Active management optimises fleet deployment

The question asked by STILL this time at the 32nd German Logistics Congress taking place in Berlin from 28th to 30th October will be “Are you still optimising, or are you already deciding?”. Visitors in the STILL tea lounge can obtain information in particular about the new OptiTruck function of STILL’s FleetManager 4.x and the pilot application at Hella Distribution GmbH in Erwitte. Through the active fleet management solution using STILL OptiTruck, the intercompany logistician of the automotive supplier Hella was able to reduce its original fleet in Erwitte of 160 trucks by around 20% with an unchanged or rather increasing workload, thus saving significant costs. „Beside the investment we could especially decrease our costs of maintenance and operation through the active truck allocation and the steady usage rate of the fleet “, said Markus Brunnen, Head of the internal logistics at Hella Distribution GmbH.

The benefit arises essentially from the active truck allocation and from limiting the driver to the truck assigned to him. This ensures that each driver can only occupy one vehicle at a time and cannot reserve an additional truck, which causes an overall reduction in the size of the fleet. The fleet manager defines the truck selection criteria and can thus manage the entire fleet with a view to uniform utilisation. For example because the system begins by choosing the machine with the lowest operating hours or the fleet’s youngest matching truck for the upcoming job.

Like FleetManager 4.x, STILL OptiTruck is web-based and centrally controllable via several locations. After a short online activation, the user has access to the selected functions – either at a PC or mobile with a tablet. With the cockpit overview and extensive reports, the system offers numerous control functions and assessment options, e.g. for truck utilisation, operating times and types of use. The hardware used is an industry-compatible TouchPad terminal with an integrated card reader through which each driver, after logging on with his driver’s pass, is allocated a truck. In addition, each truck must be equipped with an easily retrofit-capable card reader. Users who are already using the access authorisation of FleetManager 4.x do not need any additional vehicle equipment. On collecting the machine and after a brief check and all-round inspection, the driver can also report any possible damage. Thus the system offers a further opportunity to record damage to the truck in addition to shock detection via sensors on the truck. If this is the case, STILL’s customer service or the company’s in-house technician who is responsible will be notified immediately, and the truck can be locked out via the system until the repair has been completed. In this way the fleet manager is also able for the first time to determine accurately the availability of every machine. In addition, due to precise recording of the time at task assignment, bringing into operation and return, for the first time the exact period of use of the truck is recorded, which may enable further starting points for optimisations to be uncovered.

For fleets with STILL machines, however, FleetManager 4.x and STILL OptiTruck can also be used with trucks from other manufacturers, and offer operators controlled truck usage, predefined by specified criteria, and guiding driver administration. About 900 STILL clients are currently using FleetManager 4.x to optimise the use of around 14,000 trucks.