Fleet management basics

Controlling access, reducing damage and monitoring the location of the fleet are just some of the functions enabled by fleet management solutions.

By Bob Trebilcock, Editor at Large -- Modern Materials Handling, 2/6/2007

Plants and distribution centers looking for new ways to lower operating costs and improve productivity are increasingly turning to fleet management software solutions.

“A fleet management system is a suite of software applications that allows you to monitor and manage the mobile equipment in your facility,” says Larry Mahan, CEO of Sky-Trax. “That includes the ability to access control to your equipment, monitor the productivity of your drivers and your fleet, communicate with your drivers, track maintenance and safety inspections, and even track the location of a truck in real time.”

That suite of applications typically address four areas of operation, according to Ken Ehrman, president and chief operating officer of I.D. Systems.

1) Access and safety

Fleet management systems require an operator to log onto a piece of equipment before it will start. That ensures that only trained and qualified drivers are behind the wheel. After log-in, the system prompts the operator to complete an OSHA inspection to make sure the lift truck is safe to operate. If anything critical is identified, the equipment will be deactivated until a maintenance person fixes the problem.

2) Accountability

An impact sensor tied into the fleet management system records the date and time of any shock to the equipment from a serious impact. That allows a manager to log into the system and identify who was driving the truck when the damage or accident occurred. “Too often, operating a lift truck is like driving a rental car with no driver’s license required,” says Ehrman. “With a fleet management system, the concept of anonymous damage doesn’t exist.”

3) Maintenance

In addition to impact sensors and recording up-time, some fleet management systems take operational data from the controller area network, or CAN bus, to more accurately perform maintenance on a vehicle. “Instead of bringing a truck in every three months for planned maintenance, you can use real-time operational data to do predictive maintenance,” says Larry Bihn, director of North American sales for RM Michaelides.

4) Location tracking

Using some fleet management systems, a manager can track the location of lift trucks in real time. That allows a manager to re-allocate equipment from areas with a light workload to areas with a heavier workload. It also allows managers to know when drivers are in areas where they shouldn’t be. “Companies with high-value products, like a pharmaceutical company, may have areas where only authorized persons can be,” says Ehrman. “The system can be programmed to shut the vehicle down or send a page to a supervisor if an operator goes into an area where he’s not authorized to work.”