June/July 2003

Volvo has added a driver management module to its Dynafleet transport information system, which has so far been more vehicle- than person-oriented. It allows managers to monitor driver activities in real time, and is said to be intended to help both drivers and managers comply EU drivers' hours rules.

Software modifications have made it simpler to set up menus and save detailed information about each truck or driver, says Hampus Hansson, the Dynafleet business manager.

A warning signal, both at the office and in the cab, indicates when allowable driving time is about to be exceeded, and an alarm sounds if this actually happens. Operators can call up job status and rest period information for drivers and save this in the office-based administration system, simplifying invoicing and wage payment.

Driver information downloads can either be made at pre-set intervals or triggered when predetermined conditions are met (for instance at the end of a given time span, or when the vehicle hits a given speed, or in response to customer or driver activity). "The volume of information can be determined by customers, who only need to pay the communication costs for information that is important,"Hansson says.