Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/93367
INTERACT FEEDBACK ON CCJ Digital Learn how to use them "EOBRs are nothing more than a tool. How one chooses to use it will depend on how it can help or hinder. I've listened to many complain about the 'big brother' issue and heard from just as many about how they've helped to save time and aggravating paperwork. Even had a couple drivers thankful for their presence during accident situations – proved to be a great silent wit- ness. Whether you like them or not, they will become part of all drivers' lives eventually. It's up to the driver to learn to use them effectively for their own gain as well as their employers. My personal advice: Learn how to use them and work with employers on process improvements. They are there for two basic reasons: one for safety, which shows customers that your company does care; two, for cost-savings analysis to help point out where the company can reduce costs and stay profitable – which is a good thing that helps to keep you employed." Cart before the horse "It certainly is interesting that FMCSA has recently announced that there will be a study to see if there is a correlation between EOBRs and safety – long after they started the process to mandate them. Imagine in another situation, like medi- cine, where the government told you that you must take a new drug, and now that we passed that law, we might as well test it to see if it does anything!" No need for recorders -Kurt Keilhofer "If EOBRs are mandated, who is the real winner? Members of FMCSA, congressmen and senators who are pushing this, making millions on stock options because of the demand? If I could make millions just being obstinate and vocal on a subject I knew little about, I would consider it too – espe- cially if it did not concern me or my work. Let's see here – reports lately state 2011 has been the safest year on record with the number of drivers and trucks increasing, and we are being pushed into EOBRs for enforcement reasons? If this was happening in the 1980s, there would have been a shut- down first-class." -Gordon A Get connected, stay informed! Join CCJ on any of our social media platforms to network with peers and stay up-to-date on industry news and events! Percent of respondents who say they are spec'ing or otherwise purchasing APUs on at least some of their new truck orders. 64% Based on 155 respondents' answers to an online survey. ccjdigital.com/polls 8 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2012 WEBINARS www.ccjwebinars.com Free interactive online seminars for fl eet executives. Visit www.ccjwebinars.com and stay up-to-date on upcoming sessions and view/download archived webinars directly to your computer. ➡ The future of EOBRs APP REVIEWS -Murph PeopleNet Management App What it does: Provides critical event alerts to smart devices within seconds based on data from multiple sources, including a satellite map of the incident, pre- and post-incident trails, the identity of the driver, the driver's available hours of service and their past 24-hour HOS activity. The last five safety events for the driver also are displayed to help assess the emergence of a negative trend. What they say: "We understand that there are events that require immediate attention rather than waiting to review reports. We are taking advantage of smart-device technology's notifi- cation features to develop this safety app." Access: iPad Meritor Mobile What it does: Designed to aid in the educa- tion and sale of Meritor products and services, including axles, brakes, drivelines, trailers, safety systems and more. Meritor Mobile has been enhanced to offer real-time updates, the capability to customize content by selecting from seven OEM brands and the ability to e-mail content stored within the application. What they say: "After the success we have seen with our North American Field Operations team utilizing the iPad sales tool, it made sense to roll this out publicly and give our customers a tool that will enhance their sales and service effectiveness." Access: iPad