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AUTHOR ARCHIVES: Jutta Mund

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Improved vehicle dispatching and coordination with fleet management systems

According to Berg Insight’s research, the commercial vehicle fleet industry plays an essential role in the European economy. “The 6.2 million medium and heavy trucks accounted for more than 75 percent of all inland transports, forming a 250 billion Euro industry.” The research also states that in Europe, the number of fleet management systems in active use is forecasted to increase from 2.5 million units at the end of 2011 to 5.7 million by 2016. This increase in the popularity of fleet management systems is attributed to its effectiveness in increasing both efficiency and productivity. legend No wonder more companies are using telematics to manage their fleet. Telematics solutions for fleet dispatching and coordination are reliable and affordable, making them a worthwhile investment with great ROI for businesses. Legend, for instance, is the biggest towing company in Dresden, Germany, and they use a system that has significantly improved their management and operations. ENAiKOON_fleet_telematic Legend has a large fleet of vehicles to “assist, salvage, and transport” their customers. The company has a diverse set of jobs that require meticulous coordination of their fleet. Vehicles are dispatched throughout the day to various locations. Emergency calls are a regular occurrence, and they must be able to react quickly to any situation. Knowing the location of a tow truck closest to the scene is essential. The towing company’s CEO, Karsten Hiehle, knew their solution for better dispatching and coordination was the telematics system from ENAiKOON. The GPS tracking device, locate-04, was installed on every service vehicle and the web portal, inViu pro, was used to analyse the collected data. “With ENAiKOON’s telematics solutions, we increased the performance of our vehicles by 40% and customer satisfaction with our improved efficiency,” says Mr. Hiehle. “The detailed reports on our staff’s driving behaviour allowed us to provide personalised training for them, resulting in a 30% decrease in fuel consumption. In addition, thanks to ENAiKOON’s GPS devices, we were able to avoid over 20 fines for alleged driving violations by proving that the vehicles were elsewhere during the alleged times of the violations.” As a result, the fleet management system did not only improve the dispatching of vehicles, but also decreased company expenses with fewer fines and better driving. “Our investment in telematics has more than paid for itself for Legend,” adds Mr. Hiehle. For more on this fleet management solution or to receive a free trial kit, contact ENAiKOON at sales@enaikoon.com.

Managing fleet maintenance schedules with telematics

How do you know your truck or construction machine is due for service? Scheduled maintenance of vehicles is important for any business that relies on the performance of its vehicles. Transport and logistics companies must meticulously plan their fleet’s maintenance schedule to avoid vehicle failures,delays extra costs and fines. In the past, this was done by manually tracking service dates, vehicle mileage, and vehicle conditions. Today, things are a little different. With the help of telematics, companies are now able to receive automated reminders with customised thresholds for a seamless maintenance program. ENAiKOON_transport_truck How this works is that the telematics device attached to each vehicle collects vehicle data, such as mileage and operating hours, and sends this information to the ENAiKOON servers. ENAiKOON limit-checker then receives this data and compares actual mileage and actual operating hours of each vehicle with predefined thresholds and sends out alerts in case of upcoming or overdue maintenance measures to the responsible persons. Box-Monitor inViu-pro_eng This way, scheduling upcoming maintenance for each vehicle and detecting overdue maintenance is automated, resulting in increased productivity and reliable vehicle performance. Tobias Strahl, the operations manager of KAMAG, shares his story on how telematics increased their business efficiency. Mr. Strahl is the operations manager for KAMAG Transporttechnik GmbH & Co. KG, a transport company in Ulm, Germany, that has been offering transport and logistics services for over 40 years. In addition to their logistics services, they also offer full-service solutions that include maintenance and repairs of their clients’ vehicles. For this reason, having an accurate and automated maintenance schedule is critical to KAMAG’s business. Known for their use of cutting-edge technology, it was a breeze for KAMAG to adopt a new telematics system. Once they learned of the ENAiKOON fleet management solution, they installed the locate-04 GPS tracking device on all of their vehicles. Access to the ENAiKOON web portal, inViu pro, allowed Mr. Strahl and his team to view the location data for their entire fleet. When the limit-checker plugin became available, KAMAG did not hesitate to add it to their system as it made it possible to set customised alerts for their service schedule. “Before we found out about ENAiKOON limit-checker, we had to manually calculate and check for upcoming general, safety, and individual vehicle inspections,” says Mr. Strahl, regarding the time-consuming work involved in ensuring the timely delivery of their full-service benefits. “Now we are equipped with an advanced, multi-level alert system. We can plan every upcoming inspection and routine maintenance included in our full-service plan, determined by the date, operating hours, or distance travelled.” Mr. Strahl is now able to promptly send out their maintenance crew, already informed of their task with an action plan. The ENAiKOON system and its software have helped the company increase the availability and quality of their fleet, gaining trust and loyalty from their customers. To learn more on how to improve your fleet’s vehicle maintenance, contact ENAiKOON at sales@enaikoon.com.

Facility Management with NFC and Android Phones

Remember when security guards used to call for backup on handheld transceivers? An alarming number of security companies still use them for communication during guard patrols. Why use these ancient devices when we have NFC-enabled, multi-purpose, and affordable smartphones in the market? Conveniently, there are now telematics solutions specifically for managing mobile workers using these smartphones together with NFC – an ideal system for facility management and guard tours. NFC is something we have discussed previously as a technology that is being rapidly absorbed by the tech community. ENAiKOON_Guardtour So how is it used for guard patrols? It’s simple. Equip each guard with an NFC-capable smartphone, used to swipe NFC tags located at checkpoints, destinations, and rooms on patrol routes. When these tags are scanned using inViu NFC-tracker, the data from the tag, along with the GPS timestamp, is sent to our servers in real time. This data can be viewed and analysed via our telematics software, inViu pro, for effective monitoring. You can even turn these smartphones into GPS devices by installing the inViu routes app, making it easier to locate your guards in case of emergency. inViu NFC Tracker A mobile security services provider recently switched to the ENAiKOON guard tour monitoring system, dramatically changing the way they perform their patrols. Bergische Security from Solingen, Germany, used to use a system that required wands that read barcodes. The company faced many inconveniences with the old system, having to collect the wands after each shift to upload the data. It also failed to provide real-time locations of the guards and could not read the barcodes under poor weather conditions. When replacement parts were needed, they were expensive as the parts were only exclusively available from one supplier. These challenges made Bergische Security search for a new solution. Once ENAiKOON’s solution was implemented, the wands were replaced with NFC-capable smartphones, improving the communication between the dispatcher and guards. Guard-tour data is now transmitted in real time and viewed immediately by Bergische Security and their clients. The supplier-neutral replacement parts have helped the company find affordable replacements with ease. “The ENAiKOON system is more affordable compared to our previous system and other industry-specific solutions, for both the initial package and the running costs,” says Evelyn Neuhaus, the assistant managing director of Bergische Security. “Moreover, with the exception of the software, ENAiKOON’s system is supplier neutral, only requiring off-the-shelf, NFC-capable Android smartphones. The permanent data transmission and localisation of the devices are big advantages. If checkpoints are missed, we immediately receive an alert message. When security guards require assistance, we know their location instantly. When we have special requests, we can send the nearest security guard. Other big advantages are the ability to use a combination of different tools on one smartphone as well as the flexibility that we gain with the system.” Having an inexpensive yet effective and efficient guard tour system has optimised Bergische Security’s operations. With improved communication, guard performance, overall safety, and productivity, the company now experiences more transparent partnerships with their clients. For further information or a free trial kit of the system, contact ENAiKOON at sales@enaikoon.com.

GPS and its impact in the world today

It was not so long ago that we used paper maps to navigate, yet today we use our phones for everything – including navigation. It’s hard to imagine a world without our maps application or navigation system. How did we become so dependent on this GPS technology? Why is GPS so important in our lives? GPS-details-EN Before we dissect GPS’s role in the world today, let’s talk about what exactly GPS is and how it works. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is actually run by the US Department of Defence, a project that started in 1973 in search of a better navigation system. Originally developed for military use, the system consists of 24 satellites travelling 19,300 km above the earth in controlled orbits twice a day. These satellites are built to last 10 years and are replaced after this time by a new one that gets launched into orbit. To access GPS data one must use a GPS receiver. The receiver must be locked onto the signal of at least three satellites to calculate a 2D position (latitude and longitude) and have the ability to track movement. With four or more satellites, the receiver can determine a user’s altitude, making it a 3D position. This process of locating is called trilateration, where the intersection of three sphere surfaces determines a user’s location. GPS can determine location, velocity, time, speed, bearing, trip distance, distance to destination, sunrise, and sunset. Satellit2_blau As you can see, this wealth of information has benefited countless industries, such as transport, logistics, construction, security, government, mining, and waste management, just to name a few. The ability to track mobile objects in real time has improved productivity across the board. Sectors that use vehicles and machinery benefit the most, with GPS devices being able to transmit data regarding vehicle condition and CAN-bus. Fuel consumption and fuel theft can both be controlled using the right accessories and software. Being able to select the most efficient routes for driving jobs and analyse driving behaviour has helped companies save on fuel costs, which account for a huge portion of operating expenses. GPS has unquestionably made a strong impact on how people run businesses, but it also equally influenced how people live. Our cars now have built-in navigation systems. We use our smartphones for directions while travelling. We ask our phones where the nearest restaurant is. It tells us where our friends are. Our pets can now be tracked and located when lost. GPS receivers are indispensable tools for geocaching and OSM mapping. As more uses come out of this technology, the more dependent we become and the more trust we have in GPS. That being said, this trust can be dangerous for some. People from all around the world have experienced GPS errors and navigation disasters. See how some have driven into a lake, bay, house, cliff, park, and sand pit. What one can do to avoid such situations is to evaluate the GPS accuracy of one’s current position. As mentioned earlier, GPS positioning requires the presence of at least three to four satellites. This can be determined using handheld GPS receivers or convenient smartphone apps. inViu GPS details is a free Android app that shows the satellites in orbit, GPS accuracy, cardinal direction, compass, GPS time, and current location. When using GPS, let’s try to use our eyes and trust in solid data before driving into situations that can be easily dodged. These mishaps are rare cases, and for the most part, GPS has proven its value for both private and business use. If you’re looking to enhance your business with GPS, contact ENAiKOON or check the list of case studies to see if there’s a solution for your industry. Otherwise, if you want to have a little fun by turning your phone into a complete GPS receiver or GPS tracking device, explore our free Android apps.

Fuel theft: detection and prevention

With no sign of fuel prices going down, fuel theft continues to grow in all parts of the globe. In recent news, Brentwood and Chelmsford in the UK, experienced thousands of litres of diesel siphoned out of 8 lorries during the drivers’ break. In the Philippines, employees of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority have been arrested for selling diesel fuel siphoned from their work vehicle. None of this would have happened if the vehicles were properly equipped with an anti-fuel-theft system. Unmonitored vehicles are left vulnerable to fuel theft, and the surveillance of fuel tank level becomes critical to catching thieves in their act. anti-fuel-theft Any reputable anti-fuel-theft system should monitor fuel consumption, for both fuel theft prevention and fuel efficiency. Continuous monitoring of fuel consumption and appropriate driver training can save 10% on fuel costs. With diesel thieves being capable of stealing up to €1,000 worth of fuel, a comprehensive system that can save fuel costs and stop diesel theft is well worth the investment for any company that owns a fleet of vehicles. AntiFuel_Theft_active Investing in the right system is exactly what one transport company in Southern Germany did after a series of fuel theft incidents. The company, who wishes to remain anonymous for security reasons, chose ENAiKOON’s anti-fuel-theft system to catch their diesel thief. They experienced 10 cases in an isolated truck transport site, where they installed surveillance cameras. Even with cameras, the thief continued his work and the company was unable to identify the offender. Finally, the local police stepped in and monitored the site for several weeks, but even that was unsuccessful. Their last resort was the use of ENAiKOON’s telematics solution. The system was installed on their trucks in the summer of 2010. The results were immediate. Shortly after the installation, the company’s management received a text message (SMS) alert, informing them of an acute deceleration of fuel from one of their trucks. Knowing that the thief caught the bait, management contacted the police right away, whom were able to catch the crook in action. The ability to monitor remotely and in real time using their smartphone has allowed this company to react fast enough to stop the crime. ENAiKOON can also help with other fleet management needs, such as vehicle maintenance, driving behaviour, dispatcher communication, and driver coordination. Contact ENAiKOON for further information on how to stop fuel theft and increase fuel efficiency or check out www.stop-fuel-theft.net.

The effects of fuel subsidy removals in Africa

Fuel subsidy removals in numerous African governments have raised debates and upheaval in the last few years. Sky-rocketing fuel prices are, as a result, affecting the lower and middle-class populations. Consumers are subject to higher-priced fuel products used for cooking, heating, lighting, and transportation. fuel_gauge Yet these cuts have been made for the benefit of the affected, as subsidies are often regressive. According to a recent study by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), fuel subsidies are both inefficient and biased towards those who consume fuel the most. The study shows that the top 20% of households benefit six times more from fuel subsidies than the bottom 20%. In order to counteract the rising living costs of the poor, some countries have implemented compensation programs to support those most affected. Gabon and Mozambique have both offered conditional cash transfers to those most in need. Ghana increased the number of public-transport buses. Namibia offers food distribution programs for the poor. Nigeria created youth and women’s employment programs. Guinea lowered their health care costs. The IMF stresses that these measures to protect the most vulnerable are essential to the reforms. Gaspump Zambia’s president, Michael Sata, announced their fuel subsidy removal last month, stating that it will open up funds for job creation and the development of infrastructures, such as schools, universities, and hospitals. Ghana has completely removed their subsidy on petrol, gas oil, and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) in hopes to help restore their fiscal stability after a huge 2012 budget deficit. The consequence is higher fuel prices; Ghanaians will see an immediate 3 percent increase in petrol and LPG, and a 2 percent increase in diesel fuel. Most recently, Egypt has launched their first phase of plans to cut their fuel subsidy. Since their economy took a downturn after political turmoil in 2011, they are taking measures to secure a loan of $4.8 billion from the IMF, which is only possible with a reform to their energy subsidies. Phase one is to distribute petrol from depots to gas stations using smart cards. The Egyptian General Petroleum Company (EGPC) hopes this will reduce fuel theft as subsidies will only be applied at the retail stage; fewer opportunities will be left for smugglers who siphon off one fifth of subsidised fuel to sell at profit. With increasing energy costs, Africans affected by these subsidies must search for methods to reduce fuel consumption. The appropriate support from government and decrease in fuel theft will hopefully lead to more stable economies across the continent.

Never lose another container again! Efficient container management with telematics

Does your company deal with containers? If so, you’re probably familiar with lost containers and the hassle associated with locating them using tedious excel spreadsheets. Thanks to telematics, those days are now over. ENAiKOON container tracking ALBA R-plus, an international waste management and recycling company, had experienced these exact issues in the past. They have over 600 waste containers throughout Europe at various locations. Once the containers are full, they are picked up and sent for recycling. The problem is that they are all collected through a central collection system for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). Other competing waste companies also have their containers collected there. It is possible to accidentally pick up another company’s container. Without a proper tracking system, a company can easily lose one of their containers to another, and this is exactly what happened at ALBA R-plus. Several containers went missing; no one knew where they were or which competing company had them. There was absolutely no way of telling their location, making it impossible to recover the missing containers. ENAiKOON_container_management That was, until they discovered telematics. They searched for a comprehensive tracking solution that would allow them to monitor every container’s location. ENAiKOON’s container management system includes robust yet discreet GPS tracking devices, affordable SIM cards, and a powerful, web-based software. ALBA R-plus equipped all of their containers with the ENAiKOON locate-15, a GPS tracking device with an internal battery that lasts for 10 years. The container’s location is sent to the ENAiKOON servers via an inexpensive SIM card, allowing real-time data transmission. This data is then viewed using the web portal, inViu web, which is accessible with any web browser. “With the stand-alone tracking device, ENAIKOON locate-15, we receive a current location update for all of our containers every day, which is perfect for our container management,” comments Jean Ziemann, manager of ALBA R-plus. “The use of excel lists for our container accounting is a thing of the past. All we have to do is look in inViu web for the container location so that we can retrieve it for use again.” The integrated map in inViu web displays the exact location of each container, making it easy to identify the trade flow of recycled goods when a competitor gets a contract to pick up the materials. Most importantly, their long search for missing containers is over. For more information on the container management system, visit our case study page or contact ENAiKOON at sales@enaikoon.com.

Fresh foods require fresh ideas: How Schroeder Transport uses telematics for cold chain management

Unique, practical, and effective! Our cold chain telematics system has been customised for Schroeder Transport of Mecklenburg, Western Pomerania, resulting in reliable refrigeration, optimal route navigation, and efficient driving behaviour. ENAiKOON cold chain management The tailored solution for the family-run transport company was created with not only our proprietary software and hardware devices, but with a customised formula of plugins and accessories that guarantees continuous refrigeration of perishable goods, precise routing of delivery vehicles, and decreased fuel consumption by monitoring driving behaviour. As consumers, we take for granted the availability of fresh produce on almost every street corner; moreover, it has become an expectation in our everyday lives. This standard’s existence and maintenance is solely dependent on today’s cold chain technology, a challenge for those organisations responsible for the delivery of such goods. Fresh produce, as an idea, is an amalgamation of various processes that can be brought together with telematics. To achieve this, we at ENAiKOON have created a three-fold telematics solution using messenger, temp-sensor, and can-66. This combination has allowed Schroeder Transport to optimise their navigation, refrigeration, and driving behaviour while creating new opportunities for expanding their business. The collected data from the system is used by management only for the reports and analysis related to cold chain, logistics, and fleet management. ENAiKOON cold chain monitoring Perfect Navigation: The ENAiKOON messenger Schroeder Transport from Teterow, Germany, has equipped over 50 trucks and 40 refrigeraeted trailers with the cost effective telematics device ENAiKOON locate-06. The high-performance locate-06 is responsible for GPS and GPRS. It locates the trucks, transmits and receives their data, and shows driving direction and speed. Schroeder Transport uses a navigation system by Garmin that connects to the GPS device. The telematics web portal, inViu pro, is linked to the navigation hardware along with the software plugin, ENAiKOON messenger. This allows the dispatcher to create messages and new driving destinations in the web portal and send them to the navigation hardware. With the push of a button, the driver is able to simultaneously start the route and begin the plugin’s guided information on the navigation system for smooth execution of the driving routes. The navigation system transmits the remaining distance and driving time to the web portal, keeping the dispatcher up to date on the vehicle and trip status. Cold Chain Transport: ENAiKOON temp-sensor The key to cold chain is to know the ideal climate for fresh produce, and every product has its own favourite temperature. Leafy vegetables, apples, mangos, and pears all prefer different yet specific temperatures. Frozen fish require a temperature of 18° C below zero (-40° F) and chocolate needs to be kept at 18° C (64.4° F). There are always complexities when transporting such goods and they begin with the vehicles. In the temperature-controlled transports of Schroeder are two cooling chambers. These two chambers each have a temperature sensor that is connected to the ENAiKOON locate-04 telematics device. The sensors measure the temperature, which is then sent to Schroeder’s dispatchers through the locate-04. The freshness of their produce relies on the fine tuning done by the drivers. Before the delivery, the drivers must select what they are delivering using pre-configured buttons. Whether it is frozen food or fresh meat, the content of the cargo and its status for delivery are entered. These details are sent to the ENAiKOON system that configures the temperature of the chambers. Thresholds and alarms are pre-programmed in the system, which automates the control of temperatures and easing the process for the drivers. Furthermore, it gives the estimated time for the cooling chambers to reach their desired temperatures. Economic driving: ENAiKOON can-66 For many years, the analysis of all vehicle system data from the vehicle’s CAN-bus has fuelled our success. This has enabled our customers to objectively compare individual driving styles and fuel consumption of different vehicles and drivers in various categories. “We don’t want to compare apples to oranges, our goal is rather to develop a fair evaluation for the driver,” says Jan Schroeder, one of the two managing directors of the firm. The can-66 works for long and short hauls, which is perfect for Schroeder. The CAN-bus is a powerful tool that sends the user all important information required for analysis. The web portal, inViu pro, is configured by us so that Schroeder receives a summary of important, easy-to-read data. It can create groups and filters so that custom reports and charts can be created; for example, reports can be created comparing long and short hauls by fuel consumption, speed, and RPM. Schroeder utilises this in an ambitious way: they have configured the data so that all drivers will be ranked based on their fuel consumption. Whoever consumes more gas will be ranked lower than those consuming less. They have implemented an incentive plan based on who ranks the highest in hopes to motivate the drivers to use less fuel. Their goal of a 10% decrease in fuel costs per driver through enhanced driving behaviour is now within reach. Apply this to 50 long-haul trucks for a savings of almost $ 300,000 per year – the cost of two new trucks.

ENAiKOON partners with A M Bromley for their enhanced TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM (TMS) ®

We at ENAiKOON are excited to announce a new partnership with electronic engineers, AM Bromley, for their innovative TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM (TMS) ®. Bauma_Mining_Truck This partnership was announced on April 17 at Bauma 2013, the world’s largest international trade fair for construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines, construction vehicles, and construction equipment. There they showcased A M Bromley’s TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM (TMS) ® and ENAiKOON’s GPS tracking system. Our joint project started a few months ago, and the final product will be ready shortly. Stay tuned for the official launch! TMS_Logo_Tire_orange_SM About TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM (TMS) ® The TMS is a wireless direct tire pressure gauge and monitoring system for large off-road vehicles such as mining & construction, tire testing, earthmover, container & cargo handling equipment and transit systems. The solution involves tire pressure and temperature monitoring sensors that attach to Off-The-Road (OTR) tires. The data from these sensors are transmitted to the driver’s display screen via the receiver. The data can also be analysed through the TMS Manager and the TMS Log Graph Window’s applications. Why monitor OTR tires? These industrial, OTR tires are each worth around 50,000 USD! Getting its full use and extending its lifespan is crucial to controlling expenses for any company that uses large construction and mining vehicles. Proper maintenance of these tires can help avoid accelerated wear, improve fuel efficiency, and reduce tire failures. For more information on AM Bromley’s TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM (TMS) ® visit www.tiremonitorsystem.com.

ENAiKOON founder Markus Semm to give a speech on Keypad-Mapper 3 App at FOSSGIS 2013

Markus Semm, managing director and founder of ENAiKOON, will be speaking at the FOSSGIS 2013 conference about Keypad-Mapper 3, an ENAiKOON-developed Android app that allows users to record house numbers and addresses for OpenStreetMap (OSM). Fossgis12-logo_neu_ohneRand Mr. Semm will be giving his speech on Thursday June 13, 2013 at 11:30. The three-day conference will take place from June 12 – 14 in Rapperswil, Switzerland. FOSSGIS (Free and Open Source Software for Geographic Information System) is a German-speaking association founded in 2001 with the goal to promote free and open-source GIS software. Their conference participation has grown over the years with over 400 participants each year. For those interested, visit https://www.fossgis.de/ for registration and further info. Keypad-Mapper 3 is an easy-to-use, new version of the well-known Android app that records the GPS coordinates of house numbers so that users can add them later to OSM. This free app records house numbers, saves address data, takes GPS photos to support the mapper when entering the data in JOSM, indicates the GPS reception strength of GPS and GLONASS, and exports the recorded information. This app was developed for the free contribution and development of free map data, the source code is published on GitHub. Anyone can install this app and start collecting house numbers without any extra cost. ENAiKOON believes that everyone should have access to free navigation software and map data, and this app will help create a complete database of map data. To contribute to OSM, all you need is an account with www.openstreetmap.org, acquire house numbers, and upload the collected data to the OSM database. It’s that easy! Keypad-Mapper 3 is now available for download on Google Play
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