Mar/April 2009

Modern on-board telematics systems can capture a huge amount of data from driver and vehicle performance to location. But data in itself, of course, is not meaningful unless it is presented in a format the business can make use of. That's what Microlise is aiming for with its latest Data Cube, a reports database.

'The Data Cube allows you to see your data how you want to see it and to analyse it too,' explains product director Matt Hague. 'The data has always been on the system, but now it is a lot easier to access it in real time and in a format that delivers real business intelligence. It takes just a few seconds to build a report.'

Data is cut and sliced in real time, creating lots of levels in 'vanilla' reports. The data store conforms to OLAP standards, and reports can be created on demand or automatically at pre-configured periods and in a variety of formats. All reports are XML Web service-based.

Resources, whether it be drivers, vehicles or depots, can be grouped in any way. Real-time dashboard-style arrival and departure boards for vehicles are included, as are driver and vehicle activity reports, operational KPI reports, safe and economical driving reports and customer service and delivery performance reports.

 

One of the key tools for maximising the benefits of the Data Cube is real-time driver debriefs, says Hague. This 'becomes a major management tool for analysis of under-performing parts of the business in real time.'

Business KPIs and driving style performance data are integrated into a single client application. Items such as driving style, schedule and route adherence and hours compliance are given a permitted points tolerance.

Once the threshold is reached, the dashboard in the traffic office changes first to yellow and then to red for that particular trip and an audible alarm sounds in the office to alert the traffic managers that the vehicle and driver have returned to base. It saves time because transport managers do not have to debrief every driver on his return.

Managers can rate violations by severity. So, for example, a late delivery could score 10 points, a door opening between drops 20, excessive idling 40 and so on.

Capturing the reason for violations is important for analysis and future planning, says Hague. If for example the Route Adherence attracted 40 points, was it because the driver got lost or because he was diverted by roadworks? The Data Cube allows managers to drill down into reports to analyse violations.