7 Trimble Transportation Bridge the Divide Bridge 2: Beyond the Cab This bridge enables companies to identify immediate and future maintenance needs using real-time connections with drivers, telematics and other fleet management systems. To identify current maintenance items, Bison Transport is using electronic driver vehicle inspection reports (eDVIR) . The application feeds defects noted by drivers’ during pre- and post-trip inspections directly to its Trimble Fleet Maintenance system . Shop personnel can immediately open work orders and schedule repairs. The Fleet Services department of NFI has an analytics group that looks for continuous improvement opportunities. Currently, the group is working on a project that brings route-specific information together from multiple systems to identify future maintenance needs. The project includes the use of driver scorecards to track their damages and breakdowns by routes. The analysis is also tracking engine fault codes and tire costs by specific routes. “Maybe we have a route where a driver has to make a right turn and is curbing a tire every time?” Bliem says. Other sources of real-time information that can be connected to fleet maintenance systems for triggering proactive alerts and data for analysis of present and future needs are: | Truck telematics —asset locations, mileages, engine hours, fuel efficiency and fault codes can automatically update maintenance records and trigger notifications | Fleet cards —purchase data for fuel and over-the-road maintenance expenses can be used to track changes in vehicle performance and identify problem areas | Trailer telematics —mileages, tire pressures, axle temperatures, brake wear and lights can be monitored to find items needing maintenance | Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) — sudden or gradual changes in tire pressures can trigger alerts to prevent breakdowns and premature wear We are trying to figure out if certain routes are having different types of service failures to optimize and come up with a predictive maintenance program. — Bill Bliem Senior Vice President, Fleet Services NFI