Fleet management, monitoring and optimization
TABLE
OFCONTENTS About Infor
How to get the most out fleet inspection data By Kevin Price
Fleet optimization: one size does not fit all By Kevin Price
Integrated GPS tracking – A powerful tool for Map-21 compliance By Kevin Price
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ABOUT
INFOR
Infor EAM is the most configurable enterprise-grade asset management solution on the market. It gives you the power to improve capital asset management in ways that increase reliability, enhance predictive maintenance, ensure regulatory compliance, reduce energy usage, and support sustainability initiatives. Available in industry-specific editions, it also gives you unparalleled flexibility to zero in on the specialized, industry requirements that can turn your company’s asset management into a competitive advantage.
The Infor EAM advantage Infor EAM customers gain: • Up to 50% reduction in maintenance overtime, labor, and contractor costs • 20% reduction in maintenance material costs • 20% reduction in downtime • 20% or more in energy reductions • 5% reduction in new equipment costs • 10% increase in fleet availability • 50% increase in warranty cost recovery • 50% reduction in purchasing process costs
Visit www.infor.com for more information!
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Fleet Management SYSTEMS
How to get the most out of fleet inspection data By Kevin Price
Monitoring and ensuring the health of the fleet: it can be a well-managed, efficient process or something much more haphazard. Having vehicles out of service when least expected and possibly when needed most creates safety, cost and potentially legal issues. How can fleet managers keep their fleets running in a fixed, measurable way? Leveraging inspection detail is paramount. Notice the word “leveraging” — not “collecting.” Nearly all fleet managers gather inspection information, whether manually, via mobile devices, or by using a telemetry system that can monitor the print diagnostics of a bus, for example. But how do they make the best use of the collected data? Planning a maintenance program isn’t simply a matter of scheduling vehicles for service. What equipment will you need? Is it sure to be available during that twohour window? Will special tools be required? How about parts—will you have what you need on hand? Can you count on the availability of a technician with expertise on that particular vehicle type? And Asset management software can provide the missing piece of a fleet monitoring plan. if several procedures or repairs are needed, but not all can be accomplished within the scheduled wear, brake usage and fuel consumption. They’ll quickly determine timeframe, which are most crucial, and when will you be able to take when they can schedule each vehicle for service, based on the that vehicle out of service again to perform the remaining work? availability of tools, equipment, parts and technicians, as well as Considering all the factors that must be taken into account when warranty schedules and any special circumstances. building an efficient maintenance program, it’s not at all surprising Some experts think the fleet manager’s role will someday be at that technology plays an increasingly critical role in getting it right. the board level—because of the ever-broadening skill set required Manual systems are tedious and time-consuming, especially for larger to be successful. Fleet managers today need to know not only about fleets, and prone to error. It’s tough to make informed decisions if vehicles and maintenance, but also about planning, finance, insurance managers are spending all their time gathering data and don’t have up- and managing staff. Technology will help pave the way to this newly to-date, accurate, timely reports on which to make decisions. expanded role by supporting faster, more effective decision-making. Asset management software can provide the missing piece of a fleet monitoring plan. Such systems can take the data managers Kevin Price has more than 17 years in Infor’s asset management business, provide—either manually or by integrating with a telemetry holding roles in sales and service, as asset solutions director for the Infor Public Sector group, and now product director for Infor EAM, MP2, Spear Technologies, application—and quickly build operator checklists for both and Infor Energy Performance Management. He is based in Greenville, SC. Kevin preventative and upcoming maintenance, among other things. Fleet welcomes your feedback and questions. Please don’t hesitate to email him at managers will gain a better understanding of how a driver who kevin.price@infor.com regularly exceeds the speed limit, for example, is impacting tire 4
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Fleet Management SYSTEMS
Fleet optimization: one size does not fit all
not to spark on that platform, and able to float. The company made a substantial investment—$15,000 per device—and yet nobody used them enough to justify the investment. The reason? The rig staff liked coming into the air-conditioned office to enter their inspection data. They didn’t want to be stuck on the hot platforms even longer by now having to enter data via field devices. By Kevin Price The point is that organizations need to identify their own personalized definitions of optimization, based on their own then be able to measure the progress being made. Optimization: what does it mean for a fleet, and how constraints—and The metrics tracked must also be customized, so that they show what can it be achieved? an organization is doing, how well they are doing it, and how they can demonstrate that they are doing it well. While almost anything can Here’s one definition of optimization: “Finding an alternative with be measured, that doesn’t necessarily mean it should be. The SMART the most cost effective or highest achievable performance under the method is one way of figuring out the usefulness of a metric: given constraints, by maximizing desired factors and minimizing • S – specific; clear and unambiguous undesired ones.” • M – measurable; able to be quantified against other data vs. That’s not exactly earth-shattering news, but still food for thought: “yes/no” measurements have all constraints been taken into consideration? Have the desired • A – attainable; reasonable under normal conditions outcomes been identified in detail? Which negative factors have the • R – realistic; fitting within an organization’s specific constraints biggest impact on profitability? • T – timely; achievable within the given timeframe For every fleet, optimization will mean something different. A bigAn enterprise asset management (EAM) system can help fleet city agency may be constrained by yard management issues—rows and managers optimize according to their defined constraints and metrics. rows of buses backed up in a crowded depot. A union shop must have Knowing the asset’s history when scheduling maintenance or repair technicians certified and available to work on the particular makes in is invaluable: when the asset last ran, where it was running, what is the fleet. Regional topography and weather are huge considerations. needed now, who is needed to A bus company in Canada needs to address it (taking into account be especially cognizant of having union status, certifications and the right gear on the right rig in the availability), and what materials right season. A fleet near the ocean are needed for the job (Refrigerant? will be susceptible to saltwater Tires? Core work?) corrosion and other effects. StartA system should be able to and-stop traffic and mountainous schedule in increments of one roads will significantly impact fuel minute for the greatest efficiency. consumption and brake wear. It should facilitate better yard Not having enough data isn’t management through spatial usually a problem; it’s more capabilities that help determine challenging to sift through all the which vehicles should be parked data that is available to figure out closest to or furthest from the what’s important to measure, and An enterprise asset management system can help fleet managers optimize exit, depending on recent repair what matches an organization’s vehicle usage. issues or upcoming maintenance. individual definitions of It should generate campaign constraints, desirable outcomes, and undesirable factors. Warranty slips after a warranty review that can be sent to the manufacturer information is especially important so that both forced and voluntary for reimbursement—and it should incorporate VMRS (Vehicle recall work is done in a timely manner and the costs will be recouped Maintenance Reporting Standards) numbers so the fleet organization from the manufacturer instead of diluting profitability. and the manufacturer are speaking the same language. Nearly all companies and agencies understand that having Finally, a solution should be mobile, light, capable of being deployed technicians enter information as they work is more efficient than in the field without requiring extensive data entry—allowing entering it later. But the constraints around that practice are not technicians to record as they work, saving up to 45 minutes per always considered. Bus mechanics in the middle of a job, for instance, technician per day in the process—and flexible enough to work within can have hands covered in grease, and stopping to enter data in the the constraints of each individual organization. traditional way doesn’t work. Perhaps the method of entering it needs Optimization is a worthy goal—but only worth embarking on once to be examined—such as offering a kiosk with pre-programmed it has been clearly defined and constraints have been identified, with a options instead of a keyboard—or the data entry required needs to be solution for addressing them. reformatted as a checklist instead of a form. Company culture is a compelling factor that is often overlooked as Kevin Price has more than 17 years in Infor’s asset management business, a constraint—in all industries. One oil and gas company identified holding roles in sales and service, as asset solutions director for the Infor Public what, on the surface, appeared to be a better way to collect data in Sector group, and now product director for Infor EAM, MP2, Spear Technologies, and Infor Energy Performance Management. He is based in Greenville, SC. Kevin real time: new hand-held devices for rig personnel. The devices needed welcomes your feedback and questions. Please don’t hesitate to email him at to be rugged enough to be dropped on a steel platform, safe enough kevin.price@infor.com busride.com | BUSRIDE
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Fleet Management SYSTEMS
Integrated GPS tracking – A powerful tool for MAP-21 compliance By Kevin Price
way to track these assets and make better decisions, since the data is updated continuously. For organizations governed by MAP-21 regulations, the usefulness of AVL is even greater. MAP-21, or the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act that was signed into law in 2012, is a longterm highway funding authorization that created performance-based guidelines for organizations receiving those funds. In essence, transportation authorities must use funds to support federal goals, which include “improving safety, maintaining infrastructure condition, reducing traffic congestion, improving efficiency of the system and freight movement, protecting the environment, and reducing delays in project delivery.” Clearly, an integrated GPS or AVL An integrated GPS or AVL system gives a transit agency an edge by enabling them to track, record, and system gives a transit agency an edge analyze how vehicles are performing in real time. by enabling them to track, record, and analyze how vehicles are performing in nyone managing a fleet, especially someone who has ever “lost real time—helping to reduce traffic congestion, improve efficiency, and sight” of a vehicle, understands how valuable it would be to have reduce delays, which are all direct requirements of MAP-21. integrated GPS tracking, the technology that enables automatic vehicle Consider what can happen if assets are not tracked efficiently. After location (AVL). a series of snowstorms wreaked havoc on the equipment and schedules Using AVL, those who manage service, emergency and public of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), a report by transport vehicles — as well as any other mobile asset — can quickly the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) revealed that identify and report on the location of each piece of equipment. They can MBTA had failed to take basic steps practiced by other cold-weather also manage the driver crew more effectively, improving accountability transit agencies. APTA found that MBTA didn’t have enough or the right and operational performance. AVL lets managers see which drivers are kind of snow-clearing equipment, and the interim director admitted adhering to arrival and departure times, taking the correct routes, that such equipment had been on hand 20 years previously but hadn’t and so on. It enables comparisons of routes to determine those that been tracked or maintained. Having an integrated GPS system that are most efficient at both peak and low traffic times. It allows a realcontinuously tracked vehicles and equipment in real time would have time view of which vehicles are where in case route changes need to gone a long way towards saving MBTA from this disaster. be made on the fly. AVL has three components: locating hardware, which is the Kevin Price has more than 17 years in Infor’s asset management business, component necessary to identify the position of a vehicle on the earth’s holding roles in sales and service, as asset solutions director for the Infor Public surface; the communication package, which relays the positional data; Sector group, and now product director for Infor EAM, MP2, Spear Technologies, and the display system, which shows the location of the vehicle as it and Infor Energy Performance Management. He is based in Greenville, SC. Kevin welcomes your feedback and questions. Please don’t hesitate to email him at travels in real time. kevin.price@infor.com. Adding vehicle tracking information into an asset management system that includes geospatial information provides a comprehensive
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