Iowa Mold Tooling Co. Inc., Garner, Iowa, recently introduced a web-based and GPS-enabled fleet management software called ValuePlus Fleet Management (VPFM). The software captures all the important cost and utilization data fleet managers need to reduce operating expenses, maximize vehicle and equipment utilization, and develop efficient replacement cycles.
Among the information VPFM captures is how many hours the crane, compressor, welder, chassis and other components are operating; the truck's mileage; how many hours the truck is on the road and using the PTO. These reports also include a breakdown of planned versus actual miles and hours. Notification of preventive maintenance schedules is another benefit of the software.
VPFM also aids dispatchers in determining which truck to send to a service call. An equipment operator calls to request field service, and the IMT customer's dispatcher inputs the customer's address into VPFM. The software then flags the address on a map and uses real-time GPS data to show the locations of all service trucks, indicating which trucks are available and their distance from the customer. From memory, the VPFM system can recall a “cookie crumb” trail of the vehicle's route.
RDO Equipment, a nationwide equipment dealer, has been testing VPFM on almost 20 of its service trucks and plans to implement the software into its full fleet of nearly 80 vehicles.
“We have been able to offer a better response time to the customer since we started using ValuePlus,” said Wayne Danielson, director of aftermarket operations for RDO. “Our IMT service trucks are an extension of our service department, and this software has helped us get our customers' equipment up and running faster than we were able to before.”
Danielson said RDO will also benefit from VPFM's utilization reports. The company expects to be able to make fleet decisions based on the reports it receives. “This software will show us how much it costs to keep these trucks in service and whether we're spending our dollars per hour wisely,” Danielson said. “The reports will tell us when to buy new trucks, when to move trucks to different branch locations and when to rotate older trucks out for new models.”
For more information, go to www.imt.com.
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