Page 20 - Jan-Feb 2021 Vol 38 No 6

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE: TECHNICAL SESSION RECAP

Safe Fleet: Driving Safety Forward

What are the latest innovations in every month) to “Predictive Maintenance” assists route efficiency by reducing both
Route Management software? How can where analysis of the vehicle computer time and miles resulting in fuel and
those innovations benefit Collection Fleet data and inspection data can be used maintenance savings.?? ?
Maintenance? ? to learn when specific items need to
be addressed (sometimes referred to Finally, a key innovation is the
Route Management Software (RMS) has “statistical process control”). overwhelming adoption and integration
become more integrated with on-board of cameras and video recording into the
computer (OBC) solutions including This reduces the number of checks OBC and RMS solution.?By adding video
DVR safety solutions, route optimization necessary, so maintenance can focus on as a source of documentation to the route,
solutions and fleet maintenance software the most important issues.?For instance, it allows safety managers the transparency
solutions.?These integrations have evolved if the battery voltage each day before the needed to coach drivers to adapt less
into what is now referred to as the vehicle is started is 12.4V and then one aggressive driving behaviors.
Smart Truck,?Smart Cab, or Smart Fleet day it is 12.3, and the following week it
Solution(s), whereby the vehicle activity, is 12.2, maintenance could be notified - Aggressive driving examples include
route activity, and driver activity are all before the battery goes dead – and replace speeding, hard braking, tailgating,
digitally documented and transmitted by it to keep the vehicle in service with no excessive idling and quick acceleration.
WiFi or cellular in real-time to the back- down time.?? None of these actions reduce route
office RMS solution. times, however, they are more likely to
Smart truck solution(s) have evolved to significantly increase fuel consumption,
This provides a combined source include integration to route optimization emissions, and maintenance.?By
of business intelligence allowing Fleet software which is now provided to the proactively monitoring and coaching
Managers greater and more transparent driver through the OBC system with drivers to better behavior, you have a win
understanding of how their fleets are automated turn-by-turn directions. This for both safety and maintenance.
being deployed.?In terms
of OBC solutions: Safe
Fleet, and a few other
groups, have developed
apps for pre/post trip
inspections that provide
detailed inspection
analysis with images
and notes. These digital
reports are available in
real-time, giving fleet
managers a proactive
approach to facilitate fleet
maintenance.?

Gathering vehicle
information using Safe
Fleet Vehicle Inspections
can turn check marks
on a piece of paper,
into real-time digital,
actionable data.?When
combined, electronic data
gathered from a vehicle’s
OBC system, and data
from operator visual
inspections, can help
maintenance staff better
understand what is going
on with vehicles.?

The data can be
used to help move
from “Preventative
Maintenance” (check
the brake pad thickness
20 TPW January/February 2021