Onboard computers help track trucks

he shifts properly using a progressive shifting technique," says Burmeister.

Tripmaster is a small device, actually a microprocessor, that fits aboard the truck. "All information is recorded on a chip, making it instantly available for evaluation," he says."lt will also save drivers from having to write things down," Burmeister continues. "Tripmaster has a keypad through which the driver merely inputs the amount of goods dropped off or whatever."

Steve Waller, product specialist for Stemco Instruments, a venerable tachograph producer, explains: "The tachograph has been around a long, long time. It records information on a small circular chart, but it's diflicult to read. You have to have someone who knows how to interpret the various lines on the chart."

In an effort to remedy this problem and to gather more complete information, companies are now introducing electronic trackers. Some dealers have backed off these computerized aids because "they just supply too much information" and because of price tags up to five times those of their nonelectronic counterparts. But many think they are here to stay.

Rockwell International has devised Tripmaster, "which gathers speed and rpm information to improve productivity. Then you can: one, improve the driver's route, or two, control driving habits, such as stop times, how he slows down, or if

Stemco has also created an electronic extension of the tachograph. Their Computer Trip Recording system utilizes an onboard computer which monitors speed, rpffi, excessive idling, reasons for delays, braking information, oil pressure, water pressure and other pickup and delivery information.

Waller says, "The CTR system uses a mobile memory cartridge, which is placed into the onboard computer to record trip information. It's completely solid state, not the cassette type, so it's tamper proof."

After the trip, the cartridge is pulled out, taken to the office and placed on a cartridge reader, which is tied into the oflice IBM personal computer or a compatible model. All of the information is dumped out into the main computer, completely clearing the mobile memory cartridge so it may be used again. The information can now be plugged into preformatted reports or rearranged into any type of report the transportation manager would like.

"Our biggest advantage is the extreme flexibility of our software. Everybody makes the hardware, the difference is that our software allows managers to track by truck, by driver, by route, by date, or whatever. You may use driver grading reports, in which all drivers start out with 100 points and points are taken away for high speed, excessive idling, et cetera," says Waller.

Still, the success of any driver program can rest on the way it is introduced to the driver. Tracking programs can benefit everyone. As Burmeister explains, the electronic tracking aids "allow you to be a better manager and your drivers to be more professional drivers. Often you can't tell a driver how to drive and he doesn't always know if what he's doing is good or not. (The trackers) allow him to know what he's supposed to do."