Dec 07/Jan/08

How to track, not whether to track, is now the burning question. Sharon Clancy looks at the increasingly sophisticated range of vehicle, trailer and asset tracking systems now on offer

Tracking systems are now so reliable, the question faced by most vehicle operators is no longer whether to track at all, but rather how to determine the best way of tracking the various assets in their company, and what sort of information would best benefit their business. The sheer variety of vehicle and trailer location systems available is demonstrating that tracking mobile assets has become mainstream.

That doesn't mean technology no longer has a bearing on quality or performance. It certainly does, and there are key differences in the technologies used by the various tracking system providers.

Some, for example, use in-vehicle tracking units with the latest, most sensitive chipsets, which can improve time-to-fix and mean fewer instances of tracking signals being lost in 'urban canyons'. The latest units are also smaller, with integrated antennae, and can be remotely configured.

 

As for the frequency of taking a location fix, where once this might have been hourly or half-hourly, you can now typically expect position updates to come at intervals ranging from every minute to every fifteen minutes.

Smart power managements systems have been developed, which means the in-vehicle units can have up to three types of operational mode, depending on circumstances. This versatility is going to become critical as the trailer tracking market develops.

There are also differences when it comes to communicating the tracking data back to base. GPRS mobile data SIM cards have become ubiquitous, but a growing number of fleet operators have switched to true satellite communication. This is no longer as prohibitively expensive as it once was, and from a security point of view, it is hard to jam the satellite signal (which can happen with GSM communication).

There are now two distinct markets for tracking systems. On one hand, there are still a large number of small delivery companies and service organisations that have yet to adopt even basic tracking technology, and will perhaps find even a simple system a significant step forward. On the other hand, some operators are already on their second- or third-generation tracking system, and will be using it to deliver more than just the obvious cost benefits; they will also be integrating it with other applications.

Managing the data

Today's tracking 'boxes' (the basic on-board unit, usually with GPS location-finding built in) can capture and deliver so much information that one of the key challenges for the system suppliers is making it easy for operators to manage and present that data. The pay-off is that doing it well can be indispensable for those seeking to drive business efficiencies.

To help make the data useful, many tracking system suppliers now use a 'traffic-light' style of reporting, so that managers can spot at a glance what issues need attention, and which drivers, vehicles or sites have below-par performance.

'Daily and weekly tracking summary logs are the most popular, and are requested by 95 per cent of our customers,' reports Andy Kirk, sales director at Quartix, which has its system installed in over 12,000 commercial vehicles. 'At the click of a mouse, fleet managers can get an instant daily/weekly take on whether any unauthorised trips have been made.'

Basic tracking

For tracking companies to grow, they need to convince smaller fleet operators of the benefits, so there is currently renewed focus on how simple tracking can be. But even basic systems can capture all the tracking and telemetry data that are the key to improving efficiency. So, for example, data such as over-speeding, excessive engine idling and mpg will often be recorded, as will trip start-and-stop times and average speed. This basic data is then transformed into reports that can highlight areas for action.

Some systems are 'lite' version of fully-fledged tracking packages. US company Trimble, for example, is now targeting the European market with its basic tracking solution, Trimweb.

Vehicle positions are recorded by the minute, and standard reports include stops, mileage, time-on-site and speeding. There is a vehicle playback feature for route analysis and geofencing. For more sophisticated tracking and scheduling operations, Trimble's @road subsidiary offers Geomanager, which includes scheduling and offers up to 50 reports, including vehicle maintenance alerts, telemetry diagnostics and door-opening and temperature sensing.

Trimble has developed a Savings Calculator form which allows companies to calculate what savings a tracking system would deliver. Its standard chart has default values, but there is space to enter your own. Variables include number of vehicles in the fleet and number of drivers, average miles per day per vehicle, fuel cost and mpg. For measuring returns in terms of reduced drivers costs, the table includes overtime payments to drivers, hourly ranges and number of hours per week.

There are some concerns about suppliers jumping on the tracking bandwagon and selling inappropriate systems to small fleets, but some tracking systems have been developed especially for this market. Black box manufacturer TrakM8, for example, developed its SWIFT system (Simple Web Interface For Tracking) for fleets between five and 50 commercial vehicles. The company says reports such as journey timelines and vehicle utilisation records can all flag up areas where managers can take action.

TrakM8 will deliver reports to a mobile device as well as making them available on the Web. Another supplier taking that route is Autoalert, whose system allows managers of small fleets to check on vehicle status via the Internet browser on their mobile phone. 'Many van fleets consist of just four or five vehicles, and often the manager is mobile himself. Our system allows him to check the status of the fleet whilst on the move. At the same time we offer much the same functionality as with conventional tracking systems.'

Some suppliers offer a modular system, which you can upgrade later. Others simply make all the reports available to everyone, and steer their smaller customers to the most useful reports for delivering benefits.

Operational benefits

Vehicle operators on their second- or third-generation tracking system will be well aware that analysis of the routes taken by their vehicles can identify any number of issues, whether it be regular hold-ups at customer premises, bottlenecks or drivers going off-route.

Some of the benefits of vehicle tracking can come automatically. For example, the same alarms that are triggered by motion sensors if the vehicle moves outside normal hours or breaches a virtual geofence around the depot can also be used to keep transport managers informed about operational events. Customer premises can be geofenced, so you know when a vehicle arrives and leaves. You can receive an alert if the vehicle doesn't enter the geofenced area at the time expected, or if the load doors are opened en route.

None of this is particularly new technology, of course, but there is evidence that with pressures on fleets for efficiency, more are adopting this type of proactive management.

It can be difficult, however, for medium-sized fleet operators to make the big step from basic tracking to a system offering more sophistication - and further operational savings. And in many cases this will be because of the task they face when integrating it with any transport and traffic management systems they have. Some are put off by the necessity to have two service contracts in place - one for tracking and one for fleet management.

However, some suppliers have realised that this situation opens a new market opportunity for them, and have joined forces to offer combined products. Fleet management specialist HaulTech, for example, has teamed up with Navman Wireless to offer a single package called 2-in-1. HaulTech provides the transport management elements such as load planning, route scheduling and electronic POD, while Navman delivers the tracking and vehicle and driver performance data. All the data is delivered to a single Web site, and users just have to log on once to view all the relevant data.

Tracking supplier Eagle-I and real-time scheduling specialist Sidewinder Europe have teamed up to integrate their respective technologies for service planning and real-time operations management. The joint technology tracks and logs the exact movement and location of a given delivery. This data is then fed back to a planning system, which automatically updates the delivery timetable. Because the system can accommodate last-minute changes it allows resources to be reallocated and delivery routes and schedules to be re-optimised.

Legislation

The impact of tax changes on benefit-in-kind rules for van drivers has already helped drive sales of tracking systems to van operators, say the suppliers. 'It is up to operators to prove to the tax authorities how much mileage run by their vehicles is for private use, and tracking systems are ideally placed to capture that data,' says Ian Walmsley, chief executive of Eagle-I Telematics.

Through accurate monitoring of the times when drivers start and stop work, vehicle tracking is delivering substantial savings in reduced overtime payments. Yet that same data can also be used to help drivers comply with the working time directive and drivers' hours regulations.

Another piece of legislation which might help drive sales of tracking systems is corporate manslaughter legislation. This becomes law in April, and has already led to renewed interest in how employers can monitor the health and safety of their mobile workers, whether through eliminating potentially dangerous practices such as speeding or by providing panic buttons for lone workers. Digicore, for example, can provide panic buttons for employees working in remote locations.

Improving the lot of mobile workers need not be done at the expensive of efficiency, says Quartix's Kirk. 'The two are not mutually exclusive.'

Andrew Morton, sales director for Minorplanet, agrees that the focus is shifting from cost benefits to ways in which tracking and telematics can help with employers' obligations to employees. 'Some companies are now promoting the benefits of telematics systems to their employees. If you change a regular route, you need to keep the driver in the loop. Managers need to explain that changes are not just about improving efficiency; they are also about softer issues such as improving the working day for the driver by reducing potential stress.'

Morton also thinks operators can do more to make vehicle tracking less threatening to drivers culturally. 'Driver performance tables can reassure drivers who perform well that their efforts are appreciated. It creates a team-effort ethos, not a confrontational spy-in-the-cab mindset.'

Fuel usage

Reducing fuel consumption, improving vehicle utilisation and generally changing driver behaviour are key benefits for many companies investing in a tracking solution. Btrack sales director Andy Walker says there can be variances of up to 20 per cent in fuel economy on vehicles where drivers switch between vehicles, even where driver training has been done.

'You do need to identify drivers as well as vehicles, but we calculate that by having daily and weekly information on actual mpg you can help you improve fuel consumption by an average of 10 per cent, provided you debrief drivers regularly.'

Some of the tracking suppliers, including Masternaut, Minorplanet and Verilocation, have introduced interfaces with vehicle CANbus systems - so data on vehicle mpg, harsh braking and acceleration, engine idling and is extracted automatically.

Btrack argues that for true accuracy, vehicles should be fitted with a fuel flow meter. 'Using a flow meter significantly improves the mpg accuracy compared with mpg readings taken from the engine CANbus management data.'

For larger fleet operators, tracking can be about improving their green credentials; hence the current focus on reducing carbon footprints. 'Our customer base is getting quite fanatical about demonstrating how much they are reducing their carbon footprint,' reports Quartix's Kirk. 'This is a win-win situation. Any fleet that reduces its carbon footprint is also reducing costs, because vehicles are using less fuel. The yardstick is that every litre of fuel consumed produces 2.7kg of CO2.'

PANEL

Trailer tracking

Trailer tracking systems have traditionally been sold on their ability to help recover stolen trailers and their loads. However, there is now a shift in focus to operational benefits such as utilisation and compliance with legally required service schedules.

That's a good thing, reckons Tim Steer, managing director of Axscend. 'With thin profit margins, investment in trailer tracking can help maximise the earning potential of the trailer fleet.' Steer also thinks that focusing on security undersells the benefits of trailer tracking. 'Yes, trailer tracking can recover a stolen trailer, but there are far greater daily benefits to be had in reducing operational cost.'

Maintaining an independent power supply to the telematics units is still the key technical issue. The solutions range from disposable batteries (used by ICThings.com, for example) to long-life hybrid lithium thionyl chloride batteries (fitted in Axscend, Satamatics and TISS Trailer Security units). There are also battery packs recharged either by solar power or with a trickle charge whenever the trailer is hooked up to the tractor unit.

The main servicing issue for location telematics is to ensure batteries are replaced before the unit stops reporting, and most systems now incorporate 'smart' battery status monitoring, so that operators are pre-warned that power levels are low.

Trailer tracking units are 'smart' in other ways, too.

BTrack's solar-powered self-contained Easitracker, for example, can be configured to announce when it is within a 20-mile radius of a depot or customer premises, while motion sensors can activate the device whenever the trailer is moved.

The unit transmits its position every 15 minutes when moving and every 24 hours when stationary. There is battery back-up, but the solar panels charge even in overcast conditions, and power consumption is so low that the unit will work in ambient light conditions even if the battery pack is fully discharged.

Self-contained trailer tracking units can be used for temporary tracking of hired vehicles or goods in transit, too. Self-contained trailer tracking units are easy to install because there is no requirement to hard-wire the tracking device into a trailer electrical circuit; the tracking units simply stick to the trailer roof with adhesive pads, or can be bolted to the chassis.

One sign that trailer tracking is becoming mainstream is that suppliers of truck telematics systems are broadening their product range to include trailers. Isotrak, for example, has added three trailer-tracking units to its portfolio. They form part of the company's Total Transport System telematics range.

Minorplanet's 5800 trailer tracking unit can be powered by rechargeable or disposable batteries. The rechargeable version is for live tracking, while the unit with disposable batteries is designed to report either four to five times a day, or when a motion sensor detects movement.

As soon as the trailer stops moving, the unit transmits its present location.

Trailer leasing companies are increasingly deploying trailer tracking in order to monitor their assets and ensure they are returned on time, or that the customer is charged for the extended rental. Once installed, they can also be used to offer operators the facility to track trailer movements themselves. Dawson and GE Veriwise already offer this service.