BlackBox Control Location Assist Technologies for the Transport Industry
BlackBox is a company specializing in location technologies and messaging services. We put data, control and detail at your fingertips to give you the information you need when you need it.
Why Do it?
Do you really know what happens out there on the road once your vehicles have left the yard? With tight margins and, high pressure from customers, the demands on drivers seem to be ever greater. Worksafe requires many operators to improve driver fatigue management processes adding an essential safety standard to the competing demands on the driver. Without monitoring it is possible these standards may be compromised to fulfil delivery obligations.
The transport industry is diverse: different sections of the industry require different issues to be effectively addressed. Imagine being able to see current information that highlights what your vehicles are doing, where they are and, when deliveries are made within a customised environment that gives you the maximum benefit. Technology has now evolved that make this all possible for an affordable fee. These developments make the benefits to your organisation well worthy of your investigation.
How Does Tracking Work?
Using GPS (Global Positioning Satellites), positional data is stored into a recorder onboard the vehicle. This data is then downloaded and you can display the vehicle location on a map, as well as utilise it with the software to provide the information you are looking for, such as arrived at depot.
Modular components get installed into the vehicle. Mobile phone modules are used in the majority of cases due to the attractive cost, you can choose between GPRS and Next G based on the specific needs per vehicle. Where necessary satellite services can be used for vehicles servicing remote areas.
What Happens?
As the vehicles within your fleet move around, their movements are recorded onboard. With the mobile phone services (GPRS or Next G) the data is sent almost instantaneously from the vehicle provided it is in coverage) to allow a live tracking service. If the vehicle does leave mobile coverage area, the data will still form a record of its activity. You can view the data via a simple Google Map browser from your PC but the real ‘power’ comes from a database within a dedicated software program. The software package monitors the incoming data and proactively alerts you to issues of interest. For example: you may want an alert when a truck leaves the state, when a vehicle exceeds your speed limit. Alternatively, you might find enormous benefit from an alert advising that oil pressure has dropped below your chosen threshold.
Driver ID
With the input of a pin number, or the swipe of a staff ID card, you can know who is driving which vehicle on which day. Often it is the end of discussions about whose speeding fine it was, or who was guilty about upsetting whom. Drivers welcome the reduction of paperwork that comes from the automation time sheets. As part of a driver fatigue management system it is extremely valuable.
Efficiency
Consider a scenario in which a truck headed to the home depot alerts the Operations Manager with sufficient notice to call in casual staff, prepare the next load and have it all timed to turn the vehicle around instantly. Tracking software can enable this to happen without someone watching a vehicle's movements.
Nearest Driver
Some organisations benefit from the ability to redirect a vehicle to a new job, or to cover another vehicle that has fallen behind schedule.
Customer Locations
This can help address issues associated with excessive waiting times or disputes about delivery. It allows you to offer a more personalised service with while clearly communicating the value of the customer to your business. You could even choose to give high value customers access to tracking data via a secure Internet log in. By marking regions of interest you can be alerted when a vehicle leaves or arrives in a specific region, or if it has been there too long. You can also reports that utilise these markers and help make the reports more meaningful.
Distress alert
You may wish to give the driver a distress button that alerts the Operations Manager to an incident. Tracking can be a very effective component of an Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) plan. Armed with this information, you can redirect another nearby vehicle to maintain high customer service standards as required. You may wish to design a process that helps you win more business; the transport of high-security items, for instance.
Messaging
Screens and keypads/keyboards can be installed into vehicles to add messaging capabilities to the tracking service. You might use this to notify the driver of traffic problems, job or address changes or other developments of interest to the driver. Email capabilities can also be utilised within the messaging function.
Engine Management Interface
The BlackBox tracking unit can be interfaced with certain engine management modules to transmit critical data while the vehicle is on the road. (eg. In the event that coolant temperatures exceed a chosen threshold, or the oil pressure has dropped below an established norm.)
At BlackBox we can consult with you for your individual needs and provide a suitable platform to grow on because. We believe a tracking solution should be YOUR tracking solution.
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