Fleet Technology
Since the passing of the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate of 2019, fleet technology has been on an upward trend. But what some fleet managers don't realize is that this is a good thing — it means that the fleet technology we use today is the most advanced it has ever been. From Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) to GPS fleet trackers, the use of telematics is on the rise. But this trend in fleet management technology has also pushed managers to consider the use of a host of other tools included within some ELDs. Many are equipped with gyroscopes, accelerometers, and other tech which allows managers to monitor stats like:
- The real-time speed and load of the engine
- The real-time geo-location of every vehicle within the fleet
- The level of fuel efficiency from one operator to another, and from one vehicle to the next
- The location and severity of any collisions or other incidents
- Engine speed as logged during previous periods by the ELD
- When a vehicle leaves the geofenced area where it is supposed to be
- Diagnostics and fault codes for every car, van, truck, or trailer outfitted with an ELD in their fleet
- The Hours of Service (HoS), duty times, and off-duty times for any given operator within the fleet
Fleet Management Technology is Mandatory, But Also Incredibly Useful to Managers
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the electronic logging device (ELD) rule was passed to help make our roadways safer. But ELDs also offer an abundance of other useful data to help with everything from maintenance, route planning and dispatch, fuel efficiency, and overall efficiency and productivity out in the field.
Fleet Vehicle Maintenance
Telecommunications and informatics, known together as telematics, offered by ELDs and other fleet technology give field service managers incredible insights into vehicle diagnostics. Telematics can help both managers and vehicle operators track everything from oil levels and tire pressure to battery life and overall engine health.
Telematics can also inform the user of the vehicle and the fleet manager when the engine is in need of regular or emergency maintenance. This makes it far safer to operate out in the field, even when drivers or technicians are very far away from the yard.
Route Planning and Dispatch
Fleet technologies like ELDs and GPS also make it possible to more smartly and efficiently plan routes and dispatch the right vehicles to the right jobs out in the field. This is done through the use of both algorithms and route optimization. The technology is able to create and include contingency plans for any potential disruption to each driver’s route.
Contingencies can route drivers around things like construction zones, road closures, and accidents. This is all thanks to telematics making it faster and easier to plan routes for drivers no matter the size of your fleet.
Enhanced Fuel Efficiency for Every Vehicle in Your Fleet
As we now know, fleet management technologies such as ELDs and GPS using telematics are able to optimize the routes used for each different job and each driver in a fleet. But these calculations aren't just great for dispatch and routing, they also make your fleet far more fuel-efficient.
Because routes are calculated in real-time, each individual operator is given the shortest and straightest possible ways to get to each job along the route. Jobs are then scheduled to make each route most efficient according to what the fleet technology tells both the driver and the manager of the fleet.
What's more, telematics makes it possible to integrate your operator's fuel cards into your fleet management technology. In this way, managers can easily track fuel use to determine whether it is eating into profit or saving the company money.
Experience Better Overall Productivity with Fleet Technology
Because fleet technology like ELDs uses telematics, fleet managers are able to keep an eye on which vehicles within their fleets need both preventative and emergent maintenance.
Fleet managers can also see each individual operator's hours of service in real-time down to the hour, minute, and second. They can pull daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly reports on these duty hours to determine which drivers are the most efficient and which need a little more guidance.
Fleet technology also helps to ensure that managers spend less time overall on administrative tasks. This is possible because the data they need for any given period is available right from an easy-to-understand user interface or dashboard. This can give them any insights they want on HoS, fuel efficiency, dispatch, vehicle location(s), collisions, routing, driver safety, and so much more.
Fleet Dispatching
Dispatch software is a lifesaver when it comes to organizing your dispatch process and keeping operations streamlined. It offers a variety of features that make daily procedures so much easier, from fleet tracking to reports that help businesses make decisions. What features does dispatch software offer, and how do these features benefit fleets? We will break this down for you.
Assign and Monitor Jobs
It is easy to assign and monitor jobs with dispatch software because it uses fleet tracking. Fleet tracking allows you to assign jobs to crews in the field. If you need a lead technician for a job, it’s simple to attach that lead tech to any job you need. You can even sort jobs based on their status, whether they’re one-time, recurring, or multi-day, or based on urgency.
When workers finish jobs, they can mark the job as complete on their end. This way, you can know when each job concludes and when your technician moves on to their next task.
Easier Communication
Back and forth calls between technicians and managers are no longer a problem. With dispatch software, you simply input the job you want your technicians to address. Your technicians access it from their phones and know what to do from there. When they’re done, they can mark it complete and view their next job right away. They can track their time, update their schedules, and input notes all while on the go. Everything you need to know will be on your screen when you need to know it, no need to track the information down.
Improve Customer Service
Dispatch software can improve your business’s customer service reputation in a variety of ways. Firstly, GPS tracking allows for route optimization software, which gets your technicians to their destinations quickly and efficiently. No more late technicians making your customers wait. Furthermore, dispatch software allows you to assign technicians to customers they already know, building an improved relationship with your business. And with all of your customer information in one place, it’s easy to respond to disputes and issues in a timely and personal manner.
All of your client and order information is available in a field service CRM that details everything you need to know about your customers and the jobs you’ve done for them.
How to Get Dispatch Software
Azuga offers state-of-the-art dispatch software that your business is sure to benefit from every single day. These benefits will improve your fleet’s daily operations, boost customer service, and maximize productivity among your workers. These features and more bring your fleet to its maximum potential, allowing you to focus on making important decisions to help the business grow and thrive. Find out everything you can do with dispatch software by trying out a free demo today. You’re certain to be impressed with the improvements.
Multi-Drop Route Planning
A multi-drop route planner is a process that plans a route for a driver to make more than two deliveries in multiple locations. It uses vehicle routing software to collect and analyze thousands of data points and determine the best delivery route. This route planning software can plan, re-route, and reschedule without causing any danger to the driver, environment, or business. It considers many factors, such as the number of distribution centers, warehouses, or residential areas a driver has to visit, resource availability, and driver safety.
How Does Multi-Drop Route Planning Work?
The route optimization software tracks the vehicle while factoring in when deliveries need to arrive. Of course, a human being should ensure that everything has been planned out properly, but the process should be automatic. Both this person and the system should look at distances, travel time, and fuel consumption.
Once a route is set, the route optimization software compiles data to choose the best vehicle and driver depending on the delivery. It uses data based on the route and the client’s needs. At this point, it also considers the driver’s hours and weather conditions to determine how much time is needed. These systems need to work in real-time to ensure that managers and clients can connect with up-to-date information.
Benefits of Multi-Drop Route Planning
There are various benefits to multi-drop route planning. It maximizes productivity, keeps fuel costs low, promotes driver safety, and helps businesses stay compliant with federal driver hour regulations. Your business will save money by using its drivers effectively and not using as much fuel.
Where to Get Multi-Drop Route Planning Software
If you’re looking for this software, you don’t need to search any further! Azuga’s route optimization software allows for multiple stops. It provides the best routes based on historical data, traffic conditions, weather conditions, and machine learning that helps it create the best routes for you in real-time. See what you can do with route planning software by trying out a demo today!
Fleet Dispatching
If you manage a fleet, you probably already understand the delicate dance that is fleet dispatching. If not, you may not realize just how crucial this process is to the success of any fleet-based business.
What Is Fleet Dispatching?
Simply put, fleet dispatching is the process by which commercial fleet drivers are sent out into the field to make deliveries, service customers, and handle other business-related tasks. But it involves so much more than simply telling drivers, “you go there.” Good fleet dispatching may also involve considerations for traffic conditions, road hazards, driver skill sets, customer preferences, and onboard equipment. When done correctly, it’s a skillful juggling act that helps a business reach its daily goals. When poorly handled, it can be a disaster for all concerned.
What Is a Fleet Dispatcher?
A fleet dispatcher is a person in charge of scheduling and arranging dispatch for a commercial fleet. Small fleets may have a single dispatcher to manage all calls, while larger enterprise fleets may employ an entire team.
A fleet dispatcher must clearly understand schedules and routes, job proficiencies, fuel management, fleet maintenance, and regulations related to hours of service and other fleet compliance issues. A good fleet dispatcher knows the drivers in the fleet well and can anticipate their scheduling needs and which jobs they are most suited to handle. Fleet dispatchers must be masters of communication and have elite organizational skills.
Fleet Dispatch Software from Azuga
Fleet dispatching is as much an art as a science, and it can be overwhelming at times. The best way to support the fleet dispatchers on your team is to give them tools and technology that make the job easier. Fortunately, Azuga offers the answers to all of your fleet dispatching conundrums.
Our GPS Fleet Tracking software can keep track of all the vehicles in your fleet along with large equipment and other assets. Dispatchers can use this information to see which vehicles are nearby when a job pops up. What’s more, we offer top-notch route optimization tools to help guide drivers around road construction, accidents, and other hazards that might prevent them from getting to their destination on time. We can even help you schedule routine maintenance, promote road safety, and automatically deliver dispatch notifications to drivers in the field.
Learn about all the ways Azuga Fleet can help your commercial fleet stay productive and efficient while simplifying maintenance schedules and creating a culture of safety on the road. Schedule an Azuga demo today!