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Revolutionizing Waste Management through GPS Fleet Management & Telematics

Posted on by Yumi

In the waste management industry, efficiency, timeliness, and precision are crucial. An unexpected issue can interrupt the entire schedule, causing an accumulation of waste, unhappy customers, and environmental hazards.

This is where GPS Fleet Management and Telematics shine, serving as a transformative solution for the waste management industry.

GPS Fleet Management and Telematics services are advanced systems that provide real-time information about vehicle location, driver behaviour, engine diagnostics, and more. By leveraging these technologies, waste management companies can optimize their operations, reduce costs, improve customer service & driver safety, and contribute to environmental sustainability. This blog outlines the key features & benefits of fleet management and explains why the waste management industry should look into fleet management today.

 

Key features

Real-Time Tracking & Geo-fencing:

geofence

These systems provide real-time updates on the location of all vehicles in the fleet. Managers can monitor routes, ensure timely pickups and deliveries, and easily respond to any changes or urgent action items. Geo-fencing allows for the creation of virtual perimeters for specific areas. If a vehicle enters or leaves these areas, managers receive instant notifications. This is particularly useful in waste management for monitoring and ensuring adherence to designated collection routes.

 

Route Optimization:

One of the major challenges in waste management is planning efficient routes. GPS Fleet Management systems can analyze traffic patterns, road conditions, and other parameters to suggest the most efficient routes. This can significantly reduce fuel costs and improve the timeliness of waste collection.

Driver Behavior Monitoring:

driver behaviour telematics

Telematics systems can monitor various driver behaviors such as speeding, hard braking, quick acceleration, and idle time. These insights help in promoting safer driving habits, reducing the risk of accidents, and prolonging vehicle life.

 

Vehicle Health Monitoring:

These systems can monitor vehicle health in real-time, providing data on engine performance, oil levels, tire pressure, and more. This helps in proactive maintenance, preventing costly breakdowns and reducing downtime.

 

Regulatory Compliance:

Many telematics systems also support compliance with local and national regulations, such as hours-of-service (HOS) rules, emission standards, and more. This can significantly reduce administrative burden and risk for waste management companies.

 

Custom Reporting:

GPS Fleet Management and Telematics provide a ton of data, but what do you do with it? Our systems offer customizable reporting features that allow you to focus on the metrics that matter most to your operations, whether it’s fuel usage, driver behaviour, route efficiency, or any other key performance indicators.

 

Questionable Complaints:

Video telematics protects waste operators from questionable complaints and streamlines the investigation of and response to genuine claims. Footage and supporting vehicle data can be accessed immediately using our cloud-based IoT platform, which can also identify areas of improvement to working and driver behaviour to improve safety and fuel efficiency.

 

 

Each of these features provides tangible benefits to the waste management industry, making GPS Fleet Management and Telematics an essential tool for companies looking to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance service quality.

 

Benefits

Operational Efficiency:

One of the most significant benefits of GPS Fleet Management and Telematics is improved operational efficiency. With real-time tracking, managers can track waste collection vehicles, ensuring they adhere to their routes and schedules. If a vehicle breaks down or a road is blocked, alternative routes can be planned instantly.

Additionally, telematics provides comprehensive data on driver behaviour like idling, harsh braking, or speeding. This insight helps in promoting safer driving habits, reducing the risk of accidents and lowering maintenance costs.

 

Cost Reduction:

Fuel and maintenance costs are significant expenditure items for any waste management company. A GPS Fleet Management system can drastically reduce these costs. It can identify inefficient routes and propose more optimal ones, reducing fuel consumption. It can also monitor engine performance, alerting you to maintenance issues before they become costly repairs.

 

Improved Customer Service:

With GPS Fleet Management, companies can provide precise collection times to customers, significantly improving service quality. If a delay occurs, customers can be informed promptly. This level of transparency builds trust and enhances customer satisfaction.

 

Environmental Sustainability:

By optimizing routes and reducing idle times, GPS Fleet Management systems can significantly reduce CO2 emissions, aligning your operations with global sustainability goals.

 

Enhance Safety:

dash camera video telematics

Waste operators are usually operated in different types of hazardous situations such as driving in narrow streets in built-up areas with parked vehicles, other road users and members of the public. If waste operators don’t have visibility of what has happened, this could lead to false claims that result in costly claims. Video telematics ensures added visibility and control, providing waste businesses with the highest levels of safety, efficiency and brand protection. Footage and supporting vehicle data from video telematics can be accessed immediately through a cloud-based IoT platform, which can also identify areas of improvement in working and driver behaviour to improve safety and fuel efficiency.

 

Staying on the Leading Edge of Waste Fleet Management Technology

Astreon fleet management

In an increasingly competitive environment, companies need to leverage technology to maintain their base and grow the business. Our GPS Fleet Management system offers advanced features like predictive analytics, which uses historical data to predict future trends and challenges. Our systems can also integrate with your existing software, creating a seamless and comprehensive management solution.

We understand that every waste management company has unique needs, and our solutions are designed to be flexible and customizable. Partner with us transform your waste management operations, creating more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly processes.

Contact us today!

Tel: +1 (888) 647-4730
Email: sales@astreon.com

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The Benefits of Fleet Telematics in other industries

Posted on by Yumi

Many of our readers are well versed in transportation telematics technology and benefit from it’s services every day.  You understand GPS Tracking, how it works, fuel data, OBDII and JBUS ports, driver behavioral data, etc.  Some may overlook a few features and services that could really benefit your business.  In this article, we cover a few topics that can benefit you.

 

Telematics Market Value

Transport telematics has grown rapidly in the last 10-15 years. This steady growth continues as it is expected to hit US$ 441.5 billion by 2030, poised to grow at a CAGR of 21.3% from 2021 to 2030.

telematics market share

The government rules and regulations for vehicle telematics, as well as a rise in the popularity of connectivity options, are propelling the market growth of automotive telematics. The automotive telematics industry is growing due to the simplicity with which vehicles can be diagnosed due to telematics systems.(REFERENCE RESEARCH)

 

Exploring the IoT landscape

Below we examine several other industries from the IoT market segments chart above to brainstorm how to leverage transport telematics expertise in adjacent fields.

Energy

Let’s take a segment that seemingly has little to do with transport telematics — Energy. Global energy prices have been soaring in the past 12 months. Historically, economically turbulent times trigger the development of versatile cost-saving products, including fleet management platforms that allow monitoring and optimizing fuel consumption, streamlining operational processes, minimizing administrative overhead, etc.

 

Cold chain

Traditionally, cold chain telematics is leveraged to monitor whether the temperature does not go above a certain threshold and to prevent spoilage of goods, pharmaceuticals, etc. What is often overlooked however is that it also makes a lot of sense to monitor that the temperature does NOT go below certain thresholds to save energy.

cold chain

The ideal temperature in the freezer for a retail fridge is -17°C. A fridge normally would consume 1kWh of electricity per day on average. However, if the temperature drops by just 3-4 degrees to -20 or -21°C, the energy consumption DOUBLES to 2kWh per day. Imagine if your company operates hundreds or thousands of commercial fridges or reefer trailers, you are wasting energy unnecessarily.

Keeping the temperature too low results in wasting thousands of kWh of energy per day, which translates into substantial unnecessary expenses.

Most owners or fleet managers working in this field tend to solely focus on preventing spoilage of the products as if that happens, the company’s is liable for lost goods. However, expanding the focus to also avoiding unnecessarily low temperatures can contribute to significant energy and money savings over time.

 

Telematics we offer:

GV600 LTE Series by Queclink

GV600-LTE

The GV600 series (LTE) is a ruggedized waterproof GNSS trackers specially designed for the trailer, tanker, reefer and flatbed truck tracking. This device supports both wired and wireless temperature sensors.  The series leverages LTE Cat M1/NB1 network on multiple bands for operation globally with fallback to GPRS.

 

 

TLP2-SFB by Topfly Tech

TLP2-SFB topflytech

TLP2-SFB large solar-powered asset tracker with BLE for reefers and containers not only provides real-time location updates but also transmits data collected from BLE sensors, such as temperature, humidity, and door open.

  • Limitless power from solar
  • Real-time location and temperature monitoring
  • Alerts when the device is unmounted, starts/stops moving, high/low temperature, etc.
  • Asset door status monitoring
  • Up to 40 sensors can work with the tracker at the same time, unlimited sensors can be paired with the tracker.

 

Agriculture

Agriculture has seen a big demand for optimization through smart technology under the pressure of climate change, fluctuating commodity prices, rising interest rates, growing population, and labour cost and availability.

Telematics and GPS provide agricultural workers & managers with transparent data on fields, crops, and their processing. Having specific information and insight on hand, users can effectively plan and improve agribusiness processes as well as driver further efficiencies. Monitoring and tracking the movement and location of tractors, seed planters, harvesters, and mowers or even optimizing field cultivation are now easily organized and controlled by Hecterra solution.

We posted the Hecterra in-depth article that introduces its function and benefits. Read the blog and find out how it helps improve filed works efficiency: https://www.astreon.com/smart-technology-transformation-in-the-agriculture-industry/

 

Waste management

A similar approach with BLE sensors can be applied to municipal IoT projects, e.g. in waste management — garbage trucks are equipped with GPS trackers and trash containers are equipped with BLE beacons verifying bin servicing intervals and time, along with location and identity of each bin.

 

Telematics we offer:

Blue PUCK MOV by ELA Innovation

Blue-PUCK-MOV_Ombre

Blue PUCK MOV – Adapted to harsh industrial environments, the Blue PUCK MOV is a robust & compact beacon featuring an integrated motion sensor. Bluetooth technology compliant, it transmits data within a radius of 500 meters, with battery life reaching up to 19 years.

 

 

TLP1 Series by Topfly Tech

TLP1

Topflytech TLP1-P is a 4G LTE portable GPS tracker with a function button and rechargeable battery. The device features AGPS support, MQTT support, motion-controlled operations, 4800mAh rechargeable Li-Pol battery,  FOTA, an SOS button, a waterproof IP67 casing, built-in light & temperature sensor, and more. Suitable for 4G LTE Cat M1 / NB-IoT / EGPRS networks.

 

Future-proof your telematics business

These are just some basic examples of how leveraging telematics in other industries can have massive benefits and impact.

Using telematics integrated with fleet management, you can track your vehicles, monitor their performance, and ensure that they are on the right path. You can also access real-time data that will allow you to make informed decisions about how to best manage your fleet.

In addition, we offer over 20 business-specific companion application solutions, such as scheduled transportation management, fleet inspections, last mile delivery service, maintenance management, driver behaviour monitoring, transit agriculture, and much more. We help your telematics business future-proof and launch more diverse IoT solutions.

Contact us today for more information.

Contact us today!

Tel: +1 (888) 647-4730
Email: sales@astreon.com

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Unlocking Maximum Efficiency with Bus & Transport Fleet Management Software

Posted on by Yumi

Managing vehicle operations efficiently and productively is a great challenge today in the fleet industry, especially in mobile environments such as public transportation services. Passenger transport companies face many challenges. For example, vehicle inspections, route management, regulatory requirements, maintenance, and safety with over 100 busses running more than 100 routes every day.

In this blog, we explore the challenges faced in daily operations, plus solutions that maximize bus efficiency and safety with fleet management and telematics Astreon offers.

 

A typical day for a transit operator

bus transit driver

Let’s take a look at a day in the life of a transit operator.

Meet John, a driver at a local bus service company, who has worked for 5 years.

 

1.     Clocking in

After arriving at work, John prepares for the day, grabs a cash box, heads to an operation counter, and his route for the day.

 

 

2.     Inspection

John heads to an assigned bus and does a thorough pre trip inspection. He takes a couple of notes on paper checklist and makes sure the bus is safe to operate. It is mandatory to do a pre/post trip inspection such as the lights, tire pressure, doors, windshield wipers, fluid levels, brakes and etc.

 

Challenges

The company is using a paper-based inspection process, storing hard copies of all pre-and post-trip inspection forms in boxes. This process causes storage, data retention and data collection issues. The stored forms take up valuable space and are difficult to use for reporting and determining necessary maintenance and unplanned repairs. It’s easy for drivers to overlook some processes and they are not compelled to complete the inspection forms thoroughly. Overall, the paper-based inspection process is slowing down operations and creating a compliance exposure.  This type of process also increases maintenance and repairs costs as small issues not properly dealt with can turn into expensive repairs down the line.

 

Solutions

A mobile and cloud-based fleet operation management solution

Using operation management Driveroo, which is a mobile and cloud-based fleet operation management solution, drivers have full access to visual inspection workflows from their mobile devices. Driveroo can turn any paper form into a fast, mistake-free automated process to boost operations and lower costs. A driver can streamline the inspection process using the app with a visual, asset-specific interface that incorporates required checklists and captures details, voice, image and video. All drivers need to do is just follow the easy visual guidance and tap to check items, flag issues and share inspection data with a team or a fleet manager in real-time.

driveroo - operation management

3.     Operate assigned routes

After finishing the pre-trip inspection, John heads out for the day. The shift card is made up of multiple runs at multiple different locations for the day.

 

Challenges

Keeping operations on time smoothly and safely is a primary task for transportation services. The manual process could cause a delay due to traffic, weather, maintenance issues, and unexpected accidents. Those events require support from the back office to get the bus operation back to normal and in a safe manner. In addition, it is crucial for a fleet manager to monitor driver behaviour to prevent unnecessary accidents, violations and unprofessional driving behaviour, such as speeding, unnecessary acceleration, heavy braking, and acceleration while cornering. These actions often increase maintenance costs and contribute to an unsafe environment.

 

Solutions

Public Transportation Management 

Transit + bus management

Using  a Transit Management solution enables bus service companies and drivers to digitize all processes, reduce human error, reduce costs, and improve safety.

Nimbus is a public transport management system that combines location-based services with route and schedule management. It has specialized tools designed for route management and can create stops, optimize routes, distribute vehicles across routes, manage schedules, and track route performance in real-time.

A fleet manager can create routes, add schedules, and track vehicle movement in real-time. It also sends notifications to control late/early arrivals, deviations from the route and other conditions demanding immediate intevention such as an emergency.

Transit + bus management

With Nimbus reports, a fleet manager has access to Ride History and performance quality assessment in terms of routes and vehicles. Analytics allow companies to further optimize the operations of passenger transportation services.

 

 

 

 

Dash camera

Transit operators are responsible for ensuring smooth operations of a transportation service. Connected Dash Cameras capture critical driving incidents, such as lane departure, forward collision, and improper driver behaviour, and can alert users in real-time.

Dash Cameras can also be leveraged for the evaluation of drivers’ professionalism and rewards for drivers. Cloud-based dash cameras upload events to the monitoring platform to be reviewed by managers or safety and compliance to identify areas to improve and reward positive behaviour.

AD PLUS without brand name

Astreon’s A.I. Dashcam is an all-in-one recorder designed to increase safe driving. It has all the features of a regular dash camera, and also supports intelligent driving assistance. It also has the advantages of a powerful telematics tracker, competitive price, and is an enterprise grade device.

Astreon’s’s built-in A.I. cameras help avoid unnecessary accidents, providing advanced active collision warning by intelligently identifying vehicles, lanes, and traffic ahead. Effectively predicting driving hazards such as tailgating, front & pedestrian collision, and lane departure.

ad plus forward camera collision warning

  • Front Collision Warning
  • Lane Departure Warning
  • Headway Monitoring and Warning
  • Pedestrian Collision Warning
  • Front Departure Warning
  • Blind Spot Detection
  • Stop Sign
  • Speed Limit Detection

 

higher AI accuracy

Intelligently identifying the driver’s behaviours such as using mobile phones while driving, being drowsy, distracted, and not wearing a seatbelt via the cabin camera. It also includes alerts that reduce traffic accidents caused by driver behaviours.

  • Phone Usage & Texting
  • Seat Belt
  • Face Recognition
  • Distraction
  • Fatigue

 

Driver Safety

Eco driving driver score

Professional and careful driving contributes to reducing fuel costs, extends vehicle service life, and improves fleet safety for passengers and drivers.

To improve drivers’ professionalism and performance, driving behaviour monitoring is a key service.

Eco Driving (Safety+) Astreon is an app that helps assess a driver’s performance. The solution evaluates driving skills based on penalty points for violations such as speeding, unnecessary acceleration, heavy braking, acceleration while cornering, etc.

Driving behaviour analysis helps operators or fleet owners discipline and educate drivers.

 

Eco driving

Eco Driving also has the following features;

  • Trip analysis
    • A detailed report on trips with a map and a violations table
    • The driver’s rating displayed regarding the trip duration in the form of a column.
  • Reports
    • Several types of reports for a comprehensive driving behaviour analysis: by a driver, group of drivers or units for any period
    • Export to PDF and XLSX files.

 

  • Driver Score
    • Eco Driving (Safety+) enables you to establish a baseline score across all drivers in your fleet based on their driving habits. It is an easy and intuitive way to provide coaching to your drivers by analyzing and highlighting top critical events that contributed to their scores.

 

4.     Final Trip and clock-out

John finished his final trip and makes his way back to the depot. He starts a post-trip check and reports it to a manager if there is any vehicle faults or damages. He returns his cash box and prepares to clock out.

 

Benefits of Using Bus & Transport Fleet Management

Using and combining powerful apps, software and telematics enable managers to quickly detect and educate ineffective drivers. Bus & Transport Fleet Management also helps companies reduce maintenance costs, improves safety and service quality. For drivers, Bus & Transport Fleet Management helps improve their driving skills, increases safety and morale.

 

Astreon – A leader in connected transportation solutions

Astreon is a Mobile Workforce management expert in custom software development and application development for Canadian Fortune 500 Companies. Our platform connects to over 3.4 million vehicles and our open platform offers options for over 20 business-specific companion application solutions. Our customers rely on our services daily as business process management tools and benefit from multiple add-on tools and applications such as Compliant ELD, Maintenance Management, Driver Coaching, Video Management Dashboard, KPI Measurement Dashboards, Logistics & Dispatch tools, plus many more.

Connect with us today to find out more about how Astreon can benefit your business.

Contact us today!

Tel: +1 (888) 647-4730
Email: sales@astreon.com

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4 quick steps to prepare your fleet for dashcams

Posted on by Yumi

Transportation companies are now embracing advanced safety technology that was previously considered cost-prohibitive not providing a clear ROI that fleets require to make such an investment.

Today’s landscape has changed drastically. Dashcams have become the norm for carriers to protect themselves against false claims and improve drivers’ safety + CVOR.  The industry is finding the ROI is more quickly attainable. Over 80% of all accidents involving passengers and trucks are the fault of passenger vehicles. Protecting your drivers is important, providing proof of not-at-fault ensures they keep driving, attributing to productivity and increased wages for the driver. This also helps with talent retention. Finding good drivers is a constant challenge.

 

According to a survey from FreightWaves subscribers, 70 percent of respondents are currently using dashcam technology. However, many carriers don’t comprehend dashcam’s features, or how to leverage them. When it comes to the acceptance of new technology, it always comes with some misconception and confusion.

It’s critical for companies and drivers to understand the benefits and features, and to develop a preventive mindset when they implement advanced dashcams.

 

Here are 4 tips to help prepare your business and fleet for dashcams, and to avoid common mistakes;

 

1.    Involving drivers in the pilot

As a company adopts innovative technology, they should involve drivers in the pilot phase of implementation. Drivers’ input is the most useful resource to point out growing pains and establish a solid safety system during this phase. The company also should have drivers test in different locations to see if there are any regional challenges in various locations.

The company should identify any problem areas that can be corrected before implementation. Keeping your drivers in the loop is ideal.

  

2.    Conduct Q&A sessions

Building trust and transparent relationships with drivers is a key to minimize resistance to new technology. Conduct Q&A sessions, workshops, or meetings with employees to explain why the change is necessary, and what the features and benefits of the system are.

 

The most successful acceptance of dashcams is to share videos and assess and debate driver behaviours in dangerous circumstances. Drivers usually don’t mention to their peers what happened when they encountered critical situations so this is a great opportunity for drivers to acknowledge how other peers deal with dangerous situations.

 

3.    Managing & leveraging data

The dashcam collects and sends key telematic data to analyze and assess driving behaviour. Leverage this data for safety coaching events and driver assessment.

 

At Astreon, we offer driver coaching tools which assess driving habits, behaviors and safety. It evaluates telematic data and provides a score based on penalty points for violations like speeding, unnecessary acceleration, heavy braking, acceleration while cornering, reckless driving, etc.

 

4.    Rewarding positive action

Drivers rarely receive rewards, even though their work environment is often stressful dealing with inclement weather, congested traffic, dwell times, etc. Encouraging drivers with rewards and public acknowledged of their achievements makes a big difference with driver satisfaction.

Some drivers might think they are always being observed by employers because of the dashcams. To reduce this negative impression, employers should explain the purpose of implementation and benefits of dashcams, plus rewards that motivate drivers’ positive behavior and safety score.

 

Employers could

  • Share the video with the entire team and celebrate the driver who took positive actions in a critical situation
  • Acknowledge the driver’s actions in a company meeting, workshop or newsletter
  • Publicly thank the driver
  • Present a gift card

 

These rewards are wildly successful in all businesses. On average, incentive programs achieve a 35% increase in driver safety scores across the board. The result is safer drivers and reduced insurance claims through Gamification: where drivers compete on their scorecards, aiming to achieve a higher score than their peers.

 

Adopting innovative technology

The Fleet industry has radically changed as a result of innovative A.I. Enhanced Dash Camera systems, and lower costs of data and hardware. Video evidence is regularly accepted by insurers when submitting claims, proving your driver is not at fault, avoiding fines and preventing insurance hikes because of those fines. On top of that, some insurance companies offer a premium rate if you employ a dashcam system.

 

The key to successfully implementing new technology is to establish a transparent relationship, collaboration, and engagement with drivers.

 

All-In-One Driving Recorder Designed for Safe Driving

Astreon’s A.I. Dashcam is an advanced dash camera with a built-in A.I. processor to detect driving events such as lane departure, forward collision, and unsafe driver behaviour. It can alert the driver in real-time of dangerous behaviours, and upload events to a monitoring platform to be reviewed by a fleet manager as a coaching aid and for evidence.

Learn more about Astreon’s leading solutions here.

Contact us today!

Tel: +1 (888) 647-4730
Email: sales@astreon.com

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4 Key FMCSA Changes fleets should know in 2022

Posted on by Yumi

Since the Electronic logging device (ELD) mandate officially went into effect, various rule updates, rule changes, notices and proposed changes have taken place (as the ELD mandate continues to evolve). These notices are published on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) website, which in turn is linked to the Federal Register website.

There are 4 noteworthy changes that took place this year (so far) that motor carriers should be aware of:

 

1.    Eliminating the annual list of violations

Per this change, carriers no longer need to request an annual record of violations from their drivers. Section 391.27 were removed from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations on May 9, 2022.

Since carriers request an annual motor vehicle record (MVR), asking drivers for a list of the same violations was redundant.

It’s important to note however that annual violation lists created through May 8, 2022 must be retained in the DQ file (driver qualification) for at least 3 years (meaning potentially as far out as May 8, 2025).

 

2.    Removing personal information from the road test certificate

Some notable changes were made to the format of the road test certificate (a form that is kept in the DQ file per §391.31).

This change removes personal identifiable information (PII) which most people are understandably uncomfortable providing.

The following information is no longer required, effective March 22, 2022:

  • Driver’s license number
  • Licensing state
  • Social Security Number

 

For those that have already purchased older road test certificates, you can simply leave those fields empty as they are no longer required.

It is important to note that per §391.21, PII (date of birth, social security number, driver’s license number, etc.) still remains on the driver-specific application.

 

3.    Licensing Authorities – wording changes

Effective March 22, 2022, the FMCSA changed wording which concerns driver licence issuing entities. “State” was replaced with “driver’s licensing authority”, which provides clarification that to obtain a driver’s MVR, motor carriers would contact states, provinces and territories to satisfy §391.23 and §391.25. This also impact §391.21(b)(5).

This clarification is particularly important for drivers in Canada or Mexico who operate in the U.S.

 

4.    Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule (as of Feb 7, 2022)

As of February 7, 2022, entry-level driver training (ELDT) regulations have stricter requirements for individuals who want to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL), upgrade a CDL, or obtain a hazardous materials (H), passenger (P), or school bus (S) endorsement.

 

“These individuals are subject to the ELDT requirements and must complete a prescribed program of instruction provided by an entity that is listed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry (TPR).” – Federal Register / Vol. 87.

 

Stay up to date on regulatory changes

The FMCSA announces updated notices, rules and proposed rules/rule changes regularly. The ELD mandate rules can be particularly complicated and/or confusing in some instanced for carriers and drivers alike, so it is very important to check regularly and familiarize yourself with changes/potential changes to prevent possible violation or non-compliance.

 

Keep in mind that these changes can also help your drivers by either simplifying their work, removing redundancy or providing greater clarity so they can stay focused on what they do best, safely and effectively, without worrying about potential violations.

You can check for changes or updates via the notices and rulemaking documents page on the FMCSA website.

 

Astreon’s ELD – ELD built for Drivers and Carriers alike

Astreon has partnerships with fully certified leading ELD service providers in Canada and the USA, such as Apollo ELD, brought to you by Astreon. These are industry-leading ELD products that are driver-friendly, easy to use, feature-rich, and well recognized in North America.

In addition to certification, leverage our ELD solutions to provide continuity and risk mitigation for your business with HOS, IFTA reports, Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports, Engine Diagnostics, and many more powerful tools & features.

Visit our ELD pages to learn more.

Contact us today!

Tel: +1 (888) 647-4730
Email: sales@astreon.com

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2022 Truck Trends

Posted on by Yumi

2021-2022 are transformative years for the truck industry and have been keeping people in the truck industry busy. This transformation affects operations, expenses, and administration. With ELD compliance, Electrification to ease climate change, driver shortages, rising fuel costs, and trucker convoys for COVID-19 restrictions, it’s been a busy couple of years.

This article digs a bit deeper into ELD mandates and tighter truck emission regulations in Canada and the USA, and how this affects the transportation industry.

ELD Compliance

ELD(Electronic Logging Devices) mandate went into effect in December 2017 in the USA and will be fully mandated in January 2023 in Canada(Find the Canadian ELD mandate schedule).

Electronic logging devices (ELD) are used to electronically keep a driver’s Record of Duty Status (RODS) and all drivers are required to use an ELD to document their compliance with HOS rules.

In Canada, the full ELD mandate will go into effect on January 2023 and this deadline extension will ensure that carriers can have sufficient time to purchase, install ELDs and educate drivers to comply with the ELD mandate rules. However, the reality is you need to get started preparing as soon as possible. Here is why you should start preparing today for the ELD mandate:  https://www.astreon.com/full-eld-enforcement-delayed/

 

Electrification

The electrification of heavy commercial vehicles is making a splash right now. According to Natural Resources Canada, “Transportation accounts for approximately 25% of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions(GHG), of which almost half comes from passenger cars and light trucks.”.

The electrification movement is accelerating in North America.

“Roughly half of all U.S. and Canadian Class 8 tractors engaged in regional-haul applications could switch to battery-electric technology today with minimal or no impact on operations, productivity, or efficiency, according to a new report.” – HDT

For more information about the reaction from countries and how we can help customers reduce their environmental impact and comply with emission regulations: https://www.astreon.com/a-greener-solution/

 

Driver Shortages

As the demand in the supply chain industry is increasing, North America is facing a serious shortage of truck drivers. According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), the shortage of truck drivers was 60,800 and is estimated to reach 160,000 by 2028 in U.S. Whereas, Canada is expected to be short 25,000 truck drivers by 2023 according to a study from Trucking HR Canada.

truck driver shortage

 

The stressful environment caused by COVID-19 is further accelerating the shortage of truck drivers and exacerbating disruptions in the supply chain.

Find out how to ease driver shortages with telematics:  https://www.astreon.com/telematics-can-improve-drivers-safety-and-retention-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/

Sky High Fuel Costs

Rising fuel costs are pressuring trucking companies. Many companies are struggling with minimizing the impact of fuel costs to their clients, but there is a limit.

In order to combat the impact of rising fuel costs, it is critical to have insightful data about your fleet operations to analyze and drive effective improvements into your business. To get this insightful data, you need a leading GPS Tracking solution in your fleet to better understand how much gasoline or diesel is consumed by your fleet each month and year. A GPS Fleet Management system is also important to help analyze data and receive powerful automated reports to identify where you can drive additional efficiencies and savings.

For detailed tips to combat the effects of rising fuel costs, read this article.

 

Astreon Can Help

Astreon offers the most Comprehensive & Advanced Fleet Management platform available for your Vehicles, Trailers, Machinery, and Equipment, with over 3.3 million+ tracked assets globally. Our software is easy to use, fully customizable, and provides advanced industry-leading features. With our Fleet Management platform, you can visualize all of your fleet assets on one screen in a simple to operate, powerful application. Fuel Management with Astreon is the complete solution for optimizing fuel expenditure and ultimately saving your company time and money. For more information about our fuel control, click here.

Contact us today!

Tel: +1 (888) 647-4730
Email: sales@astreon.com

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Apollo ELD is ranked in the TOP 3 for Electronic Logging Devices

Posted on by admin

One of the buzzwords in the commercial transport industry since last year is surely the ELD (Electronic Logging Device). It’s been in effect in the U.S. since 2017 and 2021 in Canada.  In Canada, ELD will be the topic of discussion frequently this year because the penalties for non-compliance will be enforced on June 12, 2022, and very few companies are certified by Transport Canada as of the time of publishing this article.

ELDs are ECU-connected devices combined with Android or iOS Phones, Tablets, or other hardware logging screens used in the commercial transport industry which provides an accurate and simple means of keeping HOS records.  For professional drivers and fleet operators, this is required by law.

 

Apollo ELD: TOP 3 Electronic Logging Device

Apollo ELD device and app

Apollo ELD provided by our partner Assured Techmatics, was selected TOP 3 Electronic Logging Devices by Verified Market Research.

Assured Techmatics was founded in 2004 and is based in Florida, United States. Its purpose is to develop a location-based solution to improve drivers’ travel experience. It has come a long way since the track and trace days. It has achieved unbelievable success with its ELD solution since it was launched back in 2016. Its flagship product apollo ELD is the powerful bundle of reliable hardware, state-of-the-art software and an ongoing commitment to support its customers and increase its satisfaction with the service it provides. – Verified Market Research

Apollo ELD is the second ELD provider listed by FMCSA and is now certified in Canada. With the ease of use and advanced features support of numerous ELD devices, DVIR, IFTA, and dispatch integration, Apollo ELD has been awarded TOP 3 ELDs.

 

What’s unique about Apollo ELD?

Apollo ELD is a certified and ELD-compliant product that fully conforms to both ELD and AOBRD standards. While being comprehensive, apollo ELD is developed with drivers in mind and thus is quite easy to use. In addition to an app for the driver, there is a feature-rich portal for use by the back-office personnel. Remote drivers and office staff are always in sync with key information, critical to operations, is available to all.

 

Integration with Dispatch

Another unique feature of apollo ELD is the integration with dispatch. Drivers or back-office personnel can initiate a dispatch, i.e., pickup or delivery, and can update information as required including ETA. Shippers or receivers can log into the portal and know where the truck is and note current ETA information. This significantly reduces the need to buy a separate Transportation Management System and manage additional products which are probably not integrated with ELD. Apollo ELD is integrated with dispatch and information such as remaining driving time flows seamlessly into dispatch decision-making to better schedule drivers and maximize dispatch effectiveness and efficiency.

 

Key features of Apollo ELDapollo desktop_mobile_tablet

  • Extremely easy to use and navigate
  • Fully ELD compliant in the United States and Canada and supports Mexican rules
  • Integrated with multiple hardware device types
  • Supports IFTA
  • Supports key intrastate driving rules
  • Available in English, Spanish, Canadian French
  • Integrated with dispatch
  • Supports Android and iOS devices

 

Applicable for diverse industries

  • Commercial fleet
    • In 2019, the commercial vehicle market stood at 13.8 million vehicles, 30% of which being GVW 8 general freight, rental/leasing services trucks. apollo ELD proved to be reliable for the commercial fleets which are the major market.

 

  • Public Transportation
    • As of December 2017, Precious Cargo has installed Electronic Logging Devices on all motor coaches and school buses in accordance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Part 395, 49 CFR 395.8(a). The ELD Rule is the latest safety initiative that was enacted by the FMCSA on December 15, 2015. apollo ELD is fully compliant with this rule and provides services to the bus operators.

 

  • Logistics & Supply Chain
    • During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 logistics and supply chain vehicles were essential in delivering vital supplies to the national supermarket chains and companies. Apollo ELD provides service to big food supply chains.

 

Get ready for ELD compliance with us and replace your current ELD!

If you are not compliant yet or you are looking for extensively advanced features, you can easily migrate your ELD providers to apollo ELD without buying new hardware. For more details about Apollo ELD, visit our Apollo ELD page.

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Summary of 2021 – What has changed in fleets and what change will we expect in 2022?

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This year has a log of changes in the world, especially regulations. In addition to Covid-19 regulations, there are many regulations we have to comply with. The term “changes” also applies to fleet and technology industries this year. In this article, we review critical changes that happened this year to those industries and how these changes will impact your business from next year.

Canada ELD Mandate

apollo eld banner

2021 is a big year for the Canadian ELD market. This year is the first year of enforcement of ELD regulation in Canada. The Canada ELD (Electronic Logging Devices) Mandate went into effect June 12th, 2021 with a “progressive” enforcement period due to the unprecedented challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the complexity of obtaining certification in Canada.

With this measurement, the ELD implementation delay has been put on hold until June 12th, 2022 to elevate education and awareness of the implementation of ELD.

We’ve posted an ultimate ELD guide and regulation changes this year. Read full articles and comprehend how ELD regulation works and which ELD service providers you should choose.

 

  • Other related articles

Canada ELD Mandate Update: No ELD penalties until June 2022 – CCMTA

The ultimate guide to the ELD Mandate and how to choose the best ELD

 

Sustainability

electric vehicle charging station

Global warming is becoming a serious issue all over the world and there is no surprise that the fleet industry contributes to this situation. With this fact, efforts to boost sustainability in the transportation sector are increasing, as customers become more likely to weigh the environmental impacts of their purchases and government across the globe draw up more stringent regulations. In addition, the U.S administration had ordered federal agencies to develop tighter fuel efficiency, greenhouse gas, and oxides of nitrogen emissions standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks in 2021.

More stringent regulations are expected to come next year in the world. Be prepared for any regulation impacting the fleet industry. It’s for sure that the truck industry will need to take the next leap in sustainability no later than 2030 because most countries set vehicle electrification targets by 2030. You can find the Vehicle electrification goals by country in the report from icct.

For emission regulations for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, read our blogs and be prepared for the changes:

How you can save money during the oil and diesel price surge

Biden Proposed Tighter Truck Emission Regulations

Truck industry embracing change due to the emission regulations and high demand for electric trucks

 

Smart Technology

smart technology

Connectivity and data management are now set to unleash the next renovation in the history of farming: Smart Farming / Precision agriculture. It enables farmers to collect vast quantities of data and control different equipment or monitor individual animals. Now, farmers are starting to adopt digital technology and data-driven innovations. See how Smart Farming can solve agricultural operational problems.

Smart Technology – Transformation in the Agriculture industry

 

What do 2022 and the future in the fleet industry look like?

Canada ELD regulation will be fully compliant

All Canadian trucking companies (there are some exemptions from the Canadian ELD mandate) must prepare for the ELD mandate by June 12th, 2022. Violating the regulation could charge you a fine or receive formal warnings. Being compliant doesn’t sound only complicated, but is also beneficial for your fleet operation financially and productively. Leveraging ELD brings many benefits, like more efficient route management, vehicle diagnostics, and minimizing administrative difficulties. Find more ELD benefits on our ELD page.

Our certified ELD providers:

Apollo ELD: https://www.lvmtrack.com/eld-compliance-apollo/

VisTracks: https://www.lvmtrack.com/eld-compliance-vistracks/

 

One in two vehicles sold is an electric vehicle

In the Executive Order by U.S. President Joe Biden, he states that “America must lead the world on clean and efficient cars and trucks. That means bolstering our domestic market by setting a goal that 50 percent of all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in 2030 be zero-emission vehicles, including battery-electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or fuel cell electric vehicles.”.

In 2021, we saw self-driving cars becoming more prevalent as well as carpooling services becoming increasingly popular with people who have car ownership but do not drive often enough to warrant owning a car themselves. Also, major auto manufacturers like Tesla, Volvo, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz manufacture EVs to meet the demand from consumers, contributing to a dramatic reduction in CO2 emissions. As an example, Volvo is committed to producing purely EV’s by 2030.

Not next year, but 2030 would be a milestone in the history of an electric vehicle.

To learn more about electric vehicles, check our blogs.

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Why do rental companies use GPS Tracking? Why is telematics beneficial to the rental equipment business?

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When it comes to the profitability of the rental industry, it depends on efficiently renting out assets, keeping them in good condition, and managing the asset’s life cycle.

To maximize profitability, a rental company needs to know when and whether their assets will be returned in what condition so that they can be checked in, maintained, and quickly put back on the rental list again.

Most rental companies struggle with asset management. If your company has not installed an advanced asset management system, you will face many issues. For example, it is more complicated to monitor and organize which asset from which location is readily available to be rented out if a rental company has multiple branches. It will end up costing tens of thousands of dollars if you lose even one piece of equipment. They are often not in an ideal condition when your customer returns your rental assets.

According to the report from National Equipment Registry, about 1,000 pieces of commercial equipment are reported stolen every month, which is equivalent to anywhere from $300 million to $1 billion loss per year for business owners.

The lack of an advanced asset management system will result in inflated maintenance and management costs. In order to overcome these challenges, GPS tracking is a must-have for all rental industries to manage and mitigate operational risks.

 

How a GPS Tracking works for the rental equipment industry

Maximizing profitability in a rapidly growing market can be challenging. In fact, the equipment industry in the U.S. is growing. According to the statistics from statista, the size of the U.S. equipment rental market is projected to be sized at approximately $53 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, a 10% of increase from its in 2020.

Along with its increasing market, operators in the rental industry are concerned about the safety and maintenance of their equipment. It is not easy to know how their equipment is used by their customers, or whether they return their rental equipment at the right time in the right place.

To manage and monitor all challenges, GPS tracking solutions help locate your assets using a pre-installed transmitter that tracks the location of the specific object using signals from several satellites and calculating the delay between each one. Today, GPS tracking is more powerful, accurate, and comprehensive by integrating with an asset management system.

GPS tracking integrated with an asset management system provides you with insightful, real-time data and reports that support you to improve safety and productivity.

Let’s look at the benefits of installing GPS Tracking in the rental equipment industry.

5 benefits of GPS tracking for the rental equipment industry

  1. Tracking real-time location & geofencing

Renting your assets to others is risky unless you have full control of management and monitoring. Heavy equipment assets are highly valuable and difficult to replace. With GPS Tracking for heavy machinery, trailers, and other high-value assets, you can monitor your assets’ whereabouts in real-time. You can also set up geofencing, which is a virtual border drawn on the map, in an asset management system. These virtual boundaries or areas can be drawn like a single-lane street or shaped size as a specific yard to help you monitor and manage your valuable assets. These geofences are used as a trigger for alerts when your asset enters/exits in or from the geofenced area. As soon as the GPS tracking detects the movement, it will send an alert. This information is crucial in preventing contract breaches and ensuring that equipment is exactly where it is supposed to be.

 

  1. Monitor equipment condition

Another benefit of using GPS Tracking in the rental equipment industry is automated maintenance. GPS Tracking will allow you to schedule maintenance based on the equipment’s runtime. This will help make sure that maintenance is done on time and increase productivity by maintaining the rental cycle of each asset.  Maintenance notifications of upcoming work can enable you to go perform maintenance on a customer’s job site to prevent costly breakdowns and unnecessary repairs.

 

  1. Prevent theft

As we mentioned earlier, about 1,000 pieces of commercial equipment are reported stolen every month which is equivalent to anywhere from $300 million to $1 billion loss per year for business owners. This can happen to anyone.

What if your customer paid in cash or with a fraudulent credit card and disappeared without returning your rental equipment? When your equipment isn’t returned and you come to collect it, the site will be vacant or the address or person you lent your equipment doesn’t even exist. These unfortunate events could happen to you. How can you prevent this from happening?

You already know that a GPS Tracker allows you to monitor the exact location of your rental equipment. However, the right rental equipment tracking devices can do more than simply aid in locating lost or stolen rental equipment. It also can help you minimize the risk of damage to the assets if it is stolen by minimizing the time that thieves have them.

For example, if a GPS tracking device has geofencing or motion detection capabilities, it will instantly generate an alert if the device crosses the geofencing boundary or detects unauthorized movement. This alert system helps you to quickly identify a potential theft in progress and alert the authorities to the theft. Your quick action can reduce the possibility that the asset will be damaged or disposed of before the asset is found.

 

  1. Maximize equipment utilization

Keeping assets operating longer than they should and missing the right timing to replace them with new ones cause the cost to maintain them to skyrocket. With the right GPS Tracker, rental companies can see equipment usage and the GPS tracker helps them make more informed decisions about asset purchasing and selling.

 

A GPS Tracker integrated with an asset management system can help you stay on top of your asset replacement schedule and find the right time to replace your assets based on the maintenance milestones and their period of usage. The asset management system will provide you with crucial data and help you make the right asset management decisions to maximize equipment utilization.

 

  1. Improve invoice accuracy and billable time

Ditch the old manual tracking of run time and paper-based processes.

Using GPS tracking on your equipment improves your invoice accuracy and billable time. This feature is beneficial especially if you bill your customers based on the runtime of the equipment. You will know the exact amount of runtime from the data by GPS tracking and it will increase your invoicing accuracy.

In addition, monitoring runtime will eliminate human errors. It’s easy to bill your customer by the day, half-day, or by the hour with full and accurate data collected by an asset management system. Using GPS tracking and an asset management system automates everything and helps your work be more accurate and productive.

 

Need an advanced asset management system for your rental business? We are here to help you

Astreon provides a cloud-based system, seamlessly integrated into mobile applications featuring a wide range of IoT solutions. You can get real-time asset tracking visibility with detailed reports on their location. Astreon’s asset management system allows you to monitor your assets’ whereabouts with a click of a button to save time, reduce dwell time, with the added convenience of not having to physically look for your asset. It helps you reduce costs by ensuring that critical assets are available and identified quickly when you need them the most.

Contact us today for more information about our advanced asset management system.

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Tel: +1 (888) 647-4730
Email: sales@astreon.com

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