Page 21 - CTB N21 - 2018-01

PRODUCTS Michelin Solutions Launches a Suite of Truck Fleet Services Michelin solutions has launched four new digital services for the road transport industry designed to maximise efficiency by making easy work of laborious tasks and incentivising staff. The suite of apps – MyInspection, MyTraining, MyRoadChallenge and MyBestRoute – will spur on drivers, driver trainers and engineering staff to reach higher levels of performance, reduce operating costs and simplify everyday inspection duties. Paul Davey, Commercial Director for Michelin solutions in Northern Europe, says: “For some time we’ve been looking at solutions outside of tyres and this suite of services is the latest exciting offer we’re bringing to the market. We expect it to transform the way hauliers and own-account fleets operate.” MyInspection means daily vehicle inspections with a pen and paper, often performed in rain or darkness, will no longer be the bane of a truck driver’s career, thanks to software that makes the process quicker and more effective at reporting problems. The smartphone app guides the driver step-by-step through the inspection of their vehicle, following the list of checkpoints defined by the fleet engineer for each vehicle type. It is used to report anomalies and, with the help of a photo, can automatically notify the maintenance workshop, which will enable the repair to be planned quickly. Davey says: “With MyInspection, it’s a simple system that guides drivers through the inspection process, meaning it’s a much more efficient, less time-consuming and ultimately cost-effective task.” MyRoadChallenge offers an incentive to truck drivers, by both improving their skills on the road and rewarding exemplar y driving. The smartphone app scores and ranks drivers’ performance, helping to create a positive competition between colleagues. The algorithm embedded in MyRoadChallenge analyses the quality of driving through the acceleration and deceleration detected by the GPS of the driver’s smartphone. It awards points to everyone behind the wheel but high scores will only be achieved by those demonstrating good driving behaviours, and the total number of points are then converted into Amazon gift vouchers. MyRoadChallenge is not designed for management – only drivers have access to the classification and data. A ‘quick tips’ section highlights the areas where drivers are falling short of standards so that they can improve their driving and, hence, gain more points. Davey comments: “MyRoadChallenge is particularly interesting and exciting. It’s solely for the drivers. It rewards good driving behaviour and it’s a scheme designed for drivers to contribute not only to the company but also to themselves.” Davey adds, “it’s a points-based application, and it should lead to better efficiency in terms of fuel consumption, wear and tear and safety compliance – all the things that will go towards a company’s bottom line.” MyBestRoute will help fleet operations managers and other transport professionals calculate routes and all costs associated. It will be possible to ascertain – in just a few clicks – the cost of use of different routes and the quantity of CO2 emitted, taking into account the configuration of the vehicle and the carried load. A detailed comparison tool also makes it possible to evaluate the differences between vehicles, whatever the model, so that operations managers can choose their itinerary according to their priorities. Finally, MyTraining allows driver trainers to train drivers quickly and efficiently – consigning the administrative headaches of paperwork and filing to the past. The training takes place in the truck cab and allows the trainer to concentrate on a driver’s performance rather than being distracted by forms that need filling out. Davey says: “MyTraining is an application that will improve the efficiency of the training process. It can be used by the company’s driver trainer – he or she will be able to collect information and record it digitally while working with the driver. Long gone will be the days when trainers had to file mounds of paperwork away and then waste hours looking for a certain form when they needed it some time later.”