March/April 2005

A real-time tracking, fleet management and navigation system from DigiCore is being installed by MeterPlus, the metering division of energy company npower, in 300 vans operating in the North East, Yorkshire, the North West and the East Midlands.

The company says it is expecting the C-track system to provide total transparency of fleet movements in real time - enhancing its scheduling and planning processes through improved fleet visibility, and enabling it to maximise the productivity of its mobile workforce and assets.

At the driver end, in addition to the C-track equipment, DigiCore has supplied free-standing Garmin satellite navigation systems. These provide the driver with turn-by-turn directions, voice guidance, and fast automatic off-route and detour recalculation. "We aim to offer a one-stop-shop system," director Tom O'Connor told us, "and this proved ideal for npower's requirements."

A distinctive feature of the implementation is its fully-integrated remote panic alert system, which works within 20 metres of the vehicle. This enables employees to alert npower of any potential problems or incidents.

According to Graham Jefferies of MeterPlus: "The installation of the DigiCore solution will bring genuine benefits to our customers and employees, as well as creating operational efficiencies across our meter installations vehicle fleet."