Automating Fleet Management

Many Massachusetts Trucking Companies Score Poorly on Safety

2010-02-23T05:01:00.000-08:00

Fox News Boston reports that many Boston-area trucking companies are scoring poorly on FMCSA vehicle and driver safety ratings. In their recent segment, Dangerous Trucks on Mass Roads, the most common violations were poor brakes on vehicles and driver HOS violations. Scores were based on the FMCSA SafeStat scoring system.

In Mass, “Commercial trucks were involved in 2,310 crashes in 2008 alone -- accidents that resulted in 20 deaths.”

These results underscore the need for EOBR requirements in high-risk trucking companies. In addition to tracking vehicle performance, these systems provide significant visibility into driver performance and can automate HOS compliance with electronic driver logs.

One example of a local fleet leveraging on-board systems is Demoulas’ Supermarkets of Tewksbury, MA. Read more…

Author: Frank Moreno

Cadec and Velociti Expand Partnership to Offer Nationwide Field Service

2010-01-20T06:33:00.000-08:00

Cadec announced today that it has partnered with Velociti Inc. to offer a new, nationwide field service and support program to its customers. Called Cadec Express Service, the new program provides a comprehensive nationwide installation, field service, support and repair solution for Cadec’s North American trucking fleet customer base.

Velociti specializes in mobile device installation and service for trucking fleets. Long considered leaders in transportation technology, Velociti has been working with Cadec for the past five years, supplementing Cadec’s own staff in the field. The company employs hundreds of technicians and operates a network of more than 50 drive-through service centers across North America.

Read the full press release here.

Author: Frank Moreno

Cadec Customers Recognized for Industry Leadership by IFMA

2010-01-11T07:31:00.000-08:00

Cadec customers Ben E Keith Foods and AGAR Supply were recently honored by the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) for distributor leadership and overall excellence within the foodservice industry.

“Ben E. Keith Foods was honored with the IFMA Excellence in Distribution Award.”

“AGAR Supply Company, Inc. was named the winner of the IFMA Distributor Sales & Marketing Performance Award.”

The full article can be found here: http://www.ifdaonline.org/webarticles/anmviewer.asp?a=665&z=1

Author: Frank Moreno

MPG Per Driver – Is this a valid KPI for Fleet Management?

2009-09-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

Since the 2008 fuel crisis, many fleet managers are being convinced to measure and track miles per gallon (MPG) in an effort to reduce fuel consumption. Newer engines and vehicle designs boast lower fuel usage, but most companies are using their older vehicles longer and have very few new, fuel efficient vehicles.

So a common request among many fleets is to leverage on-board computers and fleet management systems measure MPG not only by vehicle, but by driver. Their goals are to identify drivers that violate established acceptable standards for MPG for training purposes or potential replacement. Is this a valid measurement?

Tracking MPG across your fleet makes perfect sense. Identifying those units that are consuming more fuel than others and ultimately costing more money may indicate when it makes more sense to repair or replace a vehicle. When this information is integrated with vehicle maintenance systems, there are clear efficiencies gained. Tracking MPG by route also provides useful data.

However, can accurate data be gained with KPIs that track MPG per driver? Consider these questions:
Are the drivers using the same vehicles every day?
Are the drivers driving the same routes every day?
Are they delivering the same cargo every day?
Are the driving the same routes at the same time each day?
Are the driving the same routes on a weekday vs a weekend?
Are you alerting drivers when they are exceeding MPG goals?

Optimizing fuel consumption is one of the most fundamental goals of any fleet manager, and analyzing MPG (in addition to idling, speeding, over RPM) make perfect business sense. MPG by driver may however provide inaccurate information.

If you are tracking MPG by driver, please comment on how you use it. Are these pitfalls real? How does your fleet avoid these?

Author: Frank Moreno

Fleet Management Fundamentals Podcast

2009-06-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

Check out my radio interview with M2M Magazine, available as a podcast or streaming over the web. http://www.wsradio.com/internet-talk-radio.cfm/shows/M2M-Radio.html

Author: Frank Moreno

Fleet Management Industry Needs Standard Technologies

2009-05-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

There are several shared initiatives across the trucking industry lately – reducing fuel, going green, paperless deliveries, improving safety, etc. – however one of the most common is supply chain visibility.

At the recent NPTC Conference, many private fleet executives voiced their concern regarding the challenges they face in integrating the many disparate technologies they use in their organization to improve their visibility across their supply chain and increase productivity. Consider the technologies that are often used in most of today’s leading fleets: routing, dispatch, fleet management, warehouse management, maintenance systems, hr/payroll systems, and financial systems are just a few of the core systems needed to run their business. Unfortunately, many of these systems are very insular in their design and provide limited data integration capabilities. For example, two of the most common routing platforms used in the private fleet industry can only export their data as a flat file or .CSV file. The same holds true for the industry’s most widely used dispatch system. Many other systems provide APIs (application programming interface) that are based on proprietary languages or formats.

It’s time for an industry group or consortium to define certain technology standards for integrating transportation systems. If we look at the global software leaders and enterprise application providers, all of them have embraced XML-based web services and service oriented architecture as the standard way to interoperate across disparate applications. This is extremely prevalent in the supply chain arena, where legacy, mainframe applications are now accessible by more current web-based systems. Karen Butner, IBM’s Supply Chain Management Lead for the IBM Institute for Business Value describes SOA as the “Blueprint for Supply Chain Visibility”.

Now is the time to standardize the data made available to and from fleet management systems (assets, accounts, products, driver performance, vehicle performance, delivery data, time and attendance data, etc.) as web services, making them consumable in a standard way by any other system. Cadec will push to be at the forefront of this initiative, and enable fleet managers to achieve better supply chain visibility and improve the overall returns on their technology investments.

Author: Frank Moreno

Fleet Management ROI Discussion at NPTC

2009-05-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

From NPTC – While the attendance at this week’s National Private Truck Council’s conference was a bit light compared to year’s past, there was no shortage of news and interesting discussion across the industry. The Benchmarking data presented by NPTC’s Tom Moore highlighted a number of significant trends and observations:

- Customer service (mainly on-time arrivals) remains far and away the number one reason why companies operate their own fleet
- Reducing out of route miles is the top method of increasing fuel efficiency
- There is a increasing interest in leasing of tractors among private fleets
- The amount of Empty Miles Driven increased in 2008 (possible correlation with the increase in fuel prices)
- There has been a major increase in Going Green initiatives in private fleets
- With reduced number of drivers, incentive-based pay plans have increased and are working
- Technology is #10 in the Top 10 Challenges facing Private Fleets (Economy/Costs was #1)

Also, the ROI session was very interesting as leading executives from Giant Eagle, Bridgestone Tire and Cadec customer Mennel Milling presented on ROI from On-board Technology. While the current returns were not surprising (efficiency & productivity gains, automating manual processes, route optimization, reduced idle time, etc.) it was the concerns they highlighted that were of most interest. Common to all speakers and consistent at the conference was the concern about the amount of data their technology systems provided and the challenges around integrating their systems and interpreting the data into meaningful business intelligence.

The concept of supply chain visibility, business intelligence and actionable information is becoming a theme across many vendors. Be sure to consider a system’s ability to provide visibility not just into its own system, but across multiple transportation systems within the infrastructure (such as Cadec’s Insight system). Cadec will be sponsoring an upcoming webcast on this topic with Fleet Owner and NPTC in June. Visit www.cadec.com for details in the coming weeks.

Author: Frank Moreno

Hollywood or Reality? Advanced Fleet Safety Technologies

2009-05-02T19:49:00.000-07:00

In 1994, years before 9/11, the motion picture Speed exaggerated the need for improved safety and security systems on a motor coach. Most people over the age of 30 recall the movie. Fast-forward 15 years to 2009 and Hollywood recreates a similar scenario on the CBS television series Numb3rs. Yet in the episode, a new fleet management technology with real-time GPS tracking, covert emergency notification by the driver and remote engine shut-down technology brings the hijacked bus to a controlled stop by safety officials and authorities!

Is this technology real? What about for the trucking industry? With the recent increase in cargo theft and the heightened security around fuel and hazmat haulers, there is clearly a need for combining existing fleet management, AVL and mobile communications products with advanced safety and security features into one system… Check out PowerVue ProTecht Fleet Safety and Security Applications from Cadec Global.

Author: Frank Moreno

Update from ALK Technology Summit – technology advancing fast, economy moving slow

2009-04-27T10:41:00.000-07:00

Last week I attended ALK’s annual Technology Summit in Princeton, NJ. Cadec was one of many industry leading sponsors the event. The standing room only crowd (120+) of technology vendors, fleet managers, press and industry experts gathered for what ALK calls its Thought Leadership Summit to share various trends and observations in the areas of transportation safety and efficiency in the trucking industry. While there was an obvious focus on navigation systems, the sessions also covered a wide variety of industry trends and other technologies.

An interesting, yet sobering keynote address by US Express’ President John White showed the concerning state of the for-hire trucking industry, particularly the large TL carriers, as a result of the economic slowdown. White also shared insights on a number of hot industry topics, including Card Check, HOS Regulations and EOBR Mandates.

Mr. White also shared his success using routing software in a presentation with TMW Systems, highlighting how they can compare planned to actual trip data to gain efficiencies.

The use of handheld computers was also a common topic, both to run turn-by-turn navigation software and proof of delivery applications.

Another observation was that most of the fleet attendees were in the for hire markets. While we are seeing significant growth in interest for turn-by-turn navigation among private fleets, and more stability in their financial situations, there were very few of these companies represented at the Summit.

In all, this was an interesting event that will likely increase in size next year as the use of navigation systems in trucking increases, particularly when integrated with on-board computers and fleet management software. I would recommend marking your calendar for this next year.

Author: Frank Moreno

The ROI from Transportation Business Intelligence

2009-04-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

It’s amazing how business expenditures are allocated in a down economy. Value and ROI are no longer the driving forces behind capital expenditures. Price is now the primary influence in many purchases, particularly in transportation technology. Additionally, unbudgeted expenditures are basically non-existent – regardless of the price or the payback.

However, those companies that are confident that conditions will soon change and are visionary in their business objectives are now seeing tremendous success. One area where supply chain executives and transportation decision makers are now investing in is Business Intelligence for their transportation operations.

While traditional fleet management systems have focused on the performance of mobile assets (the truck and driver), today’s advanced applications are now interpreting that data into actionable business information across the supply chain. At-a glance-views of business trends, customer impact and business unit performance provide users with the ability to manage by exception and greatly improve visibility across the entire mobile supply chain. But how does the value of providing better service to customers and the value of people making better decisions faster translate into ROI? Can optimizing business processes within transportation and delivery operations yield a tangible ROI?

Transportation Business Intelligence offers a dramatic ROI. Businesses can make better, quicker decisions through facts-based analysis. It's not just about getting the right information to the right people at the right time, he said, but determining that the information is in fact being used to make better decisions. An informed transportation executive can leverage a business intelligence dashboard to identify an event or trend, drill down into detail, determine the root cause for that event, and quickly implement a change that can drive new sales, avoid costs, etc. Essentially, executives can now get the information they need to manage their business, and the ROI is seen across the supply chain in drastically reduced costs (labor, fuel, maintenance, etc.), increased revenues and improved cash flow. Additionally, BI users are defining new performance metrics for their transportation operations that can provide new levels of operational efficiency (route optimization, on-site invoicing, inventory management, etc.)

The most significant ROI of implementing Supply Chain visibility and transportation business intelligence tools, is the competitive advantage for businesses that are optimized to thrive immediately when the economy begins to improve. While competitors will be buried in useless data and reports, dashboard users get faster access to real-time data so they can get straight to the problem right away, manage their business better, and respond to changes in the market better.

Author: Frank Moreno

Cadec Highlights Momentum at Annual User's Conference

2009-04-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

After a bit of a hiatus, the Cadec blog is alive and well. Last week Cadec sponsored its annual User’s Conference in Boston, MA. With over 100 attendees present, customers invested two full days in training classes, conference presentations, PowerVue product demonstrations and breakouts including keynote presentations from Aberdeen Group’s Brad Wyland and Blue Sky Technologies President Steve Hensley. The partner pavilion included many conference sponsors – Syntelic Solutions, Motorola, Honeywell, MultiTech, ALK, Telapoint and Velociti.

Customer presentations were the highlight of the event, with Poland Springs sharing how their idle reduction initiatives have saved them thousands of dollars in fuel expenses; Greyhound Lines, Inc. discussing their fleet management and safety investments and BRT, Inc. reviewing how they have customized and integrated Cadec with other fleet-related systems.

Despite the economic conditions, many customers expressed their intent to continue to invest in technologies that can optimize their visibility across their supply chain, to make better business decisions.

Immediately following the conference, Cadec publicly announced their additional funding from Thule Investments. As the fiscal Q1 came to a close, Cadec is riding tremendous momentum into Q2 2009 with new customers, new partnerships and new product offerings.

Author: Frank Moreno

A New Perspective

2008-08-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

(The following entry is contributed by Scott MacDougall, Sales Engineer at Cadec.)

Having been with Cadec for over 14 years in the capacity of either field engineer or customer support I have had the opportunity to work with our customers extensively to improve their understanding our products. Earlier this year I took a position as Sales Engineer. My responsibilities now are to travel with the sales team on their appointments to demonstrate the products we have, answer technical questions and assist with showing the customers how Cadec will increase their efficiency and decrease their costs.

This new role has opened my eyes to some interesting points with regards to the Cadec systems:

Our product is a great driver coaching product. From the Driver’s Available Hours report to our patented ETOG application, data showing stops, delays, routing, vehicle data, account information and a drivers habits can all be reviewed to measure driver behavior. With over 90 build in reports you can assist your drivers in meeting company standards for idling, RPM, speeding and route standards. From my previous experience I had known this and worked with customers with analyzing data, but the value is much more obvious now as I work with potential customers who have nothing in their vehicles to collect data. These companies are going to see a fast and overwhelming increase in driver efficiency and vehicle performance with Cadec installed.

Sharing driver, vehicle and delivery data across the supply chain. With our canned reports you can find out almost anything about a driver, trip, account and vehicle information. While I was in customer support I would always be helping customers understand reports and increase performance. Now, I see where the detailed information gathered can be exported and interfaced with other systems. The data can be used for payroll, routing, account servicing and many other aspects, not only improving automation but increasing the visibility into delivery operations and performance.

Going legal. Some people think they cannot realize a profit by adhering to the DOT rules. NOW is the time to start closing that gap instead of waiting for a mandate that OBCs will be required. The first step is gathering data. Without any system installed a company has little understanding of how their drivers, vehicles and routes are working. With an installed system there is clear, concise data to make decisions and improvements. I remember installing a system for a customer. On my follow-up call reviewing driver activity reports with them we found a driver who was on an on-duty delay every Tuesday at 11:00 AM for an hour. Asking the driver about this he told us the dock was closed from 11:00 AM – Noon. He never told anyone and was making money while reading the paper. Most drivers are not out to take advantage of their companies, but if you add up all these small indiscretions, you are starting to close the gap. What is the cost of a driver, vehicle and an hour of idling? (Oh, don’t forget to multiply times 52 for this one example…)

Driver coaching, interfacing data and closing the gap. Since moving from post sales, to presales I have been able to recognize additional cost savings and company improvements you can have in time, fuel, increased driver retention and cheaper vehicle maintenance costs to name a few by leveraging the Cadec fleet management system.

Trucking companies save millions in fuel costs

2008-07-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

Trucking companies can take steps to save money on fuel by focusing on their drivers. Fleet Owner Magazine and Truckload Carriers Association are hosting a webinar next week on this very topic entitled: Strategies and technologies for coping with the high cost of fuel.

The concept is not new, but is gaining a lot more attention this year due to the high cost of fuel in the US. By measuring and then altering driver behavior, trucking companies can dramatically reduce their fuel consumption. In the past, these tactics were used in an effort to improve safety, identify & retain strong drivers and increase customer service. Measurements were commonly focused on speeding incidents, rapid decelerations, unknown stops and on-time arrivals. Today’s measurements are now more focused on idle time, MPG and out of route miles.

“Through monitoring with Cadec, we were able to increase MPGs by a half-mile per gallon, saving $500,000 in fuel in the first year alone.” Northwest Food Products Transportation

"Engine idling once averaged 40% of the time engines were turned on but has dropped to 3%. Speeding events averaged about 16,000 per month but now have fallen to 200 per month.” Nicholas & Co.

“Monitoring drivers through Cadec and associated remedial training can help us save $750,000 in one year.” Morning Star

“Poland Spring achieved a 41 percent reduction in idle time and will save about $21,000 in fuel in 2008 with Cadec.” Poland Spring

“Our savings will be close to $300,000 per year. Cadec will be the key to reducing our transportation costs while improving service to our customers.” G&C Foods

Driver scorecards and key performance indicator dashboards are now a critical component of fleet management systems to gain executive-level visibility into transportation operations. For more information, check out these useful links:

www.cadec.com/resources
www.blueskytech.com

Smart in the Office/Smart in the Truck – Doing more to perfect data collection and positively impact performance through in cab technology

2008-07-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

While a few system providers have offered onboard fleet management tools for several years that include computing power, memory, touchscreens, and even a database in the cab of the truck, there has certainly been an uptick recently of more vendors joining that club. Clearly the industry sees benefit in doing more on board. There is no shortage of good reasons for this.

Customers have discussed with me an array of results they will achieve by leveraging technology in the cab, and even beyond the cab with handheld devices, sensors, etc. Eliminating paperwork not only makes life easier for the driver and for administrative personnel…it also drives accuracy. Reduced errors mean better customer service and a direct path to better results at the bottom line.

Efficiency increases by accurately capturing and communicating in a timely and actionable way the events that occur in the field. One industry veteran told me that, “the best data is data captured as close as possible to the point at which it happens.” With the right onboard tool, the quantity and quality of actionable data improves. No averages…no gaps. The beauty of the newer technology on board is not only the capture of this information, often in an automated or minimal keystroke way, but also the ability to manage the communication of that data so that it gets to the right place at the right time….IN A WAY THAT MAKES FINANCIAL SENSE.

Sorry to yell there, but it is an important point. Recognizing the value of doing more on board is one thing. Pulling it off in a cost effective manner is something else. This is where the focus comes off of the onboard device, and on to the applications and overall system architecture. Without this part being right, the value of the onboard device cannot be optimized.

A powerful onboard computer whose cost to use is unaffordable does not get the desired result. Think about the possibilities…..handheld POD….temperature, tire pressure, weight, rollover sensor and other monitoring…..cameras….fatigue detection….onboard navigation…driver entertainment and training! The capabilities and their potential impact are remarkable. Happier, retained, safer drivers…attracted from the younger pool of people in the workplace is an example. This technology migration is a meaningful, positive trend for the industry which, when done right, creates a big win for everyone in the supply chain, as a friend in the food distribution industry puts it….from “farm-to-fork.”

Driver Scorecards Help Manage Employees

2008-07-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

In a recent “Trucks at Work” blog posting, Sean Kilcarr discussed Dealing with the Bad – highlighting different methods and techniques for dealing with bad employees. See his post here.

Another method for dealing with bad drivers in the trucking industry that is growing more common is driver score cards. Many private fleets have adopted this practice to help their safety initiatives, fuel conservation, incentive-based pay and driver retention. Scorecards are a very powerful means of behavior modification. There are some businesses that post their driver scorecards every week in their driver's break room for all to see. The exposure gives credit to the strong drivers, and puts pressure on those that need improvement (peer pressure and management pressure). Driver scorecards and KPI (key performance indicator) dashboards are available as stand-alone products, as part of consulting services and in some fleet management solutions.

Information on Cadec’s GYR Driver Scorecard can be found at http://www.cadec.com/solutions/fleetSafety.php#anchorOne

You can also check out how some companies are using the Cadec Driver Scorecard in the Resource section at www.cadec.com.

Author: Frank Moreno

The “Perfect” Foodservice Delivery

2008-07-10T12:50:00.000-07:00

Is there such a thing as the “Perfect” delivery in the food service industry? There are so many variables that impact delivery costs. Let’s review some of these common issues and what they tend to result in:

Routing – out of route miles not only have a have dramatic impact on fuel consumption, the resulting delays can have a negative impact on customer service with late arrivals and missed delivery windows. Additionally, when drivers select or are assigned routes that will exceed their available hours of service, the company is at risk of facing non-compliant fees.

Paperwork errors – if you’re in the delivery industry, the amount of paperwork you process is unfortunately very familiar. Manifests, driver logs, inspection reports, invoices, delivery routes, credits/returns, physical assets (pallets, bins, crates, etc.) are manually processed on a daily basis.

Shrinkage – no, this is not a reference to a great 80’s sitcom. What this refers to is lost profit based on not getting paid for things allocated in your operating plan. In addition to spoilage, and OSD (overs, shorts and damages) a common contributor to shrinkage is theft – disappearing inventory from the delivery truck. It’s always funny when the items that are reported “missing” from the drivers are the cases of T-bone steaks, and never the broccoli.

These are just a sample of the types of issues that plague foodservice delivery. The question is, are these problems accepted and commonly written off? Or, is there an alternative with best practices and technology to help improve customer service, reduce costs and increase business productivity? Is the perfect delivery attainable?

Well, today’s new technology addresses many of the challenges facing the delivery process. The combination of fleet management, wireless communications, on-board/in cab computing and handheld computers/scanners with mobile delivery applications provide new levels of visibility and automation beyond the warehouse, into the delivery vehicle and onto the loading docks of customers.

Routing systems can track each driver and their available hours, and assign routes that fit within their availability based on known drive times. On-board computing systems can not only provide GPS tracking for real-time route validation, many systems can alert when drivers go out of route, track & calculate out of route miles, identify unknown stops and measure the time between stops. Additionally these systems can provide instant messaging to drivers, verify delivery locations and run in-cab, turn-by-turn navigation applications. There is now more visibility than ever before into routing and driver performance to optimize delivery routes, and with web-based applications and standard interfaces such as XML and web services, these once-disparate systems can now integrate seamlessly to automate many processes, improve customer service and reduce fuel consumption.

In many companies, deliveries create unless amounts of paperwork. Forms and documents constantly require manual, human data input, which businesses base their entire operations on. These labor-intensive administrative processes are subject to error in nearly every step they touch – particularly in item counts. Inaccurate counts can impact inventory, customer service, forecasts and ultimately profits. Unfortunately, paper-based processes are often “counted” or have data inputs multiple times, further increasing the chance for errors. The adoption and integration of handheld computers, bar code scanners, mobile delivery applications and soon RFID alleviates many of these error-laden processes, and automates data capture.

Controlling inventory and asset loss is a critical step towards increasing profits in delivery operations. Electronic manifests combined with scanned inventories for each delivery provide an accurate count of every item on a specific truck and details on where those items need to go. With mobile delivery applications, every item on a vehicle must be accounted for at all times. This helps to avoid incorrect items at a site, incorrect item quantities at a site, items delivered to the wrong site, items that don’t belong on a truck, items that are manually picked at the delivery site and items that are missing from the truck. By having every item electronically scanned and accounted for, the opportunity and potential for theft is reduced if not eliminated and the cost of shrinkage is avoided.

While the Perfect Delivery may still be a challenge, it is more attainable than ever before. The implementation of these integrated systems and efficiencies may not yield errorless delivery operations, the impact on productivity and cost savings is clearly compelling enough for any private fleet, LTL or TL for-hire fleet.

Please comment on your thoughts on whether the "Perfect Delivery" is possible and why.

Author: Frank Moreno

ITLC Conference Highlights Trends and Issues in Technology for the Trucking Industry

2008-06-04T05:37:00.000-07:00

I spent the past two days attending the Information Technology Logistics Council (ITLC) Conference in Chicago. This three day event boasted a very strong agenda and was all attended by fleets, vendors and industry/government officials. Here are a few observations from the event:

EOBRs in the Industry – It was AMAZING to see just how many fleets are not using ANY type of onboard computers/recorders in their vehicles. While most of the attendees seemed to be in the For Hire (truckload and LTL) market segments, it is still mind boggling to me that the efficiencies gained by EOBRs are not more embraced by these fleets. This session highlighted the upcoming ruling by the FMCSA on probable EOBR mandates and what that will mean for the industry. It was clear that most fleets were investigating this technology and are anticipating some type of requirement for onboard recorders. It was also clear that while the ruling will only focus on HOS information, there is significant value in today’s systems far beyond electronic logs. Telematics data, driver performance, fuel conservation and turn by turn navigation are just a few of the benefits of today’s more advanced systems.

Eye Opener – the reliance on EDI amongst these companies was astounding. Having spent time with software vendors aimed at the financial services industry, the use of XML-based web services has been prevalent for five if not ten years. It was extremely disappointing to hear the “Web Applications in the Supply Chain” session highlight the importance of integrations using EDI. In 2008, any transportation company executive considering an IT investment in web applications fir their fleet management, transportation management system or any supply chain component would be essentially throwing money away if their systems were not leveraging web services and SOA integration. Today’s leading supply chain and transportation systems from vendors like TMW Systems, ALK, Manhattan Associates and many others are leveraging service oriented architecture and web services to facilite standards-based web application integration. Why? This ensures that the integrations are sustainable (not impacted by change) and are flexible enough to integrate with any system.

This is just a sample of articles that review the evolution of EDI with XML and SOA:
http://www.ebizq.net/topics/soa/features/8206.html
http://blogs.zdnet.com/service-oriented/?p=208
http://soa.sys-con.com/read/563225.htm

Exciting topic – Wireless Roadside Inspection (WRI). This was very cool. While it is still in pilot phase, the idea of a vehicle driving by an inspection station and instantly uploading HOS data to an inspector’s laptop, without stopping was very exciting. Keep your eyes open for more details on this.

Overall this was a very good conference and should be closely watched and considered next year. It would be very interesting to see more private fleets represented next year to highlight how their technology adoption is more mature than those for hire fleets. The advancements in supply chain optimization and technology adoption is far more prevalent in the private fleet sector and would be a valuable addition to next year’s event.

Author: Frank Moreno

Private Fleets Fighting Back – Saving Thousands with Fleet Management

2008-06-03T17:43:00.000-07:00

Northwest Food Products Transportation increases fuel economy, saves $500,000 in fuel in first year with Cadec. “One of the greatest cost savings achieved from our Cadec investment has been in the area of fuel economy. With our Cadec software, we were able to monitor their use of progressive shifting, a driving technique that can help save fuel by ensuring that trucks are running at lower RPMs. Increasing fuel efficiency by just one-tenth of a mile saves NFPT $100,000 annually. Through monitoring with Cadec, we were able to increase MPGs by a half-mile per gallon, saving $500,000 in fuel in the first year alone. That savings alone more than paid for our investment in Cadec. Maintenance costs also went down by 4.5 cents a mile. By reducing sudden decels and increasing use of progressive shifting, we had far fewer brake jobs on our hands.” Roger Nordtvedt, General Manager; Northwest Food Products Transportation

Automation helps CN Brown ensure timely delivery, improve safety and reduce operating costs in their fuel transportation business. “Cadec enables us to monitor and reduce idle time.That directly impacts the amount of fuel our fleet uses. Even with increases in fuel and operations costs and an additional 90,000 miles on the road in 2007, C.N. Brown was able to cut its overall fleet cost by three cents per mile as compared to 2006 – resulting in a total savings of $57,000. “Cadec’s software played a significant role in that,” Ken Cannell, Transportation Manager; CN Brown

G&C Foods Takes Control of Rising Transportation Costs, anticipating $300,000 savings in first year. “Within one week, we saw drastic reductions in both speeding and excessive idling. Our reports went from 80 percent red to just a few drivers in the red, and over time we’ve seen more improvements. Our ability to track this behavior with Cadec had a major impact on driver behavior... Penalties for Hours of Service violations are dramatic, and no matter how meticulous you think you are, paper logs are subject to basic human error. Cadec automates the whole process for us, recording hours of service, pickups, dropoffs… everything that we used to record by hand. Drivers don’t even need to think about it. Cadec ensures our records are accurate and complete.” Larry Clark, Transportation Manager; G&C Foods

“Our overall transportation expenses for 2008 will be about $6 million. If Cadec helps reduce that by just three percent, that’s $180,000 in savings. But when we consider all the areas Cadec can contribute to – reduced fuel consumption, safety improvements, better logging compliance, better return tracking, and improving our ability to collect on invoices – we think our savings will be closer to $300,000 per year. Cadec will be the key to reducing our transportation costs while improving service to our customers.” David LePage, President; G&C Foods

Morning Star anticipates cutting repair and maintenance costs in half “Most years we spend about $1.5 million on repair and maintenance, including accidents. A rollover, for instance, costs about $80,000, and even a minor incident can cost $10,000. We think that monitoring for safety through Cadec, and associated remedial training, can help us cut that $1.5 million in half.” Paul Pimmetel; Morning Star Foods

To read the complete case studies on each of these companies visit http://www.cadec.com/resources.php

Author: Frank Moreno

The 100% Wireless Coverage Fantasy for Fleet Management

2008-05-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

Going back a few years to when the earth was still cooling, dinosaurs ruled, and I first entered the wireless industry working for Motorola, we were taught a mantra for setting customer's coverage expectations...."90% of the places, 90% of the time." Even with the advent of GEO and now LEO satellite communications, it may be reasonable to bump up the percentage a bit....but the mantra holds true. There are just too many variables, even with combined satellite and terrestrial communications, to make the 100% claim. Buildings, trees, valleys and other physical blockages, atmospheric conditions, sunspots, and more all factor in.

I still hear that 100% expectation in the course of doing business though - now in the fleet management space. No question it is a noble goal, but that's all. In my opinion, any vendor that promises, implies or suggests to a customer the possibility of 100% wireless coverage should be met with high scrutiny regarding any of the other "commitments" they may be making.

Author: Steve Katz

More Truck Crashes Highlight Importance of EOBR/OBCs and FMCSA’s upcoming Ruling

2008-05-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday’s accident in Illinois was another example of the critical role that electronic on-board recorders (EOBR) and on-board computers (OBC) have in the transportation business and a fleet management strategy. A trailer hauling 14 tons of Oreo cookies overturned on I-80 at around 4am, 50 miles southwest of Chicago.

The driver allegedly fell asleep at the wheel and slammed into the median. The trailer was owned by a leading, national for-hire trucking company.

While it is not known whether the vehicle was using any type of on-board system, any time a driver falls asleep at the wheel, hours of service (HOS) compliance comes into question. To address this issue the FMCSA will release a final EOBR rule this fall, potentially involving incentives and/or mandates for the use of EOBRs .

Not only would HOS violations be identified and potentially avoided, excessive speed audible warnings could also aid in helping prevent some accidents.

Author: Frank Moreno

$2/gallon gas lures truckers

2008-04-25T09:06:00.000-07:00

As diesel fuel costs reach unprecedented heights, Fleet management vendors have been extremely vocal lately on how their systems can help reduce fuel consumption for trucking companies. Reduced idle times, route tracking & optimization and reduced speeding are just some of the ways to combat fuel expenses. However, more and more we are hearing that smaller fleets are really being hit hard, and are now losing money and at risk of going out of business because of diesel costs. Here’s an example of how one fleet is fighting back… leveraging $2/gallon prices in Mexico. This may not be the ideal solution and not an option for everyone, but definitely worth sharing… Take a look at this video from CNN: $2/gallon gas lures truckers

Author: Frank Moreno

Fleet Management System with E-logs, On-board Computer & GPS Satellite Tracking Saves $250,000 Annually for Houston Company

2008-04-18T06:45:00.000-07:00

Recently, both Traffic World Magazine and the Houston Business Journal profiled Cadec’s customer Grey Wolf, Inc., and the success they have seen as a result of their implementation of Mobius TTS. The Cadec system has enabled Grey Wolf to move to paperless, electronic DOT logs – eliminating countless hours of paperwork for their drivers. Grey Wolf is also using Cadec for their fuel tax reporting, vehicle location with GPS satellite tracking, and fuel savings by reducing idle time.

Cadec has recently published numerous customer success stories and online resources highlighting the benefits of fleet management systems, including an e-report on the Top 10 ways to Go Paperless with Fleet Management.

Author: Frank Moreno

Improving Customer Service with Fleet Management Solutions

2008-03-24T18:16:00.000-07:00

A new webinar featuring Cadec Global and Motorola explores how the combination of on-board computers and fleet management software with handheld scanners and mobile computing devices can improve delivery processes and customer service.

Attendees will learn best practices for optimizing their delivery processes to provide them with real time data in order to make informed decisions that impact key areas of the supply chain. Cadec's DeliveryTracker software with Mobius TTS supports the widest variety of handheld systems including Motorola's Symbol MC70.

To register for this event visit:
https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=103138&sessionid=1&key=F5EFD5A7C8D1D93EB27FAF7425275509&sourcepage=register

Author: Frank Moreno

Are you losing money with Activity-Based Compensation?

2008-02-25T05:32:00.000-08:00

Activity-based compensation has been touted as a way for fleet managers to increase delivery and driver productivity while managing labor costs. Private fleets are particularly embracive of this model as a means of reducing overall operations costs. See Gary Petty’s article from the National Private Truck Council (NPTC) and Fleet Owner magazine. But how can you ensure that the activities you have defined are accurately measured? Do you know what the cost variance is between one activity’s compensation rate and another?

Many Cadec customers are using their Mobius TTS and Series 100 on-board computers (OBCs) to aid in their ABC program. Yes, on-board computers are commonly implemented to improve safety or increase fleet and driver productivity. However, driver safety can also be calculated into a compensation plan. Speeding, excessive idle, HOS violations are negatives that can be built into the ABC.

ABC rewards efficiency, which is often very difficult to measure accurately. On-board computers provide a level of accuracy that simply cannot be obtained by manual processes. Mr. Petty agrees in his article, stating “Using on-board technology is critical. Managers analyzed data on 3,000 trips to and from their stores to set the standards for the ABC program.”

Without accurate data, your ABC program may be costing you more than you think. For example, one Cadec fleet management customer incorporated a driver incentive program that would measure the time from arrival to departure at each delivery stop. The goal was simple; improve efficiency to allow for more stops in a day. Drivers were incented to make their deliveries within a certain amount of time. Originally, the driver would call their dispatcher when they were leaving the site. When the customer began using the on-board computer’s GPS and geofencing technology, they found that drivers were often calling in 1-3 minutes before they actually left the site in order to hit their incentive window. By eliminating these inaccurate incentive payments, this customer was able to reduce payroll by over $800,000 across 450 drivers.

The geofencing features can also help identify if/when a driver has reached a pickup/delivery location, but may still be in drive mode, waiting in line for their load. Accurate identification of when a vehicle enters and exits a site is essential when implementing ABC programs, and while some drivers will look for ways to cheat the system, once implemented, drivers embrace the use of on-board systems and use them to their advantage to improve their overall productivity.

Author: Gerry Kirouac

Protect Against Lawsuits with On-board Computers

2008-02-18T12:49:00.000-08:00

Ours has become a very litigious society. Some of the lawsuits we hear about have merit, others range from the dubious to the downright outrageous. Unfortunately, for each of these suits that is settled, there is a winner and a loser, and often the settlement sums are also outrageous. There are even people in our midst who derive their income from the mishaps that give rise to these suits. These people are… lawyers. A recent lap around the internet has shown that a target has been placed smack dab in the middle of the chest of the trucking industry. If this sounds inflammatory or paranoid, then read the words for yourself:

From http://www.truckingaccidentattorneyblog.com
“Winning Truck Accident Cases--The Key is to Find Violations of Federal Motor Carrier Regulations
Tractor trailer accidents involve complex issues and require knowledge of Federal Regulations applicable to trucking companies. In order to win you need to prove that the truck driver or trucking company was negligent. Negligence is defined as the truck driver's failure to use reasonable care that a careful and prudent truck driver would use in the same or similar circumstances.
Trucks that carry goods between states are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration which promulgates regulations that truck drivers and trucking companies are required to follow. You can make a convincing case of negligence to a jury if you can prove not only that the truck driver was negligent in the manner her drove his the truck, but also if he violated one of the many federal regulations governing the conduct of truck drivers.
One of the most common violations what is known as the hours of service regulations. The hours of service regulations only apply to property carriers and drivers.

More from the same site:

One of the key to winning any case tried to a jury is to get the jury to side with your client. If you can show not only that the truck driver was negligent in the operation of his truck but also that he falsified his log book and his employer knew it, the jury is more likely to award a large verdict, or the insurance company will pay more to settle the case. That is why you are involved in a trucking accident, you should hire an experienced trucking accident lawyer like Jeff Lowe of the Lowe Law Firm. We work on a contingency basis and only charge you a fee if we recover for you. We also advance all expenses and only recover them if we win for you.

From http://www.ocinjury.com/html/auto.html

Semi Truck Accidents
A semi truck accident is, with respect to a victim's lawsuit, somewhat different from a typical auto accident. In a normal auto accident, the driver at fault is often the only party legally liable for damages; if this driver is uninsured, or if damages exceed his or her insurance policy's limits, the victim may have no means of acquiring just compensation. When a semi truck is involved in the accident, though, other entities may be held responsible for the collision. Many semi trucks are owned and operated by large companies for whom the drivers work as employees. If these companies fail to hire safe, competent people to operate their trucks, they may be considered at fault in any accidents caused by their workers. Good legal representation is crucial in the trying to bring those responsible to account, and California semi truck accident lawyer Sean M. Burke can help.

An important legal concept in semi truck accident litigation is “joint and several liability.” In a nutshell, this doctrine ensures that victims receive compensation for economic damages from someone responsible, regardless of whether the guilty parties can each pay their share. Thus, if the driver in a semi truck accident is deemed most at fault, but is very poor, and his employer is deemed only partially at fault, but has more money, the employer will have to cover whatever damages the driver cannot. After the fact, the employer can seek restitution from the driver via separate legal action that does not involve the victim. This system (which does not apply to non-economic damages such as pain and suffering) ensures that victims of personal injury are compensated and not forced to suffer through endless legal battles involving every party responsible for their harms. Determining who is responsible and bringing them to court requires the expertise of a skilled attorney. Contact Southern California semi truck accident lawyer Sean M. Burke for help with your case today.

From http://www.alabamaaccidentinfocenter.com/CM/Custom/Truck-Accident-FAQ.asp

What Should I Do If I Have Been in a Truck Accident?
· Render first aid and summon medical professionals.
· Contact an attorney as soon as possible. He will send investigators to the site, advise you of your rights, and recommend steps to take.
· DON'T GIVE STATEMENTS to police, an insurance adjuster, the other driver(s), or bystanders. Any admission of fault can reduce your ability to recover damages.
· If possible, take photos of damage to both vehicles, debris, your visible injuries, and the general scene.
· Get contact information from any witnesses before they leave the scene (let your attorney get their statements).
· Record the truck driver's name and driver's license, license plate numbers of the cab and trailer.
· Exchange personal information (including insurance information) with all drivers involved.
· See a doctor as soon as possible. Seemingly minor injuries can turn out to be serious — brain trauma, fractured bones, soft tissue injury. Carefully document your injuries, your treatment, and your recovery over the next weeks and months.
· Report the accident to your insurance agent, but stick to basic facts (where it occurred, when, vehicles involved). DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING without talking to your attorney.
· Make sure that your vehicle and the truck are inspected before any repairs are made. Your attorney can arrange this.

Who Can Be Sued in a Truck Accident?
Truck accidents often involve multiple vehicles. Your attorney should be experienced in complex litigation involving multiple parties and the insurance issues that often arise. If the truck driver was at fault, you can sue the driver personally and usually the trucker's employer. The owners of the tractor-trailer cab, the trailer, and the freight may all be liable in part, as well as the truck's manufacturer or a third-party maintenance company. If a third driver caused the accident, you can sue for damages under their auto liability policy.

What If I Was Partly at Fault?
Alabama is a contributory negligence state. Under a strict reading of the law, you cannot recover damages if you are found to be even 1 percent at fault. As a practical matter, however, you may be able to collect if you share some of the blame but the truck driver or trucking company was predominantly at fault. DO NOT DISCUSS fault with anyone other than your attorney.

All of these websites, which were visited on the 14th and 15th of February 2008 are setting their sights squarely on the trucking industry. Some of the entities cited here may not be happy with the attention that is being called to their words, but this information is directly from their sites and is complete and contextual, look at the sites for yourselves. The surest way to avoid the threat of litigation is to run 100% incident free. Since that cannot be expected, hiring quality drivers, running safe legal trucks and complying with federal regs will all help to shrink that target. Installing Electronic On-board Computers such as Cadec’s Series 100 system (for both PowerVue and Mobius TTS) is a reliable method for collecting and storing DOT logs and tracking compliance, vehicle ECM and GPS data. It will help to shrink the target even more. Automatic on-board recording devices (AOBRDs) also show your organizations commitment to safety and efficiency as well as your readiness to defend yourself and your drivers. A closing thought which drives this point home as succinctly as any extra words here is this paragraph, which all but says that companies which choose not to use AOBRDs are leaving themselves wide open.

From the site http://orlando.injuryboard.com/auto-accidents/electronic-logs-can-stop-truck-accidents.php

There are alternatives. One such device is an electronic log mounted on the truck. These logs automatically record when, where and how much the truck has been driven. Although the Federal Trucking Regulations in the United States do not require electronic logs, the individual companies that hire the truckers can voluntarily place the logs in trucks they hire. If a company knowingly hires drivers that fudge the log books then action should be taken to hold them accountable for injuries and deaths to innocent motorists from car accidents caused by interstate trucks. The simple solution of electronic logs is one that a jury should evaluate when deciding whether trucking companies are deliberately choosing to ignore safety and profit by looking the other way while truck drivers violate the safety regulations designed to stop truck accidents.

Author: Karl Olson

State Idling Laws Help Reduce Fuel Consumption

2008-01-04T07:17:00.000-08:00

As “Going Green” continues to be a hot topic for the transportation industry, many states have been actively adding and enforcing idling regulations. Fuel conservation is clearly one of the best and easiest ways for fleets to not only reduce their impact on the environment, but also reduce costs. Aside from moving to alternative fuels, reduced idling will have a dramatic reduction in fuel consumption. Details on the laws in many states can be found here: http://www.atri-online.org/research/idling/2007_atri_idlingcompendium_secure.pdf

To learn more ways to Go Green with your fleet, check out the recent webcast by SmartWay and Cadec – Top Five Ways to Go Green With Fleet Management.

Author: Karl Olson

Coming soon: Mandatory On-Board Computers/EOBRs?

2008-01-02T06:50:00.000-08:00

On December 19,2007 the Senate transportation committee conducted a hearing on the FMCSA Interim final rule concerning Hours of Service. The hearing aired on C-SPAN and can be viewed here:
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=203138-1

A couple of points which seem to be worthy of comment: At about the 52nd minute the conversation turns to mandatory use of EOBRs. With all panel members from both sides of the issue speaking in favor of them and Senator Frank Lautenberg calling the decision for mandatory EOBRs a “no-brainer” (his actual words!). He also made reference to an NTSB call for 100% mandatory EOBRs. The NTSB recommendation from December 17, 2007 can be found here: http://www.ntsb.gov/Recs/letters/2007/H07_41_42.pdf

Dave Osiecki of the ATA talks about studies which show that the average 34 hour reset is actually about 49 hours and only 27% of drivers report driving in the 11th hour. He also says that the number of trucks registered in the US is up but the number of miles travelled has remained constant at about 222-223 billion miles/year, indicating that trucks are travelling less.
Byrd (from the Teamsters Union) and Krupski (from OOIDA) agreed that ECMs should be set govern speed to 68 (Cadec EOBRs used with either Mobius or PowerVue can monitor speed to any set level)

And curiously in the entire discussion of big truck fatalities and accidents, no mention was made of whether the fault was with the “tired” driver or if the other driver was at fault.

Author: Karl Olson

Adoption of HOS Changes Eased with On-Board Computers

2007-12-21T06:17:00.000-08:00

It seems like the industry news lately has been loaded with stories about changes to the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. Two of the most significant are the ongoing saga between the FMCSA and the DC Court of Appeals over the 34 hour reset and the 11 hour driving day and the abrupt change to the California intrastate rules. See http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/about/news/news-releases/2007/hos.pdf

Keeping track of these changes (dates of the changes, transition periods, etc) can be a daunting task. An automated on-board recording device like Cadec's Series 100 systems for Mobius TTS and PowerVue can be configured to track hours and compliance with the particular DOT rule a driver is utilizing, warning the driver as he approaches his maximum on-duty or driving hours.

Here at Cadec we pride ourselves on our ability to stay abreast of the DOT and MOT HOS regulations and provide those rules to our customers quickly and accurately, relieving the burden of trying to follow each nuance of regulatory change.

Author: Karl Olson

Everett, MA Tanker Accident Highlights Need for Roll-over Prevention and Driver Performance Management

2007-12-06T08:37:00.000-08:00

The accident in Everett, MA yesterday morning grabbed national attention when a tanker truck carrying 9400 gallons of gasoline flipped and exploded. The burning fuel poured down residential streets, damaging multiple buildings and over 20 cars. The driver was cited for speeding and not having a federal medical certificate with him, which would certify him as fit to drive. Amazingly, no one was hurt in the accident.

The early news reports highlight the importance, particularly for private fleets, of on-board computers and fleet management systems as critical safety measures for roll-over prevention, communication, risk avoidance, and driver performance. Here are just a few examples:

Roll-over prevention – this is a technology that every petroleum carrier should be equipped with. The accident in Everett, MA happened when the tanker was traveling at a high rate of speed through a rotary, causing the truck to roll over. Today there are devices that can detect speed, center of gravity and turning ratios to provide drivers and fleet managers that a vehicle is approaching a potential roll-over situation. New technology in the more advanced on-board computer systems will leverage a software algorithm (patent pending by Heimir Sverrisson) to identify these situations as well as engine de-rate technology to shut down an engine if necessary.

Driver performance management – fleet management systems like those provided by Cadec offer real-time driver performance scorecards that identify high risk drivers based on their performance. Excessive speeds, rapid acceleration & deceleration incidents, HOS violations, and roll-over risks are regularly tracked to rank a driver’s performance. High risk drivers are easily identified to aid in behavior modification efforts. The driver in the MA accident had a record of driving offenses.

Compliance, Security & Safety - On-board computer systems have all pertinent driver file data, including medical physical due dates. The system can automatically flag the company with the need to update the driver file. If this driver does not have all the proper endorsement to meet the Hazmat criteria the on-board unit will inform the driver and the office this driver is attempting to sign in to a vehicle the driver is not eligible to operate.

Pre-trip inspections - Was the vehicle properly inspected during the pre-trip? Cadec will be offering an inspection function that will make it immediately known to anyone at the transportation company that the driver properly preformed their inspection. Each check point will be confirmed by the driver, and anything that is skipped or missed will be flagged immediately with alerts to those that need to know.

Off-route alerting - Was the driver taking a route off limits to hazardous materials? Cadec’s mapping functions can proactively identify the route the driver should take and/or avoid.

These are just a few of the important benefits that petroleum and hazmat haulers can take advantage of with on-board systems. For more information on roll-over prevention, driver performance scorecards and fleet management systems drop me an email at info@cadec.com.

Author: Frank Moreno

New Online Resources for Improving Fleet Management

2007-11-28T08:31:00.000-08:00

Cadec recently published a new white paper entitled Businsess Value Through Fleet Management Optimization.

The new paper highlights the foundational elements of today’s advanced fleet management systems and the business impact they can have on organizations operating a private fleet. To introduce the business issues faced by most privatecarriers, we spotlight a wholesale food distribution company and its ChiefOperating Officer. We explore the many operational and business challengesfaced in managing the fleet and define how fleet management can impact an overall supply chain.

To address these challenges, we review the features of the Cadec PowerVue system and its ability to integrate seamlessly with existing supply andtransportation management systems. We conclude with a review of thebenefits that fleet management systems can bring, including reducedcosts, maximum efficiency and increased productivity, while providinghigh levels of customer service and improved driver safety and performance.

Additionally, the site also features two recent webcasts on Driver Safety/Risk Avoidance and Driver Performance Management.

Author: Frank Moreno

Is Satellite the best solution for "Dangerous Cargo"?

2007-10-26T05:32:00.000-07:00

A recent History channel show “Modern Marvels: Dangerous Cargo” talked about using satellite technology to track Hazmat cargoes moving around the States. I have both satellite radio in my car and satellite television in my home. While both normally perform fine I find that occasionally, usually in a city or in a heavy foliage area, my satellite radio (in my moving car) will cut out and display “no signal”, and when a storm moves into the line of sight from my home (which doesn’t move) to the satellite signal is lost.

Now consider your fleet management systems for fuel or hazardous materials. Could these signal loss periods lead to “lost” cargoes that need to be tracked? In an August 2004 report, the US DOT stated that:

“Satellite systems, which include GPS, voice and text communications, and other satellite-based functionalities, presently require good satellite coverage and the well known "line-of-sight" condition (i.e., to be effective, they cannot be blocked by thick vegetation, tall buildings, or tunnels). Therefore, vehicles can lose satellite signals in urban areas, underpasses, and, more rarely, areas with a gap in satellite coverage. From a security standpoint, solutions to this inherent problem are challenging since a conservative policy would be to initiate some action whenever there is a loss of signal. An evolving solution is to utilize hybrid systems that automatically switch between satellites and terrestrial systems based on signal strength and availability.”

While the technology is advancing it doesn’t seem ready yet to deliver 100% consistent reliability to tracking of these cargoes.

Ref. http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/hazmat/fot/finalrpt/index.htm

Author: Gerry Kirouac

Summary from SearchEnterpriseLinux.com

2007-10-23T05:09:00.000-07:00

We recently had a great discussion with TechTarget on the use of Oracle and Linux for the PowerVue fleet management system. Check out the article:

"Firm picks Oracle 10g on Red Hat Enterprise Linux for the long haul By Jack Loftus, News Writer, 19 Oct, 2007 SearchEnterpriseLinux.com"

When it came time for fleet tracking and management software provider Cadec Global LLC to rebuild its software as a Software as a Service (SaaS) offering, Cadec's chief architect, Heimir Sverrisson, knew it had to be deployed on Linux, not Microsoft Windows or a proprietary Unix flavor like Sun Microsystems' Solaris or IBM's AIX.

Cadec's old system, Mobius TTS, was a client/server application based on Microsoft Windows running SQL Server. From the outset, Windows was eliminated because of scalability concerns; it didn't scale well enough to be used as a mission-critical SaaS platform. "On system administration tasks and operations, it was cumbersome and hard to script, and as a platform, hidden registries were a nasty thing, and you couldn't move components across machines very easily," Sverrisson said.

Click here for full article: http://searchenterpriselinux.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid39_gci1277719,00.html

Author: Heimir Sverrisson

DOT compliance, driver productivity and data accuracy

2007-10-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

We have been very busy here at Cadec lately working on the first release of our brand new PowerVue platform. Of course we build on the thirty years experience of mobile computing and many generations of DOT-compliant software within the company. The top priority is to capture all the driver activity correctly and make sure the system computes hours-of-service correctly depending on the DOT-rule in effect.

In order to collect the information form the driver most systems rely on manual driver input for things like duty status changes. This is true for the Cadec Mobius TTS system which we are improving on now with PowerVueTM. During the design of PowerVueTM we’ve found several ways to reduce manual input of the driver and improve accuracy at the same time. A good example is how we now handle stops. If a vehicle is in motion (automatically detected from the ECM) the driver has to be in DOT-drive status. When the vehicle stops we now wait a configurable period of time, say 5 minutes, and if we do not get any interaction from the driver during that period of time we prompt him for his activity. This way we remind the driver to register his activity correctly and when he does we can safely change his DOT-drive status from the beginning of the stop to DOT-On-Duty status associated with the particular activity. His DOT-drive hours are thereby minimized, we collect the correct timestamps without relying on the driver to push a button at a certain time and register the correct activity for payroll and/or data-mining.

Now a driver doing a delivery at a customer site can jump right out of the truck when he arrives and begin his delivery. When he comes back the on-board computer waits for him with a prompt for his activity, which he can then register just before leaving for the next stop. If he does not even bother registering the activity he only has to confirm his DOT-location and take off. In this case PowerVue will register his activity as an unknown stop and as we know his precise location we can later change that on-duty activity to a delivery at the customer in question but the drivers hours-of-service are correct and he is completely legal all the time.

Author: Heimir Sverrisson

Latest on the HOS changes

2007-09-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

This is a summary from TheTrucker.com on the latest in the HOS rule changes:

FMCSA seeks 12-month stay on HOS ruling

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) late Friday said it had asked the Washington, D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to delay implementing its ruling vacating two portions of the Hours of Service (HOS).

FMCSA’s statement followed a notice sent out by the American Trucking Associations Friday afternoon that said it “welcomes the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration memorandum that asks the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to delay implementing its ruling on regulations that govern the working hours of commercial drivers.”

In its response to press inquiries about the ATA notice, FMCSA stated that: “ … We support the [ATA] motion and seek a stay period of 12 months, during which time we will focus on gathering data and comments to address the court's procedural issues and determine the agency's best steps to improve safety on America's highways."

ATA explained that an “FMCSA memorandum filed today [Friday] strongly supports ATA’s request that the Court’s vacating of the 11- and 34-hour provisions of the Hours of Service rules be stayed pending their reconsideration by the agency.”

“We are pleased that the agency has supported our motion and our view that the Court ruled only on the procedures that FMCSA used in adoption of the HOS regulations, and not on the regulations themselves,” said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves in the ATA notice. “It is also important to note that the FMCSA states that ‘available data show that continuing the status quo will not diminish safety,’’’ the ATA statement added.

According to ATA: “FMCSA said a stay was needed to ‘prevent substantial disruption of trucking operations,’ and cited timing concerns and significant transition costs to the industry related to a rule change. Those costs could ‘have to be incurred again,’ FMCSA said. The agency also predicted disruptions and confusion in HOS enforcement if the rules were changed.”
ATA said FMCSA “expressly stated that it ‘agrees with ATA that maintaining the status quo will not harm public safety or driver health.’ In support of that statement, improving safety statistics were cited, including a declining trend in fatigue-related accidents.”

FMCSA stated that the Court had invalidated the 11- and 34-hour provisions “on procedural grounds only” and that the “Court’s decision did not foreclose issuance of a new rule that contains the 11-hour and 34-hour provisions, assuming the agency provides the requisite notice-and-comment and adequately explains its reasoning,” ATA noted.

“It is expected that Public Citizen, who led the challenge to HOS rule, will file a memorandum opposing the stay later today,” ATA said.
http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2007/9/21/FMCSAseeks12-monthstayonHOSruling.aspx

Author: Karl Olson

Interesting Article on FMCSA's EBOR Rule

2007-09-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

We recently came across a very interesting posting on the JJ Keller website regarding how the EOBR rule could be expanded to cover more companies:

FMCSA: EOBR rule could be expanded, cover more companies
Proposed rules requiring certain “bad apple” trucking companies to install electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs) to track their drivers’ hours of service may be expanded to cover additional companies once the rules are finalized next year, according to an official from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Larry Minor, the agency’s Associate Administrator for Policy and Program Development, said the FMCSA is currently reviewing comments on the proposed rules, and due to “very strong feedback” from groups that want all trucks to have EOBRs, the agency may increase the number of companies that would be required to install the devices.

The complete article can be found here:
http://www.jjkeller.com/news/newsinfo/T_news2248.htm?ticket=1000277804032516409084067503&pageseq=10000

Author: Karl Olson

More on Using an OBC for RODS/HOS

2007-09-13T04:37:00.000-07:00

The following regulation in the FMCSR (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation) informs any company using an on-board recording device for their record of duty status (RODS) / hours of service (HOS)

395.15 (g) On-board information. Each commercial motor vehicle must have on-board the commercial motor vehicle an information packet containing the following items:
395.15(g)(1) An instruction sheet describing in detail how data may be stored and retrieved from an automatic on board recording system; and
395.15(g)(2) A supply of blank driver's records of duty status graph grids sufficient to record the driver's duty status and other related information for the duration of the current trip.

The reason for 395.15(g)(2) is due to regulation 395.15(f) that states a driver must have 7 or 8 days of their hours of service logs reconstructed in the event of an on-board recorder’s failure.
(f) Reconstruction of records of duty status. Drivers are required to note any failure of automatic on board recording devices, and to reconstruct the driver's record of duty status for the current day, and the past 7 days, less any days for which the drivers have records, and to continue to prepare a handwritten record of all subsequent duty status until the device is again operational.

Author: Karl Olson

HOS Grid

2007-09-13T04:33:00.000-07:00

Some users have asked us to show the Hours of Service grid in 15 minute increments, similar to how a “paper log” would be created by a driver.

We wrote to the FMCSA and received an “unofficial” interpretation from one of their most experienced enforcement agents.

Our request was to move start time on the grid forward to the quarter hour when 7 and a half minutes was met and move the grid back to the previous quarter hour if the total time had not reached 7 and a half minutes.

His “unofficial” response was:

“It sounds good, BUT, when using a pencil/pen, the 15 minute grid is necessary. I believe that since technology is being used, the time to the second should be used (My opinion). Mixing seconds and 15 minutes, could lead to a "false" log entry. NOT, 'could', it 'would' lead to a false log entry. If I were making the case, I would state that the carrier had the ability to record to the second, but elected to use the false log entry”.

Author: Karl Olson

Can companies require drivers to use an OBC?

2007-09-06T05:06:00.000-07:00

Companies using On Board Recorders sometimes are concerned about getting their drivers to use the new system. The FMCSR clearly states the company has the right and authority to require their drivers to use use on-board recorders. Refer to 395.15(a)(1) and 395.15(a)(2):

395.15 Automatic on board recording devices.

(a) Authority to use automatic on-board recording device.

(a)(1) A motor carrier may require a driver to use an automatic on board recording device to record the driver's hours of service in lieu of complying with the requirements of §395.8 of this part.

(a)(2) Every driver required by a motor carrier to use an automatic on board recording device shall use such device to record the driver's hours of service.

Author: Karl Olson

Can users of OBCs amend duty status during a trip?

2007-09-04T12:38:00.000-07:00

Cadec Global interprets the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) to the letter of the law. We strive to be 100% compliant with the regulations. Whenever a regulation has a perceived gray area, we review the guidance portion of the Federal Motor Carrie Safety Administrations (FMCSA) website. If there is no guidance found there, we contact the FMCSA directly and receive a written opinion.

Below is a question asked often by transportation personnel:

May a driver who uses an automatic on board recording device amend his/her record of duty status during a trip?

No. Section 395.15(i)(3) requires automatic recording devices, to the maximum extent possible, be tamperproof and preclude the alteration of information collected concerning a driver’s hours of service. If a driver was allowed to amend their record of duty status while in transit, legitimate amendments could not be distinguished from falsifications. Records of duty status maintained and generated by an automatic on board recording device may only be amended by a supervisory motor carrier official to accurately reflect the driver’s activity. Such supervisory motor carrier official must include an explanation of the mistake. Both the original and amended record of duty status must be retained by the motor carrier.

The above interpertation is found on the FMSCA website at the following link:

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.asp?rule_toc=764&section=395.15§ion_toc=1947&guidence=Y

Author: Gerry Kirouac

Possible New DOT Rule Rollbacks

2007-08-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Cadec customer:
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit recently issued a decision vacating the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours of service rules that allow commercial motor vehicle drivers to operate 11 hours in one duty period. In addition, the court threw out the FMCSA rule that allows drivers to restart a weekly on-duty period with 34 consecutive hours off duty. All other provisions of the hours of service regulations in 49 CFR Part 395 remain in effect.

The court’s decision does not go into effect immediately. There is a 45-day period before the court issues its mandate, which is an order to implement the terms of the decision. Seven days after the mandate is issued, if no stay has been granted by the court, then the decision is effective. Thus, if approved, this change is to take effect on or about September 11, 2007.
Please be assured that we at Cadec Global are aware of this ruling. Modifications are already in progress and will be tested and available by the decision date, allowing seamless compliance with these new regulations.

For additional information on the proposed rule changes, please follow this link: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/HOS-Statement.htm

Author: Gerry Kirouac