We know how important it is to increase efficiency and accuracy in the haulage and logistics industry, and our in-vehicle PCs provide an ideal platform to allow haulage and logistics organisations to do this. The following sections will demonstrate how these organisations can benefit from installing our computers into their fleets.
Navigation & Tracking
Our high-functionality in-vehicle PCs allow for integrated GPS, 3G/GPRS and Wi-Fi connectivity. Not only does this enable drivers to be precisely directed to their destination using satellite navigation, but with 3G internet access they can be notified in real-time of any traffic updates, delays, incidents, etc – meaning they can always be directed to their destination via the most efficient route possible. Moreover, when combined with relevant software, the driver can be directed in a systematic and logical manner, saving planning and delivery time and improving fuel efficiency. This reduction of delays can therefore help to improve productivity and customer satisfaction.
With built-in GPS it is also possible to track the location of all vehicles in a given fleet, in real-time. And our in-vehicle PCs allow connectivity to CAN-bus, meaning that driving behaviour and fuel efficiency can also be measured, recorded and analysed in combination with the vehicle's precise location at any given time. This allows for increased operational control and thus helps to improve efficiency.
Job Despatch & Process Improvement
As our in-vehicle PCs are fully featured Windows PCs, their flexibility enables the support of advanced job despatch systems. When used in combination with GPS and 3G/Wi-Fi, our computers allow fleet control centres to make effective vehicle allocation decisions for despatching jobs. For example, should a late or last-minute delivery job be required by a customer, the control centre can use real-time location data about the entire fleet to allocate the nearest or most accessible vehicle to the particular customer. Details can be sent to the vehicle via 3G and navigation can be enabled remotely by the control centre. This allows the driver to stay focused on his/her driving without the need to pull over to operate the navigation system or to discuss job details on the telephone - thus improving delivery times and reducing the risk of an accident. A further advantage is that by integrating a job despatch system, haulage and logistics organisations need not purchase separate job despatching hardware - thus reducing long-term costs and providing an all-in-one convenient package.
In addition to a job despatch system, haulage and logistics companies can implement a specialist prompting system to improve their process control. For example, should a checklist need to be completed before departing for another delivery, our in-vehicle PCs could prompt the driver to follow and fill in/sign the checklist using one of our responsive and vivid touchscreen displays. This would significantly reduce the risk of critical safety procedures being accidentally missed or not being followed. In addition to saving the driver’s time, data can be sent instantaneously (via 3G/Wi-Fi) to the control centre, meaning that process analysis can take place immediately should it be required.
The above principle applies to any other type of reporting that is required by drivers, whether currently undertaken on paper or another hardware device. Should 3G or Wi-Fi connectivity not be desired, or for situations involving large amounts of data, another option could be to use a removable hard drive so that the data can be physically carried into the control centre/depot at the end of a shift. This could also act as a backup device.
Inventory Control
For vehicles transporting bulk liquids such as oil, and when used in conjunction with specialist hardware and software, the amount of liquid remaining in the tanker can be measured and recorded. This means that if the vehicle is likely to run out of product for the remaining deliveries, the system can flag this up to the driver or control centre, allowing them to be as pro-active as possible and re-fill stock when required.
As well as real-time measuring of liquids in transit, physical goods can also be measured in line with the remaining deliveries of the shift. This is because our in-vehicle PCs, when combined with relevant software, can record data provided by a wireless barcode or RFID scanner. This means the driver can scan the goods being loaded onto the trailer in order to check the quantities and types against the inventory. Should particular goods be loaded in error, or be missing, our in-vehicle PC system could flag this up to the driver. This reduces the risk of human error, enables errors to be corrected before departing for delivery, and therefore assists the depot to improve their process management as well as improving customer satisfaction by delivering perfectly every time.
Security & Road Safety
As well as the many benefits explained above, the high level of expandability of our in-vehicle PCs can enable numerous cameras to be connected to help improve security of the driver and goods, as well as road safety. When supplied with a video capture card, our in-vehicle PCs can effectively be used as a Digital Video Recorder (DVR). However, this does not limit the PC’s ability to run other applications, as footage can be recorded in the background, and even onto a high-capacity removable hard drive.
An example setup could be a CCTV camera mounted inside the trailer, enabling all activity to be continuously recorded and stored, whilst a wide-angle reversing camera can be mounted to the exterior of the trailer. This proves very beneficial with regards to road safety by improving the driver’s awareness of pedestrians, obstacles, debris, etc; particularly in built-up or busy areas. Another example could be mounting a camera to the exterior of the cabin for improved visibility of blind spots. In fact, cameras can be mounted to any part of the vehicle and footage recorded and viewed on one of our in-vehicle PCs.
Convenience
As well as the hardware devices discussed above, printers can also be mounted in the vehicle and connected to our in-vehicle PCs. This would be beneficial if the driver needed to print an invoice or delivery note for a customer, particularly if the job was despatched to the driver remotely during the day. With 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, it has never been easier or quicker to send important information remotely.
Convenience is provided by our in-vehicle PCs in a variety of ways. As discussed, they allow haulage and logistics organisations to significantly improve processes, customer satisfaction, efficiency, costs, productivity, operational control, and more; all via a single point of control. In addition, should the organisation's requirements change in the future (such as requiring an upgrade in performance), there is no need to purchase a whole new system as the relevant components can often be upgraded.
With so much flexibility on-hand, it is not hard to see how haulage and logistics companies can benefit from our systems. Please contact us to discuss your specific requirements.