Managers of refrigerated fleets around the globe are demanding more sophistication and functionality from telemetry solutions than ever before. International Telematics specialises in the design and production of telematic solutions for companies with remote assets such as road vehicles, refrigerated trailers, heavy haulage, and off road trucks.
International Telematics has been developing specialist telematic solutions in New Zealand since 2005. The company entered the contested US market in 2007, where it is experiencing significant growth in the large fleet sector, mainly based on the innovative ibright® technology.
In May, the company decided to capitalise on the vast experience gained in the US and enter the Australian market. International Telematics General Manager, Dean Marris, says the company is excited about reaching Australia’s shore. “The Australian road transport industry is an ideal fit for the ibright® system, with a strong emphasis on refrigerated and line-haul operations. In addition, some of our US and NZ customers have bases there.
“The business solutions offered by ibright® are significantly enhancing the monitoring and maintenance of refrigerated units,” says Dean. “We can capture information about the performance and status of refrigerated assets as they perform their day-to-day duties in real time so management teams can make decisions to help run their businesses. The reefer unit can be monitored independently or as part of a prime-mover/trailer combination.
“Our ibright® technology will monitor, remotely control and receive alerts on refrigeration unit status – including temperature – in real time,” he adds. “This has led to a reduction in the loss of chilled or refrigerated goods and subsequently less customer insurance claims across fleets.
“We have also seen a reduction in theft of APU/reefer fuel through alerts for sudden fuel loss and reduced reefer maintenance costs with more variable based contracts. Where separately owned reefer trailers are being towed by contract drivers, the system can also monitor dangerous or unacceptable driving – for instance speeding and swerving – from the reefer unit itself.”
Dean also says that ibright® is able to capture a vast amount of useful information which to date has not been available without major hassle and cost. “Ibright® can be installed quickly and easily integrates solutions such as security, supply chain management, Wi-Fi temperature transmitters, driver ID, as well as other messaging and communication solutions,” he explains.
“But, ibright® is very unlike traditional telemetry solutions for a variety of reasons. Traditional telemetry solutions capture data then send this data to reporting servers where answers to business questions are then calculated,” Dean says. “The ibright® hardware, which is installed within vehicles, contains a mini computer which captures more data than standard telemetry solutions. Its on-board computer can apply business rules defined by the customer and we make sure that any data transmitted via the mobile network is relevant to the business concerned.
“The process of gathering the data and applying the business rules continues regardless of network coverage, and this makes the ibright® system extremely accurate,” he explains.
“It is all about understanding and measuring vehicle performance, managing health and safety compliance, assisting driver training and monitoring journey performance economically,” he adds, stating that the ibright® system has been very well received internationally, particularly in North America’s refrigerated transportation sector.
According to Dean, there are a number of fleet management applications offered by ibright® that managers need to be aware of. For example, ibright® monitors and manages real-time fuel use and the factors affecting fuel use like driver performance, engine efficiency, tire inflation,. This can help improve fuel usage through better management, training and incentives for enhanced driver performance.
Intelligent ibright® middleware easily integrates the technology into customer’s existing systems if desired. Standalone applications can also be purchased to show analysis reports and mapping. Data compression software reduces the data captured from the hardware before it is sent from vehicles to centralised servers for reporting. According to International Telematics, this means more information can be sent for less cost compared to alternative technologies.
“I think that ibright® is a very smart solution for fleet managers and logistics professionals,” says Dean. “With more knowledge at their fingertips they can make better decisions, monitor maintenance, automate booking for vehicle servicing, implement better in-vehicle security, develop smarter supply chain management solutions, assist driver training and reduce operational costs.
“No other system currently provides the same amount of functionality, flexibility and analysis tools,” Dean concludes. “The information ibright® provides allows companies to manage their remote assets in a whole new way, with much greater understanding, resulting in enhanced productivity.”
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