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Fleet management systems have been around a while and have become so complex that it has evolved into Field Resource Management. This article explores 5 reasons why all fleets need at least a basic Field Resource Management system.
Gas prices have continued to decrease this week. Many experts are expecting prices to continue fluctuating with an overall downward trend.
Drivers and businesses affected by gas prices have been pleasantly surprised because gas prices typically rise during the month of May. The current peak national average price for this year was $3.98 on May 5th, 2011.
In mid-May, Neil Gamson, an analyst for the Energy Information Administration, said “It is possible we have reached our peak.” However, that could change if the violence in the Middle East gets worse or if there is a bad hurricane season.
Currently the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.78, down 3 cents from last week and 18 cents from one month ago according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. Although this month’s decreases are good news, prices are still up over $1.00 from one year ago. Diesel fuel is currently averaging $4.00 per gallon, down 16 cents from one month ago.
Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN), recently announced they are going to launch a new and improved version of their best-selling eTrex handheld GPS device. Garmin’s eTrex is one of the most popular handheld GPS devices on the market.
The all-new eTrex GPS system will be redesigned and upgraded with new features – enhanced ergonomics, an improved interface, paperless geocaching and in certain models, a 65k color screen with expanded mapping capabilities.
The eTrex is an entry-level device that is designed especially for outdoor enthusists that enjoy activities such as hiking, biking and camping. The eTrex GPS system is very affordable, will fit in your pocket and is easy to use. It only has five buttons, making it easy to use with just one hand – the left hand, so lefties should be aware.
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a leader in bringing innovative safety and driver technology in mainstream vehicles. This week, Ford demonstrated how far they’ve come in car-to-car communication technology. Ford also showed what the future of driving may look like with talking vehicles that can warn of hazards and traffic ahead. Ford is one of the first automakers to build prototype vehicles demonstrating this exciting new technology.
With vehicle-to-vehicle communication, intelligent cars talk to each other wirelessly, warning drivers of potential dangers. Utilizing advanced wi-fi technology and GPS, intelligent vehicles will help drivers identify and respond to potential dangers as well as identify conveniences while on the road. With this technology cars will be able to send messages to other cars about where they are and where they’re headed.
If there is an accident or any other potential driving hazard coming up, vehicles will be able to instantly receive information about the upcoming dangers, giving drivers more notice and time to respond. The new technology is called a DVI system – which stands for Driver Vehicle Information. This technology provides either audible or visual cues to alert drivers of what potential dangers coming ahead.
garmin rino gps system radioGarmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, just announced the redesigned and upgraded Rino 610, 650 and 655t. If you are a hunter, skier, hiker, or any other type of outdoor enthusiast – and like to venture out into the great unknown, then the all-new Garmin Rino handheld two-way radios integrated with GPS may be perfect for you.
If you put yourself in a potential survival situation, then you have to have a reliable communication device – no questions asked. You’ll also want to have the ability to quickly locate other persons in your party when traveling in a group, so they have a way to notify authorities and tell them where you are, in case of an emergency. If you ever saw the movie “127 Hours” starring James Franco, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
If a friend also has a Rino then you can set it up so that you can see where the other person is via the GPS tracking system. An icon will flash showing the person’s name, location and any other information that they allowed to be public. This is extremely important when forming a network of fellow outdoor enthusiasts. You can also send unit-to-unit text messages to other Rino users in your area – it’s ideal for loud or windy conditions, or just when you don’t want to disturb the wildlife.
The Garmin GPS device also gives you the ability to store up to 1000 locations and save them onto the memory card. It also lets you save many waypoints, aka intermediary locations. For example, when hiking and you make a turn to start heading into another direction, you should record your waypoints. In case you decide you need to backtrack, the Garmin GPS system will take you right back to your last waypoints.
Last month DHL, one of the world’s largest logistics companies, launched a fleet of environmentally-friendly delivery trucks in Manhattan. Launching the new fleet of vehicles is an integral part of the DHL’s global Go Green strategy. DHL’s all-new Green Fleet is an important part of the company’s overall mission to reduce their environmental impact.
DHL’s goal is to improve the company’s carbon efficiency worldwide by 30 percent by 2020, compared to 2007 base levels. In addition to developing a greener fleet, the key components of DHL’s Go Green program includes the improvement of the energy efficiency in buildings, the implementation of innovative technologies, the mobilization of employees and the involvement of subcontractors and customers.
The company’s Green Fleet Initiative was launched in New York by Frank Appel, CEO of Deutsche Post DHL. According to Appel, “ Customers worldwide are increasingly demanding greener logistics, sustainable business procedures and initiatives like the one we are launching today will – at the same time – also enhance the profitability of our business. Sustainability, especially the reduction of carbon emissions, is a central aspect of our business and an integral part of our corporate strategy. As the global leader in logistics we are ideally positioned to foster climate protection in order to save our environment for future generations.”
Managing a fleet used to be much more simple. Nobody bothered much about carbon emissions or the environment, or even fuel efficiency or leasing costs. It was all about status or, at best, about getting the job done, rather than any consideration for the environment.
Fast forward to 2011 and things have definitely changed. Environmental considerations are now at the top of the agenda for any corporate or government fleet manager. Creating a green fleet is not only good for the environment, but it is good fro the bottom line as well. Reducing fleet emissions typically means burning less fuel and running the most efficient fleet possible.
Traditionally hybrid electric vehicles have played an important role in creating a greener fleet. But more and more fleet managers are turning to plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) as a solution. A recent report from Pike Research titled “Hybrid Electric Vehicles for Fleet Markets” forecasts that between 2010 and 2015, more than 1.3 million PEVs will be purchased for use in fleet operations, with nearly 400,000 vehicles being sold annually by the end of the forecast period.
AT&T (NYSE: T) recently announced the launch of three new dispatch management and mobile transportation applications from Complete Innovations and Xata Corporation (NASDAQ: XATA). Designed to streamline operations, optimize fleet and mobile workforce performance and facilitate fleet manager’s adherence with the CSA 2010 initiative, these new features will enhance AT&T’s portfolio of fleet tracking solutions.
Businesses that use these new fleet tracking features can get valuable insight into fuel consumption, vehicle maintenance needs, asset location and more, while drivers can find destinations more easily to deliver products on time. Over the last several years, the number of companies using fleet management solutions has grown substantially, fueled by advanced technologies such as powerful smartphones, GPS location services and machine-to-machine solutions. Frost & Sullivan industry analysts noted in a 2010 report that the subscriber base for Field Asset Management has increased from 1.4 million subscribers in 2008 to 2.4 million in 2010.
Xata Turnpike from AT&T helps private and for-hire fleets and owner-operators to comply with CSA 2010, a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative intended to reduce commercial motor vehicle-related accidents. Xata Turnpike makes it easy for businesses to abide by hours of service (HOS) and International Fuel Tax (IFTA) reporting requirements, while simultaneously helping them to optimize their fleets’ performances. Users can install Xata Turnpike from AT&T in just minutes and then run the application on their existing mobile devices.
Gas prices are currently averaging $3.78 per gallon of regular unleaded fuel in the US, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. One week ago, gasoline prices were averaging 4 cents more than today at $3.82 a gallon.
Gas prices in Los Angeles County continued to decline over the Memorial Day weekend, decreasing a half-cent Monday to $4.06 per gallon. The average price, which has fallen nearly 23 cents since the streak of decreases began May 7, is 7.2 cents less than it was last week and nearly 20 cents lower than it was last month; however, it’s still $1.042 higher than it was last year at this time, according to the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. Before the 24-day streak of decreases, the average price rose 43 times in 45 days.
Most analysts are saying that the recent decreases in gas prices are due to two reasons. First, gas prices are tied to oil prices which have been declining over the past several weeks. A barrel of benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude on the New York Mercantile Exchange has fallen 11.7 percent to $100.59 from its two-year high of $113.93 on April 29.
Network Fleet, a leading GPS fleet tracking system, recently published a paper titled, “Don’t Sit Idle While Fuel Costs Rise,” that shows how fleets can use GPS fleet tracking and engine diagnostics to lower fuel costs by as much as 20%.
The Network Fleet paper offers specific actions managers can take to analyze fleet operations and reduce costs. Fleets that begin using a GPS fleet tracking system report a quick, positive ROI primarily due to significant savings in fuel and other operating costs.
The paper uses several different fleets as an example, such as the Eastern Municipal Water District of Riverside, CA. Using the Network Fleet GPS fleet tracking system, the water district managed to reduce fuel costs by $79,000 in the first six months.
