has the telematics tools to make the transition as seamless as possible. Let us bridge the gap with scalable solutions that help you get on the road faster and more efficiently – contact us today!

asset trackers, fleet management,

Asset Trackers: How Smart Utilization Leads To Efficiency And Cuts On Costs

Posted on | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment on Asset Trackers: How Smart Utilization Leads To Efficiency And Cuts On Costs

Today, all businesses including fleets, are trying to rapidly improve their efficiency to cut down on costs and raise productivity. When addressing fleets, many times the asset utilization rate goes unnoticed, and this causes a lack in efficiency that can be avoided.

Smart Utilization

Ensuring that the usage of each asset is maximized but not going overboard is simply called ‘Smart Utilization’. There are several scenarios when assets just catch dust and don’t get utilized because there’s an excess of that asset, and vice versa with ones being over utilized. 

Fleets often overlook this strategy making it a critical strategy to review and implement. Doing so will allow fleets to expect to see visibility of finances, unnecessary costs and gaps in maintenance procedures.

 

What Is The Smart Utilization Strategy

If all assets are tracked based on their utilization rates, fleets can figure out which assets are being under and overused and make decisions accordingly. If assets are being underused, this means there’s an excess of the resource and it’s being wasted. If an asset is overused, this will create maintenance issues with it as it’s being used way too much and will be prone to breaking down. This will provide fleets with the information of how many assets they need to add or remove from their fleet for maximizing efficiency and staying within budget.

Key performance indicators for vehicles include days driven, drive time and mileage while key performance indicators for other assets include operation duration times and location tracking. Fleets can easily view these statistics from their telematics system online.

 

Smart Benefits of Smart Utilization 

By using a smart utilization strategy, fleets actually implement a smart cost management solution because they use all their resources to their maximum capability and get the highest return on investment.

With the additional data on the number of resources required, fleets can ensure there are enough resources to run at maximum efficiency to get the best results in the long run. Since all assets will now be properly used and no longer overused, they will have a long lifespan.

 

How Smart Utilization Can Be Beneficial

Utilization reports show which assets are hardly used or overused, or in downtime for maintenance or repair. Monitoring this activity will help fleets improve on replacement cycling and will also quickly point out areas of opportunity to re-deploy vehicles into other areas of the business. Consistently tagging, giving a title and insuring unused assets is expensive and renting would be a better business decision during surge times.

 

The Right Asset Tracker For Your Fleet

The benefits of smart utilization can be provided by most asset trackers, but each track excels in different situations. To determine which asset tracker a fleet would find most beneficial, let’s have a look at the different types of trackers available to take advantage of.

 

The Flex Solar-Making Use Of Free Energy

The Flex Solar is a solar powered asset tracker designed to track bulk cargo containers, vehicles and other large assets with no direct power supply. Solar energy is a great source of energy for large assets travelling far or being stored outside for long (like shipping containers) because they are often standalone assets with no power supply. 


The ZenRemora – A Simple Solution To Asset Tracking

The ZenRemora is a great alternative to the Flex Solar if you have to rely on an ion battery if solar energy is challenging to depend on. On top of general asset monitoring, it also has additional features including anti-theft mode, tamper detection, geo-fence awareness and expandability opportunities with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons.

 

The ZenFalcon – Temperature Is Now A Known Variable

The ZenFalcon is a temperature-sensitive asset tracker allowing fleets to monitor temperature and humidity. Fleets can continually monitor these variables with the 5-year battery life and hourly reporting ZenFalcon has to offer. If ensuring that the goods/assets are in proper temperature and humidity conditions, the ZenFalcon should be taken into consideration.

 

The BlackBerry Radar – Prioritizing Load Management

The BlackBerry Radar focuses on asset tracking for cargo, vehicles and non-motorized assets like bulk containers, trailers and various equipment where content capacity has to primarily be monitored. Implementing this allows fleets to properly plan their loading process for improved efficiency. 

 

ZenBeacon – Asset Tracking Independent Of Cellular Coverage

The ZenBeacon provides data on light exposure, temperature, asset impact and provides an alternative to Radio Frequency Identity (RFID) tracking via BLE beacons. Designed to have a long battery life, this would be beneficial for assets traveling to locations with no cellular coverage.

 

The SmartOne’sC – Reliability Outside Of Cellular Coverage

The SmartOne’sC is a self-charging solution to support long term remote deployments without the need to replace the battery. Using a highly efficient solar cell, it can continuously charge the battery and maximize operating life, even under extreme weather conditions.

Using any of these trackers will shed light on what assets are truly being used, allowing for decisions about renting, selling and purchasing to be made. For example, if there are certain assets not being used enough to justify the purchase and upkeep costs, operators may decide to only rent the assets during peak times. In comparison, fleets who see some assets being overly depended on, will allow them to see whether they should consider renting or even purchasing additional assets to alleviate stress and maintenance requirements on the assets already deployed. 

All these trackers can determine the utilization rates of an asset, but they each excel at different things. Depending on what matches your fleet’s needs, that would be the asset tracker to learn more about. Improving utilization rates for each asset in a fleet will help financially and improve overall management in the long run. For further learning about the specifics and details of these trackers, contact us now.

winter operation programs, winter, snow plow, gps, telematics, winter operation departments

What’s On The Horizon For Winter Operation Departments

Posted on | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment on What’s On The Horizon For Winter Operation Departments

As the weather begins to get colder and with many cities around the world already seeing snow, it’s time for winter operation programs to kick their initiatives into full gear. For many departments this includes performing comprehensive research on how they can improve their efforts. 

Sound familiar? Keep reading as we will discuss the various factors that winter maintenance fleets must stay on top of and how new technology is critical in their success. 

 

How Some Winter Operation Departments Are Falling Behind 

Depending on several factors including budget, need or even manpower, some winter operation fleets fall behind in terms of leveraging smart technologies. What this means is that many fleets may not be utilizing new strategies, initiatives or technologies. As a result, certain operational efficiencies are automatically lost causing a decrease of productivity, optimization, and visibility.

What should winter operation programs look out for to know whether this is happening to them? 

First, they should look at the operations of their competitors or the industry as a whole. This is a critical first step to easily see whether you’re behind in certain areas. Fleets should look out for the following: 

  • How other municipalities or fleets can share mapping information publicly on a visible and modern map solution 
  • How other teams are maintaining workflow and reporting easily and efficiently 
  • Productivity or costs that are quickly diminishing 

Next, teams should research best practices online and see what the conversations surrounding new initiatives are. 

 

Things That Every Fleet Needs To Know About 

Things are constantly changing – it’s evident. However, it’s important to know what GoFleet, an industry leader in 360 fleet solutions, has observed and thinks is important for fleets to know about.

 

Smarter Software Than Just GPS 

Certain software solutions are already widely used. Often this incorporates basic GPS tracking solutions to ensure the location and route of a vehicle is known. This allows on a basic level, for teams to monitor compliance and route completion. 

Where things get innovative, is when software is leveraged to utilize this GPS data to monitor more data. Pushing data into software with algorithms that leverage GPS information visually is how the data can be displayed publicly. Often this is via an embedded code on a website that automatically pulls real-time information that the fleet pre-categorizes to be available to the public. By doing this, it allows winter operations departments to be transparent so civilian drivers can better plan routes and ensure that safe roads will be used for travel. 

Additionally, this map data can be manipulated to show compliance on an internal level. Efforts can be reviewed for efficiency and steps can be taken so roads are cleared in adequate times. Reports can also be created to prove that compliance is met at all times. How is this possible? Geofencing – a tool which divides map locations into zones to section off tasks or designate tasks and routes. 

To summarize, connected software solutions allows for the following to be completed within winter operation fleets:

  • Vehicle optimization and fuel usage reports to ensure efficiency  
  • Fleet compliance to regulations in regards to snow clearing 
  • Driver behaviour reports to ensure safe driving is monitored 
  • Resource utilization reports to monitor quantity and location span of where resources are used – this can include fuel, salt and even sand 
  • Geofencing to track progress, next routes and restrictions 

 

Connected Hardware Options

Hardware may seem obvious, it’s not that simple. There’s more to hardware in winter department fleets than one may think. By leveraging connected hardware solutions and sensors to track pre-existing hardware, even more intel can be collected on fleets – this is a necessity for winter departments reviewing current operations. 

By leveraging connected hardware, more data can be collected. Meaning the above points related to software solutions can in fact be accurate so proper actions can be executed. Not only does this include GPS tracking such as the GO9 device, but also a dash camera system, driver ID system and much more. Integrating these products and connecting them internally allows for the following: 

  • The GO9 monitors HOS compliance, GPS location, engine performance and more
  • Dash cameras can monitor and record not only driving events or accidents, but whether the driver is attentive to the road ahead
  • Driver ID systems ensuring that the right driver is operating the proper vehicle and the timing of shiftwork 

For aspects of the vehicle that don’t allow for an initial connected piece of equipment like plows, salt or sand dispensers, sensors can be leveraged. Installing smart sensors to track various vehicle actions or tasks ensures complete visibility. In regards to winter department vehicles, sensors monitor when plow equipment is used – proper tracking of route and work commencement can happen as the sensor will detect when the plow is truly in operation (being down or up). As well, sensors can display a proper picture of resource utilization throughout a route and whether certain locations were over or under served. This ensures resources are not wasted to keep costs low. 

 

Have All Of This In Place? This Is What Is On The Horizon… 

If you’re one of the winter department operations who have all of this in place, it’s still important to stay up to date with future trends. This will ensure that your team is prepared with new tools and strategies in upcoming seasons. The following is predicted to be introduced: 

  • Intelligent camera technologies will use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to improve data collection from equipment via smart city networks 
  • The environment will become a larger focus as electric snow plow vehicles are leveraged to reduce carbon emissions and lower operational costs 
  • Vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication will evolve on a 5G network that will provide fast lines of communication 
  • Operations can be automated as autonomous vehicles are introduced to eliminate human error and costs 

While much of the information stated above is directly related to winter operation departments, the same technology and thinking will be seen in other industries. If you’re interested in learning more about how your fleet, regardless of the industry, can improve or better prepare for future technical challenges, contact us today. 

Telematics in dangerous sectors

How Telematics Comes Into Play In Dangerous Sectors

Posted on | by Anna | Leave a Comment on How Telematics Comes Into Play In Dangerous Sectors

In any industry, workplace safety is of critical importance. Industries where contract workers are hired by authoritative management corporations to complete tasks in dangerous sectors, often find themselves looking at how they can improve safety measures.

As many tasks in these fields require the use of heavy machinery or the movement of large and hazardous items – many are looking at how telematics advancements can help.

 

Hiring In Dangerous Sectors

To fully understand the need to implement safety measures via telematics, the hiring process must be understood in dangerous sectors such as construction, transportation, forestry or logging and even mining and oil. In these industries, businesses often outsource work by hiring contractors rather than hire full or part-time workers. There are number of reasons why:

 

Productivity and Finances 

Often in these dangerous sectors, this type of work is seasonal. This means that workers are only required at certain times of the year. Corporations prefer the flexibility of outsourcing work, so they do not have to deal with the administrative challenges of constantly having to layoff workers at the end of each busy season.

Corporations understand the massive financial benefits of outsourcing to contractors. Operations managers discovered that by hiring seasonally, they can perform cost comparisons in terms of productivity and pay for all workers.

They are able to perform such comparisons during the season to monitor and re-hire the best-performing contractors. As a result, corporations can maximize their productivity and revenues, allowing them to remain competitive in an aggressive marketplace.

 

Reduced Liability  

By outsourcing work and hiring seasonal contractors, many corporations also find that they can improve their liability risk. This enables their business to be more focused on supplying the proper safety requirements, while the actual need to carry out safe work practices are shifted to a  constructor or general contractor who undertakes ownership of the project.

It is important to highlight that corporations will be required to ensure safety in the means of: (i) ensuring proper training is available; (ii) all workers and supervisors are properly trained on safety policies or precautions; (iii) have the appropriate safety tools; or (iv) the proper equipment and safety environment to protect the workers.

This means that the constructor is responsible for ensuring that all workers on site are complying with safety policies, procedures and obligations – or inadvertent liability.

 

Risk Evaluation and Assessment: Onsite and Offsite 

In sectors where authoritative management governs worksites, the concern of safety does not end there. There are risks when workers are moving supplies or travelling between sites. When risk is evident in numerous locations at varying times, the need to collect and analyze data to evaluate risk becomes even more critical. 

 

Onsite Risk

Onsite risks are typically limited to the immediate actions of contractors. Often this refers to the knowledge of training and precautionary measures taken by workers while completing tasks. For example, knowing how to safely harvest timber and load lumber into the flatbed of a truck with the use of heavy machinery. When proper training and undamaged tools or equipment is utilized, the onsite risk is significantly lowered.

 

Offsite Risk

In comparison, offsite risks are factored-in to the immediate actions of contractors – as well as their working environment. As much as offsite risks arise when goods are being transported, contractors must be attentive to their surroundings. A wide range of unpredictable incidents can happen at any job site – including injury, road clean up and even lost resources.

A business can mitigate the risks by having pre-trip checks on the vehicle or implementing tools to ensure that strict safety protocols are being followed.

 

How Authoritative Management Can Reduce Risks

To properly reduce risk and liability concerns, fleets in these dangerous sectors must investigate risks and assess danger in the field. To better understand current initiatives and procedures, companies must evaluate key historical safety indicators – which will shed light on how efforts may need to change.   

In order to fully understand your current KPIs and solutions framework, a telematics assessment should be performed. It’s important to note that while solutions may have several advantages, it is critical to understand how the solution will specifically target safety.

There are three options that can be implemented in industries that are dangerous or hazardous for its workers.

 

1 Sensorizing Your Fleet 

Installing sensors throughout your fleet can minimize risk as the devices can act as a safety precaution. Since the technology transmits various data internally, many corporations have found sensors to be useful for the following: displaying real-time GPS location, displaying alerts or notifications and confirming weight or load requirements.

When sensors are installed onto equipment or vehicles, teams can know the exact movement of the asset it is attached to, in addition to certain compliance requirements that may need to be met – such as weight or load. However, one important use to highlight is the alert system for trip inspections, as the sensor can convey whether certain safety precautions are faulty. This means that unsecure lids or caps, loose straps, completed walk around checks or even whether a contractor has the proper training on file to use certain equipment can be detected. 

 

2 Increased Visibility With Cameras 

Cameras can be installed throughout fleets to monitor the use and performance of vehicles and heavy equipment. Not only can this record the events in view of the device, such as general employee safety on site, but it detects whether contractors are using the equipment properly while moving between two points.

The most important feature of using the cameras, however, is to perform incident reviews when there is an accident, reported issue or complaint of delay. By having footage readily available, site managers are able to review what happened rather than rely on worker or civilian recollection. Meaning proper actions like additional training, suspension, or understanding of liability and fault can happen. 

 

3 Safety Scoring And Training Integrations 

As previously mentioned, cameras can be used to help shed light on more training opportunities. Specifically, equipment use via engine monitoring and camera surveillance can be used to determine safety scores for each worker. This allows for performance ratings to be completed and even allows for training or site suspension to be assigned based on the person’s skills or knowledge of procedures.

 

Use Case: Forestry and Logging 

To ensure safety in a high-risk sector like forestry, many authoritative corporations are implementing telematics solutions throughout their operations. Such telematics solutions include the three previously discussed tools: sensors, cameras and scoring or training systems. 

By sensorizing fleets, corporations in logging are able to ensure that certain actions are always taken and even set up alerts to notify workers when certain actions were not taken. This is specific to the loading process on a logging site when lumber is placed on flatbed trucks to move it to the millsite. Since these vehicles are moving thousands of pounds of lumber, if straps are not secure, cargo can find its way off the vehicle while on route. If this happens, regardless of whether it is on public or private roadways, death and injury of a bystander becomes a real concern. 

Fleets that install cameras on vehicles and heavy machinery find that they can better monitor the behaviour of employees – focusing on whether individuals are acting safely by following procedures. This enables companies to flag safety concerns. Such concerns include insecure loads being dispatched or contractors forgoing pre-trip checks. 

Cameras are also useful when offsite vehicles can sometimes be involved in accidents involving civilians, such as accidents with other vehicles or dangerous driving. Verifying what really transpired by reviewing the driver footage can shed light as to what truly happened and who was at fault. It can also provide a resolution framework as incidents are documented and structural changes are made to rectify them

Lastly, all of the information collected on employee behaviour can be reviewed and submitted into a scoring system. Meaning managers can see who is following safety protocols and who may need additional training.

To learn more about how telematics is being used right now, check out our recent success story that features Forest Trotter by clicking here.

 

Operational Congestion at airport

Part II: The Solution To Operational Congestion – A Congestion Management Strategy

Posted on | by Anna | Leave a Comment on Part II: The Solution To Operational Congestion – A Congestion Management Strategy

In Part I, we discussed how operational congestion is very costly and a major source of problems for businesses. If it is not addressed, it will starkly impact operation managers from a financial and productivity standpoint, and result in customer dissatisfaction.

In Part II, we will discuss how highly localized environments like airports must use a solutions-based management strategy to prevent congestion and work pauses/stoppages.

 

Why Data Collection Will Allow For A Better Understanding Of Operations

In order to solve the issue of congestion in any localized environment, it is critical for factors into what is causing the congestion to be broken down. After highlighting these factors, a complete review of the assets within the localized area must happen to better understand the need and intensity of the demand. A specific spotlight must be put on the time and dates of movement and the severity of the resulting congestion. When this is completed, only then can insight to what triggers congestion can be understood and addressed with a solution.

 

Airport Resource Management – Data Collection and Airport Congestion

When dealing with airport resource management and congestion, this framework can be easily applied. The factors that cause the congestion can be analyzed – focusing on when runway traffic happens, what assets are involved, what the travelling speed of the assets are and what the posted speed of the roads are, as well as the intensity of the congestion. 

Generally, it is found that when more flights are landing or departing, more assets are required to service the aircrafts. This results in a buildup of congestion and only recedes once servicing assets are in detention.

Once this information is known and is cross analyzed with the speed of the roads, mapping can be completed to show the correlation of the average speed – what time slow downs are happening – and understand where major congestion points are.

What can operation managers do with this information? The answer is to source and implement a proper congestion management strategy. 

 

Implementing A Congestion Management Strategy

When information regarding what assets are causing congestion or when slowdowns happen, a congestion management strategy can then be implemented. By leveraging a heat map, businesses can effectively display asset types, the average speed traveled, the time of day travel, and the calendar date traveled. This new stream of information can guide a new and more effective strategy. 

A best practice to minimize the impact of congestion during high-demand traffic is to strategically divert traffic through travel routes. This will result in less congestion as there are fewer assets who require the road. Oftentimes, this means using detour routes so they will not be required to travel through the same routes. This may require certain assets to be directed to take specific detour routes – either permanently or during traffic spikes. Although it may seem counter-intuitive for assets to be taking the “longer route,” these detour routes drastically reduce congestion and ensure that assets continue moving. 

To ensure success, policies and procedures must be enforced by the airport resource management strategy so employee behaviour changes during this strategic shift. Leveraging learning systems, like ZenduLearn, can help with this change, as staff are assigned new training modules that explain the new driving routes and the new congestion-reducing regulations. 

In fact, the GPS tracking solutions can be paired with the learning system to see whether drivers are following the new regulations and alert operations managers when a route infraction occurs. 

 

Reducing Congestion In Any Industry

Congestion happens in many industries. Whether it is distribution warehouses, construction sites or airports, not being able to locate or track the movement of assets can affect the bottom line of a business. 

Contact us today to learn more about how your business can benefit from a unique congestion management strategy and the solutions we recommend to help you see results.

Operational congestion occurs in highly localized environments such as airports

Part I: More People Are Affected By Operational Congestion Than You Think

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The backlog of stationary assets can result in operational delays, lengthy completion of tasks and will add additional costs to projects. If we focus on the costs of congestion, one thing becomes clear – the ongoing costs are too much to bear for businesses. 

Below we discuss how congestion in business operations, where environments are highly localized, must be addressed to reduce operational losses. As well how this affects airport resource management. 

 

Where Congestion Is Not Yet Understood

When the general public thinks of congestion, they think of the travel delays between two points during high-demand times or peak hours. However, it is important to emphasis that congestion happens way more than you think and is not limited to the roads during rush hour.

Operational congestion occurs in highly localized environments such as airports and warehouse distribution hubs. These environments often have few routes available for transportation and there is limited data collected about the movement of assets. With few route options and limited data – congestion is bound to occur.

While some delays are inevitable in these environments, allowing it to continue for too long is too costly for businesses to ignore. If businesses focus on the costs of grid locking and backlogs, they will find that many resources are wasted as staff are unable to maintain a steady workflow. Such delays cause a ripple effect and can adversely affect customer relations – as customers become frustrated standing in long waiting lines.

In comparison, non-localized environments (what much of the public encounters when travelling on highways or city streets) have data sources available to help alleviate congestion. Sources like Google Maps has been implemented to collect, display and analyze congestion information on an ongoing basis and in real-time to the masses. 

In fact, this flow and analysis of information has inspired operation managers to be specific in how and where they want to reduce operational congestion in localized environments. 

 

Congestion In Airports

With thousands of assets moving daily – highly localized environments like airport grounds are a prime example of where congestion can be found. With constantly moving assets, airport operations have a goal to optimize flow of traffic, reduce gridlock and lower wait times of assets in detention. 

To properly stop asset detention, an entire framework of what congestion is in an airport environment must be understood by equipping assets with various telematics solutions. By using connected sensors to see how equipment is being used, as well as GPS tracking to note the location and speed of vehicles – businesses can gain proper visibility into operations. Doing so will allow for assets to remain in movement, shortening servicing turnaround time and as a result, increase revenue.

 

The Repercussions of Congestion In Airports And Airport Resource Management

Airports cannot afford to allow congestion to be ongoing. Not only does it cause for asset detention or the pause of asset movement, but it results in a myriad of issues: 

  • Overall fleet performance will drop as work is at a standstill 
  • Some operations are at risk for being charged for the waits
  • Heavy financial losses are experienced as employees are paid even if work cannot be performed – causing a potential spike in higher ticket prices
  • Resources are wasted when equipment or vehicles are idling 
  • Passengers suffer lengthy delays when travelling 
  • Attention to detail and safety decreases as staff rush to complete tasks to stay on time  

It’s important to note that these repercussions of operational congestion may seem specific to airports, but very similar issues can be noticed in other highly localized environments. Distribution hubs, for example, are seen to encounter very similar productivity, financial and consumer effects. 

 

Triggers of Congestion

Airports are highly localized as there are few roads that thousands of assets must utilize at predetermined speeds. Since there can be numerous assets such as refuelers, tugs and tractors, water trucks, passenger boarding steps and more servicing, each aircraft – from the second it lands to moments before it takes off – can contribute to congestion. 

The problem of congestion is compounded when aircrafts take off and land every few minutes – meaning that they must undergo routine aircraft maintenance by servicing crews. This causes longer than necessary turnaround times, especially during high-traffic and peak times. 

Part II: The Solution To Operational Congestion – A Congestion Management Strategy

Cellular Asset Trackers: Don’t Make The Mistake Of Investing In The Wrong One

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There are so many cellular asset trackers in today’s markets for fleet managers, that things can sometimes seem overwhelming. How do you know which hardware you need to buy or how you can get the best value out of it? We will be discussing the different hardware devices for various fleet management needs and the scenarios in which fleets can use each device.

 

Cellular Asset Trackers? Why Not Satellite Asset Trackers or BLE Beacons?  

When speaking about asset trackers, there are many options available. However, the way they differ from each other initially is based on how the device transmits information. 

  • Cellular asset trackers use cellular network coverage to transmit data and information about an asset. As coverage varies based on specific locations, assets using these trackers that enter no coverage zones will not be able to transmit data.
  • Satellite asset trackers use satellite connectivity to transmit data about an asset and can be the more reliable option if your asset is travelling out of cellular coverage.
  • BLE beacons have pre-requirements (like asset trackers or BLE readers) in order to transmit data and information about an asset or group of assets.

 

Below we discuss 6 cellular asset trackers that are available, and how their features differ.

 

6 Top Performing Cellular Asset Trackers 

Flex Solar Asset Tracker 

The Flex Solar Asset Tracker is an asset tracker that syncs with MyGeotab and works similar to a Geotab device as it allows the tracker to be visible on a map. The tracker is solar-powered and is utilized primarily for the general tracking of bulk cargo containers, vehicles and other large assets that may not have a direct power supply – thus requiring solar energy. The ability to power the device through environmental conditions is critical as certain large assets that are travelling far distances or are being stored outside for long periods of time (like shipping containers) are often standalone assets with no power connections. It should be noted that a full charge can allow the Flex tracker to last up to 4 months with multiple pings per day. It’s also important to note that this tracker can be expandable for door sensing, temperature probing and tire pressure tracking.

Use-Case: How Long-Haul Transporters Are Using Flex Solar

The Flex Solar Asset Tracker is praised for its ability to remain powered with solar energy. Meaning, businesses no longer have to worry about removing trackers to replace batteries. Instead, they only rely on the sun to power the device so data about the asset tracker can be transmitted. This is particularly useful for commercial transportation fleets who conduct long-haul deliveries. As the device can continue to charge and transmit information via the sun, the asset tracker can always send real-time data. Typically, this solar power feature is praised by those who enjoy a ‘set-it and forget-it’ device, or for those who are looking to take advantage of renewable and free sources of energy.

 

Blackberry Radar

The Blackberry Radar device focuses on asset tracking for cargo, more specifically, for vehicles and non-motorized assets like bulk containers, trailers and various equipment where content quantity needs to be monitored. The tracker is unique as it requires a specific installation to allow for its radar feature (which analyzes the quantity of cargo within a container or trailer) to be used. Once the device has been placed at the predefined orientation, it can analyze the content capacity of the asset it is attached to. This is explained as acting like a camera that measures how much cargo is present. Having a radar function like this is new and allows for users to complete better planning as there are more accurate (and visual) load-stats available.

Use-Case: How Delivery Vehicles Are Using Blackberry Radar 

As previously mentioned, the Blackberry Radar tracker allows for radar sensing and load analysis of the quantity of content within an asset. Meaning, users can see exactly how much is within a trailer, truck or container in real-time. This radar tracker is particularly useful in delivery fleets who constantly receive new delivery requests. Using this tracker allows dispatchers to analyze and review the content quantity of each delivery vehicle. Essentially judging which vehicles are full and whether near-empty vehicles have enough space to pick up additional deliveries to complete that day.

 

Remora2

The Remora2 tracker is utilized for general asset monitoring and has expandability opportunities with BLE beacons. As the tracker uses a Bluetooth 5.0 gateway, which allows it to communicate with other local asset tags to report on them, it is the ideal investment if you will later need to invest in various BLE beacons. As a standalone device, this tracker is similar to the Flex tracker that was mentioned previously as it allows for general location tracking. However, what differentiates itself from the Flex Solar tracker is that it has an ion battery. Meaning, depending on where an asset will be stored or used most of the time, having a battery option may be the more powerful and reliable choice. As well, when compared to the Solar Flex, it’s important to mention that it is the cheaper option as there is no solar-power technology required. It is also important to note that the Remora2 device has an anti-theft mode, tamper detection, is geo-fence aware, and functions as a 3rd party device on MyGeotab.

Use-Case: How Commercial Transportation Fleets Are Using Remora2

Similar to the Solar Flex tracker, the Remora2 tracker is typically used within fleets who are conducting long-haul deliveries that require more pings daily or are spending some time in a location where solar changing is difficult. Meaning, having an ion battery rather than a solar-powered battery would be the more reliable option to suffice reporting needs. 

 

Falcon 

The Falcon device is a temperature-sensitive tracker which allows for fleets to monitor temperature and humidity. The device embodies a 5-year battery life with hourly reporting so users have continuous monitoring of temperature-sensitive cargo. Similar to the Remora2 device, the Falcon device has an anti-theft mode, tamper detection, is geo-fence aware, and functions as a 3rd party device on MyGeotab. 

Use-Case: How Food Transporters Are Using Falcon 

When tracking goods that are sensitive to temperature and humidity, the Falcon is the go-to tracker for many fleets. Since the device focuses on allowing users to monitor the environmental conditions of containers, trailers, trucks and more, it’s the perfect tool to use when moving food products. As improper storage is not an option for food products as it can lead to spoilage, the Falcon tracker can monitor the temperature and humidity of the location where food products are stored to ensure that conditions meet strict regulations. Forgoing a device like the Falcon leaves food transporters at risk for being found incompliant as there are numerous rules  regarding the proper storage and handling of frozen food, fresh produce and meat products to keep consumers safe. 

advantages-temperature-monitoring

 

Sensoneo Bin Fill Level Sensors

Sensoneo Bin Fill Level Sensors are a smart, enterprise-grade waste management solution that focuses on monitoring waste content quantity. The sensor is a robust device that can withstand harsh conditions such as water and is shock resistant which is perfect for its use in waste management. Sensoneo focuses on allowing fleets to remain efficient and optimized as it monitors how full a waste bin is, alerting users when the bin is approaching capacity. Additional features of the device include; Bluetooth, pick-up recognition, temperature measurements, fire alarms, and overturn alarm options. 

Use-Case: How Waste Disposal Fleets Are using Sensoneo 

Sensoneo is leveraged by waste disposal fleets who empty waste bins. Typically, the device is attached to a specific bin to monitor how full the container is getting overtime, alerting users of when it is near-full and needs to be emptied. When the tracker sends an alert about the quantity level, fleets can create a route that only visits the bins that are full or are at least 80% full – passing bins that are less. Doing this helps to ensure that time is not wasted visiting bins that do not need to be emptied so work is optimized and resources can be saved. 

 

A Cellular Asset Tracker Cheat-Sheet

When it comes to cellular asset trackers, there are numerous devices available that any business can use and sometimes, their features can become confusing. To help businesses better understand what their cellular tracker options are, we created a feature comparison chart below based on our analysis above.

Still unsure about what cellular tracking device may work best for you, or would like to learn more about a specific tracker? Contact us today so we can set up a time to chat about your unique needs. 

New Partnership: Working With Samsara To Better Help Fleets

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As the needs of businesses are continually evolving, it’s critical for organizations to stay on top of industry trends. This is amplified with it comes to the IoT and telematics sector as new tools and solutions are always transforming. With this in mind, GoFleet is excited to partner with Samsara! This partnership allows us to expand our solutions offerings to better help businesses stay efficient, safe and sustainable.

 

Partnership With Samsara

 

With Samsara’s help, we will now offer additional fleet management, asset tracking, camera and safety solutions. The core of these Samara offerings will provide businesses with end-to-end and cost-effective solutions that are billed monthly. In the past, Samsara has been highlighted to help those within various industries such as transportation and logistics, food and beverage, as well as state and local government. 

 

Fleet Management Solution 

 

Samsara offers end-to-end fleet management solutions that many businesses may find of interest as they offer a modern platform with real-time visibility in addition to AI-powered analytics. As the deadline for drivers is looming closer (or has already passed) for fleets to adopt innovative tools such as electronic logging devices, it’s critical for managers to find the right device for their needs as soon as possible. It’s important to note that Samsara’s fleet management solutions are able to connect to third party systems to improve real-time data and visibility efforts.

Learn more here: https://stagingms.gofleet.com/product/samsara-gateway-gps-system/

 

Camera And Safety Solution

 

Samsara has numerous camera and safety solutions that fleets can take advantage of. Among the basic features of being able to collect video footage, Samsara dashcams and sensors can leverage computer vision. This allows it to automatically identify unsafe driving behaviour, offer in-cab voice coaching and conduct automatic upload. All of the features truly pushing businesses forward to a safer future. 

Learn more here: https://stagingms.gofleet.com/product/samsara-ai-dash-cams-for-fleets/

 

Asset Tracking 

 

Lastly, Samsara offers various tracking options for fleets. Apart from offering basic trailer tracking to increase GPS visibility of your team, Samsara also offers wireless reefer and asset tracking products. So whether you’re looking to stay compliant to critical temperature monitoring regulations or monitoring where costly equipment is throughout the day, it can be done. 

Learn more here: https://stagingms.gofleet.com/product/samsara-ag24-trailer-tracker/ 

 

If you’re interested to learn more about our partnership with Samsara, and how it may benefit your new fleet management needs, contact us today!

Is Your Commercial Contracting Business Maximizing Its Telematics Potential?

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When it comes to moving a business forward, many look to implement new tools and strategies to accommodate changing processes and requirements. Recently, the focus for organizations is to streamline processes to not only ensure accuracy and employees responsibilities, but to boost finances. Within the commercial contracting field, telematics can accomplish this and more, specifically with the implementation of new and powerful management systems.

 

What Are Management Systems

A management system is a telematics solution that is used by numerous business owners and managers to grow their business and achieve their long term goals. Not only can these systems work to increase workflow, but these systems also allow for expandability while keeping costs low or reducing them even further. Although the features of management systems can vary, typically solutions can be adjusted to allow for custom mapping or GPS features, dispatching, maintenance, visibility and tracking. The focus is usually streamlining and automating data collection, complying to rules and regulations, as well as streamlining processes. Even though management systems can be applied to nearly any industry in one way or another, one industry that is seeing great potential from using it is commercial contracting or construction. 

 

Why Commercial Contracting Businesses Are Seeing Success

Increased Visibility 

Management systems are praised for visibility. When speaking about commercial contracting businesses, visibility from solutions allows managers to better supervise their teams, resulting in greater management of the overall business. 

For example, since management systems offer live vehicle tracking and equipment tracking integrations, the location of employees and available equipment are always known. So when a call comes in, a dispatching manager can properly dispatch the closest worker who has the right training. Or, managers can dispatch the employee who has the proper tools and equipment, ensuring that they are maximizing their teams efforts by sending someone who can complete the job.

 

Less Downtime 

In addition to live gps fleet tracking, these systems are able to conduct maintenance monitoring for connected vehicles so companies face less downtime and gain larger profits. Not only is this apparent in regards to deploying efforts (as the system will ensure that the right employee with the right skills or equipment will arrive), but in regards to asset quality. This concept speaks to the monitoring of tools, equipment and even the vehicles themselves to ensure they are in peak working performance. As management systems gather specific data that is applied to predetermined algorithms, it is possible to learn when to schedule maintenance.

For example, sensors and diagnostic devices can be installed to monitor vehicle performance. Prompting managers to determine when maintenance should be scheduled. This allows teams to stay productive as sudden breakdowns that cause vehicle downtime happen less often.

 

Boosted Safety 

Lastly, depending on the nature of your commercial contracting business, you may find that your team is frequently dispatched to rural job sites alone. With management systems, managers are able to integrate a number of safety solutions to better protect their lone workers. One to highlight is the Man Down System which offers remote location management. This is through the increased communication from a device that can sense when a worker is injured or falls, resulting in a triggered motion sensor and thus, transmitting a notification requesting the assistance of management and EMS services. 

Regardless of what your focus is for 2020, a management system is a tool that countless contracting businesses are seeing benefits from. Not only are managers and owners noticing that they are able to have more visibility on their team, but they can find ways to integrate maintenance and safety features. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the management features that are available, or what integrations could best fit your unique business needs, contact us today! We’ll be happy to speak with you to learn exactly what you may want to invest in so you can see success in the new year!