WHEN carriers choose mobile technology for their operations, they should select products to meet their needs, ones that will expand and scale with the business, provide greater flexibility, and produce lower costs, said Jeff Lieber, Xata account executive.
On-board technology can add to driver productivity, improve log book calculations, enhance backhauls, and track vehicles, he said at the National Association of Chemical Distributors Operations Seminar.
Use of the technology reduces paperwork for the driver while at the same time improving security. With the data that is gathered, managers can evaluate driver performance by comparing statistics with individual drivers or the driver pool as a whole.
Fuel tax information can be handled. Delivery tickets can be processed electronically in real time via satellite or entered at the end of the day.
Technology systems also can determine if a customer site is actually returning value to the company, which may not be easily determined by other methods.
Before companies make a purchasing decision for the technology, they should develop a plan for their specific needs, choose a project coordinator to direct the implementation, and assign goals and expectations for the coordinator.