Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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TECHNOLOGY: MAINTENANCE SOFTWARE MICHAEL BOMGARDNER, FLEET MANAGER AT VEOLIA���S ELECTRONICS RECYCLING DIVISION, SAYS ZONAR���S PRE- AND POST-TRIP INSPECTION AND REMOTE DIAGNOSTICS SYSTEM HELPED REDUCE ROADSIDE SERVICE CALLS BY 22 PERCENT. The CSA program requires annual equipment inspections, but in California where Maxum has 12 locations, the ���eet is required to inspect vehicles every 90 days. The company also has inspection schedules required by other state and federal agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard because it delivers fuel to ocean liners harbored at the Port of Long Beach. As a hazmat carrier, Maxum also ���nds its vehicles under scrutiny by California inspection of���cers. The company���s CSA scores in the state always have been higher compared to the rest of the country, says John Washington, the ���eet���s maintenance and compliance manager. The CSA tide in California began to recede about 18 months ago when Maxum implemented the Dossier ���eet maintenance management system from Arsenault Associates. Wash- ington uses the software to schedule PM work and all inspection intervals required by California and other agencies. He also uses the software to track all nonmaintenance items such as license renewals. The Web-based Dossier system automates communications between the shop and of���ce, allowing ���eet managers to log in to Dossier each morning and see the inspections, PM services and scheduled repairs for trucks they control. This visibility helps the maintenance and operations departments coordinate schedules. Overall, Maxum���s CSA scores in California have decreased by 50 percent since it began using Dossier, Washington says. One advantage of using online maintenance software systems is that all users ��� from general managers to dispatchers and clerks ��� can see the actions needed to keep the ���eet in compliance. J.J. Keller���s Encompass is an online compliance management system for driver and vehicle information. Encompass ties together vehicle maintenance with the driver side of the business; ���eets can manage vehicle maintenance schedules, permits, licensing and other renewables with driver quali���cation ���les, hours of service and other CSA-related information. Fleets can set up access by user, from a general manager down to a clerk or dispatcher. Each user has a unique dashboard to manage information according to their area of responsibility. ���We look at it as a full���edged compliance portal,��� says Aric Thoreson, implementation project manager for J.J. Keller. INSPECTIONS Besides using technology to ���ne-tune PM schedules, companies can create more accountability for defects that could have been found and repaired prior to becoming violations. AIM NationaLease, a fullservice lease provider, maintains a ���eet of more than 7,000 vehicles. The Girard, Ohio-based company also provides dedicated truckload services through AIM Integrated Logistics, a division that operates more than 400 trucks. AIM NationaLease���s maintenance program has an impact on the CSA performance of many more ���eets than its own. More than ever, the company is holding technicians responsible for ���the little stuff ��� ��� such as broken marker lights or brake hose chaf���ng ��� that tends to be the most frequent violations. ���We focus on zero tolerance,��� says John Reed, chief information of���cer. AIM NationaLease has ���ne-tuned an electronic checklist in the company���s Enrich ���eet maintenance software from Richer Systems. Technicians complete the list each time a truck is brought in for PM service ��� about four times per year. The checklist includes all items that are in the U.S. Department of Transportation���s federal annual inspection form to help ensure compliance. If a vehicle receives a violation from a roadside inspection, the company uses a ���repairs between PMs��� report to determine if the violation could have been caught during the last PM. To better manage CSA performance, Venezia Inc. AIM NATIONALEASE HAS FINETUNED AN ELECTRONIC CHECKLIST IN THE GIRARD, OHIO-BASED COMPANY���S ENRICH FLEET MAINTENANCE SOFTWARE FROM RICHER SYSTEMS. COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 35