Unlocking Maximum Efficiency with Bus & Transport Fleet Management Software

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.

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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.

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4 quick steps to prepare your fleet for dashcams

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.

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4 Key FMCSA Changes fleets should know in 2022

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.

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2022 Truck Trends

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.

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

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?

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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The complete guide to Dispatch Management Software

As the demand in the supply chain industry is increasing, the logistics and transportation industries rely more on technology to streamline the operation to prevent any shipping delays.

The process is a lot more complicated than simply sending a delivery truck to pick up the package they’d like to deliver. There are many questions you need to address, such as delivery schedule, driver/vehicle assignments & availability, routes considering traffic, and tracking process.

These are the challenges of dispatch management, but these same issues are addressed with effective dispatch management software.

 

What is a Dispatch Management Software?

A Dispatch Management Software is a process of organizing, assigning, and optimizing delivery schedules and routes for businesses in the delivery, maintenance, and service industries. Dispatch Management Software optimizes your routes and schedules while maximizing efficiency, and minimizing costs.

 

How Dispatch Management Software works

By integrating with GPS tracking and mobile apps which provide real-time updates, you can track the real-time whereabouts of your vehicles, traffics conditions, and assignments of available carriers. This, along with advanced routing algorithms, provides automated assignments for pickups, drop-offs, service calls, deliveries, etc.  These applications can provide Proof of Delivery or Service completion, with photos, signatures, and driver notes.

Keeping track of the locations and statuses of drivers allows you to improve your dispatching. It also helps connect a dispatcher with drivers for faster, better communication.

The software can help schedule plan, optimize routes, providing real-time routing, monitoring driver behavior, alert notifications, and calculate total route costs which allow your company to lower turnaround times and costs.

Why does using Dispatch Management Software dramatically improves your business’s efficiency and performance?

Leveraging dispatch management software brings you huge benefits by automating every process.

Without an efficient dispatch system in your business, time is wasted manually tracking the vehicles, planning routes, and managing driver schedules. With dispatch management software, managing all these processes is automated and easy.

 

Key aspects of dispatch management software

 

Better delivery routes

Instead of planning routes manually, dispatch management helps you generate optimal travel routes more efficiently.

Based on which vehicle is closest and available, service time commitments, and route preferences, what kind of capacity the vehicle has, traffic, the application provides planned routes with information on the estimated arrival time and mileage of each stop and route. Optimal routes will result in faster delivery & service times, increased customer & driver satisfaction, and cost savings.

 

Reduced service costs

Effective dispatch management not only saves time by optimizing routes but also saves money. Drivers spend less time on the road, along with optimized and improved routes, which results in reduced fuel consumption and reduced operation time.

According to ABI Research, the cost savings from having a dispatch management system could be well over 12% in profitability and 13% in vehicle utilization with a 15% decrease in travel time.

Dispatch management software also provides you with impactful reporting so that you can see precisely which areas need to be improved to lower costs and increase profits.

 

Improve customer & driver satisfaction

Customers always want to know where their packages are and when they are expected to receive their packages.

Dispatch management software can provide both you and your customers with real-time updates on driver’s whereabouts and estimated delivery schedules. Some applications allow clients to communicate directly with the driver.

These tools increase driver satisfaction because you don’t have to worry about a delivery delay due to unexpected traffic conditions, reducing driver’s stress levels. It can also avoid any irregular schedules by optimizing routes, assignments of available drivers and vehicles.

 

Improve driver behavior and safety

Real-time monitoring and data enable a dispatcher to measure driver behavior and safety. Dispatch management software allows a dispatcher to track the delivery process in real-time and respond to emerging issues through phone calls or chat. Dispatch management software will notify a dispatcher and driver via notifications whenever unexpected issues happen.

 

Astreon Dispatch & Order Distribution

Our dispatch management software is a fully-featured and integrated module to manage tasks, pickups, drop-offs, destinations for all order management business needs.

Contact our specialist today to learn more about how we can help your business.

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Cargo theft in North America – 4.4 billion USD in economic losses

How GPS Tracking mitigates risk in the global supply chain.

Since COVID-19 hit the world and has affected in-store shopping, many people are opting to use online shopping.  This can lead to supply chain disruption due to the higher demand. This demand is accelerating other risks, “cargo theft”. Cargo theft is a significant risk in global supply chain when it comes to global transportation by land, air and sea. In fact, cargo theft increased by 23% in the third quarter of 2020 from third-quarter 2019 in the U.S. and Canada.  It was an estimated total of $33.77 million in stolen cargo across U.S. and Canada according to the statistics by AJOT .

If you are wondering where cargo theft is happening and what products are targeted, here are some interesting facts according to the reports from TT CLUB and SensiGuard

 

Cargo theft by location in North America

U.S. – Cargo theft by the state

  1. California: 23%
  2. Texas: 11%
  3. Georgia: 10%
  4. Florida: 9%

 

Canada – Cargo theft

  1. Ontario: 75%
  2. Quebec: 19%
  3. British Columbia: 2%

 

Cargo theft trends

According to the report from TT CLUB, it shows that most cargo theft type was Hijacking at 69% followed by theft of vehicle at 10%.

Regarding the location of the theft, it mostly happens in-transit at 74%. The cargo theft of food & beverage accounts for 33% of the top commodities stolen.

cargo theft trends

GPS asset tracking

Cargo theft is a headache for companies with multiple warehouses and operational lines of business. It is challenging to keep track of all vehicles/assets and take care of unexpected events. Without appropriate action, you are at higher risk of losing credibility with your clients as well.

How GPS telematics help detect and mitigate cargo theft

The No. of businesses tracking assets is expected to exceed 114 million by 2025 as we mentioned in a recent blog. This is a significant increase in demand for location-based and asset tracking services in the next few years. The industry started taking advantage of the benefits of GPS tracking.

 

What exactly GPS tracking can help?

 

Real-time tracking

With GPS Tracking, you can locate exactly where your vehicles/assets are when they are stolen. Based on the data from GPS Tracker, you can also check travel history so you will know where your vehicles/assets were stolen, how they traveled to the final destination and where they are now.

Geofencing

GPS Tracking has an amazing feature, Geofences. It is a virtual border drawn on the map in a GPS tracking system. You can create a geofence area where you would like to mark yards, clients, even routes. You draw the geofence border like the photo below. Once the geofence is created, it is used as a trigger for alerts when your vehicles/assets enter or exit from the geofence area. As soon as the GPS tracking detects the activity, it will send you an alert. In case of theft, once the GPS tracker detects unauthorized movements, you will receive alerts so that you can immediately act against the event.

geofence

Insightful GPS data

GPS tracking software provides you with insightful data you can use to protect yourself against future theft/attack. You can analyze reports that tell you what happened, where, and why the event occurred. Based on this insight, you can plan preventive measurements to mitigate risk. For instance, you can change the route based on the location where the theft happened.

Dash camera – GPS Telematics

Dash cams attached to your vehicles can be a huge lifesaver in terms of theft. Some dash cams have built-in or optional GPS receivers. Not only video recording, but also dash cams have features that will be able to detect motion or impact. Dash cams will send alerts if there are any unexpected events in or outside of your vehicles.

dash cams

The most advanced telematics platform

Astreon has 30 collective years of experience in the custom software development, SaaS, and wireless industries. This has provided us with a unique outlook in today’s IoT industry as we develop and implement simple, powerful and easy to use applications for our partners.

We are one of the leading providers of solutions in the IoT industry. We are consistently introducing new wireless platforms, shaping the future and changing the way people do business. We provide you with the services and applications that you need to be more productive and responsive to today’s increasing industry demands.

Contact us today!

Tel: +1 (888) 647-4730

Email: sales@astreon.com

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Asset tracking systems are expected to be used by 114 million businesses globally in 2025

Asset tracking systems are expected to be used by 114 million businesses globally in 2025 – This has placed a huge demand on the logistics industry to prevent supply chain disruption.

A new study from Juniper research has estimated that the numbers of business tracking assets in 2020 reached 90 million, and will exceed 114 million by 2025. The research forecasts that $33 billion will be spent on asset tracking in 2025 globally.  This is a measurable increase in demand for location based and asset tracking services in the next few years.

 

Supply chain disruption

Keeping track of assets is challenging for Logistics companies in supply chain operations.  Especially for companies with multiple warehouses and multiple operational lines of business.  With the recent growth of e-commerce and online shopping, logistics companies face difficult operational challenges as they adjust to this new growing trend. Increasing capacity, adhering to regulations, and managing the complexity of the supply chain are just a few examples.   One key solution is tracking and optimizing the usage of assets through KPIs and Management tools.

Without having the benefit of an asset tracking system, and the benefit of KPI’s & reporting tools, it’s difficult for businesses to figure out what causes disruptions in supply chain.  Managers need data-based insights into manufacturing and logistics processes to optimize the supply chain efficiently.

One effective way to solve this challenge is tracking assets and obtaining all data from every asset to analyze asset utilization. This is why many businesses use asset tracking systems today, with consistent increased demand for these services.

What is driving this growth in the logistics industry?

Utilizing asset management systems allows logistics companies to reduce their inventory and stock management costs and helps them use their existing assets more efficiently by tracking and managing assets in real-time.  As a result, the deployment of asset management systems leads to significant cost-saving and immediate ROI.

 

Tools to provide optimum asset utilization

With asset management systems, managers can see which assets are under and overused. If assets are not being used efficiently, this leads to increased operational costs. If assets are overused, this might cause an increase in maintenance costs and frequency. For companies with larger fleets, they can track and monitor all assets. With this data, managers have accurate information to make key decisions on maximizing utilization, scheduling maintenance, and reduce extra costs.

 

Reduce equipment downtime

By leveraging the reports and alert notifications from asset tracking systems, you can track and monitor all assets’ data, including real-time location, mileage, breakdowns, fuel thefts, unauthorized use, dwell time, asset life cycle and more. By automating reports and creating custom notifications, you immediately know of upcoming maintenance for each asset providing notice and time to schedule maintenance and allocate assets accordingly.   This helps reduce or eliminate unnecessary maintenance and repair costs.

 

The right asset tracker for your clients

Effective asset tracking gives businesses an advantage that propels them ahead of the competition. Astreon is a global platform with Resellers, Partners, and Clients all over the world. Astreon provides dynamic data including routing & dispatch, location, status and key sensor state of all assets in the field. Astreon has turnkey tools to quickly and easily allow your business to hit the ground running.  We provide application hosting with optional white labeling services, hardware devices, connectivity, marketing and technical support. Everything you need to get started is here. Contact us today to become our partner.

Contact us today!

Tel: +1 (888) 647-4730

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