Because compliance with hours-of-service regulations has a strong influence on the ability of a driver to perform safely, the recording of duty status and time becomes an essential regulatory issue.  Automating the driver Hours of Service Logs allows more logistical control of drivers, increases productivity, reduces costs and compliance with hours-of-service regulations is improved.  Electronic on-board recorders connect wirelessly via Bluetooth to rugged mobile computers or in-cab terminals and provide drivers and the back office with detailed information, including:

• Electronic Hours of Service DOT Logs
• Actual route driven via GPS
• Arrival and departure times
• Engine diagnostics
• Speed, RPM and hard braking
• Idle time, MPG
• Official IFTA State Mileage reporting forms

Comply with hours-of-service regulations and realize the benefits of complete fleet visibility with a mobile solution from DecisionPoint.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about solutions that automate driver Hours of Service Logs.

Businesses with smaller fleets face many challenges because they have fewer resources available.  Optimizing routes and increasing driver productivity is critical to reduce costs and provide exceptional customer service.  Fleet management solutions that provide GPS tracking, turn-by-turn directions, instant two-way communication and mobile data collection reduce operating expenses and increase productivity.  Fleets of any size can expect to achieve ROI from a variety of applications that:

• Reduce fuel costs
• Optimize routes to maximize productivity without increased staff
• Reduce unauthorized vehicle usage
• Improve communications between dispatchers and drivers for real-time route updates
• Increase driver safety

And more…

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about fleet management solutions and how you can optimize routes to improve productivity.

RFID and GPS are powerful technologies on their own, but many companies are realizing the benefits of combining these two technologies to enable detailed tracking of items.  Products with RFID tags can be read as they exit the warehouse or distribution center and can continue to be monitored via GPS within vehicles, providing improved visibility.  GPS-enabled RFID readers can also be used to record additional information, such as point of origin coordinates, which can be loaded to the RFID tag.  In the four walls and on the road, combining RFID and GPS can provide end-to-end visibility for food traceability, asset tracking and supply chain management.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about RFID and GPS tracking solutions.

Fleet management solutions provide valuable information about your fleet and drivers that can be used to improve operations.  Real-time information about vehicle usage, driver behavior and fuel consumption help you determine where your highest costs are and what areas of your operation can be improved to deliver more benefit to your customers.  With mobile solutions such as GPS tracking, Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) and wireless mobile devices you can begin measuring performance in real-time.  Automatic alerts provide you with the hard data you need to begin making improvements.  Common alerts include:

• Excessive engine idle-are your vehicles running for too long, but not headed anywhere?  Educate your drivers on the costs of excessive engine idle to reduce unnecessary fuel consumption.
• Mileage reports-help you determine if you need to improve routing so you can complete more jobs per day and reduce fuel usage.  Also provides insight into after-hours vehicle usage.
• Driver alerts-increase the safety of your drivers and reduce insurance costs with alerts that indicate speeding, seatbelt use and more.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about fleet management solutions that improve operations and increase the productivity of your mobile workforce.

In the past I’ve provided information about the features and benefits of GPS tracking solutions, but today I’d like to focus on how GPS technology increases safety and reduces liability for large fleets.

According to the Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) that was undertaken jointly by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding is a factor in nearly 23% of all at-fault large truck accidents.  With the ability to track driver speed in real-time and receive alerts about drivers that have exceeded posted limits you can significantly reduce the chance of accidents.

The LTCCS also reported that driver confusion or unfamiliarity with roadways was a factor in 21.6% of all at-fault large truck crashes.  GPS technology reduces confusion and provides drivers with mapping applications and turn-by-turn directions, as well as real-time traffic updates.

Because GPS tracking solutions increase safety, they can also reduce insurance costs and improve customer satisfaction by providing a safety record your customers can rely on.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about GPS tracking solutions that improve driver safety.

In our September 10th post we provided more information about vehicle telematics and how these solutions improve fleet management and increase productivity and safety.  As promised, today I’m providing more information about the Motorola VC6096 In-Vehicle Mobile Computer with telematics support.  This compact, mounted, in-cab solution provides real-time access to data and all of the tools your drivers need to improve productivity.  Check out the Motorola video below for more information about the features of the VC6096.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for more information about in-cab mobile solutions.

Telematics originally meant the convergence of telecommunications and information processing, but it has evolved over the years to refer to these types of systems within vehicles.  GPS navigation, hands-free communication, and real-time access to diagnostic data are all considered vehicle telematics.  Vehicle telematics enable the effective management of fleets and the data collected in the field helps improve driver utilization.  According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), a truck traveling at 75 mph consumes 27% more fuel than one going 65 mph.  Visibility into real-time driving behavior allows you to implement best practices to avoid these increased costs.  With vehicle telematics you have the ability to review:

• Driving patterns
• Fuel consumption
• Speed
• Vehicle maintenance

This real-time data extends the life of vehicles, decreases fuel costs and increases the productivity and safety of employees.

Visit us next week to learn more about the Motorola VC6096 In-Vehicle Mobile Computer with telematics support.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about vehicle telematics.

RouteTracker is an Electronic On Board Recorder (EOBR) that connects directly to a vehicles engine computer and wirelessly connects to a variety of handheld mobile devices to display electronic driver log books.  RouteTracker’s driver logs are 100% compliant with the most recent FMCSA regulations and all reports are available in real-time via web-based reporting.  Detailed reports include:

• Engine Diagnostics-odometer readings, MPG’s, cruise control usage and hard brake data.
• Vehicle Activity-tracks activity of vehicles over any period of time and includes customer stop times, vehicle speeds and engine idle time.
• Vehicle Stop Detail-provides exact arrival and departure times for each stop and total trip time each day.
• Online Mapping-monitor locations and routing in real-time with GPS.

With RouteTracker you can monitor drivers in real-time to improve performance and reduce operational costs.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about RouteTracker and other Mobile Resource Management solutions.

Nowadays it seems like everyone has a GPS device in their car, but there are some significant differences between consumer GPS navigation and enterprise navigation systems.  Enterprise navigation systems are specialized for customers with large fleets and are designed to improve driver and dispatcher productivity.  Typical features that are tailored to large fleets include:

• Weight and width restriction routing
• Integrated HazMat routing
• Practical, shortest and toll avoidance routing
• Specialized points of interest-truck stops, rest areas, weigh stations and fuel locations

Unlike consumer GPS navigation systems that require a dedicated device, enterprise navigation systems can run on mobile devices that fleets are already using for their business solution.  Additionally, when a turn-by-turn enterprise navigation system is combined with a GPS tracking solution it only requires one data plan, lowering operational costs.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for more information about enterprise navigation systems.

Field Mobility solutions offer rapid return on your investment with compelling tangible and intangible benefits.  Some of these benefits include:

• Reduced Expenses:
  • Complete more jobs per day  
  • Dispatch closest driver
  • Eliminate/reduce unauthorized vehicle use
  • Automate time entry / eliminate manual errors and data entry expense
  • Timely vehicle maintenance
• Increased Cash Flow:
  • Improved customer service
  • Proof of service reduces disputes and accelerates collections
• Improved Safety/Security:
  • Improved communications between dispatch and drivers
  • Faster emergency response times
    

… all for less than 20 cents per hour per mobile worker–excluding hardware and data plan–with a SaaS solution.

Let’s get mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn how and for assistance in determining your project’s ROI.