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2004 archive
December 2004
2005 Fleet technology predictions
From George Webb, Managing Director
2005 will see:
A continued focus on Duty of Care for fleets will see Tranman's proven facilities in driver and risk management well used by our client base.
The ever-decreasing cost of telematics solutions will see their wider penetration into the car market from their traditional niche in light and heavy commercials. This is a specialist area and one RAC have considerable experience in, we will be looking to work with our emergency service users for whom utilisation control is critical.
Green issues are also still high on many Fleet Managers’ agendas, we will be moving on from the ability to be able to handle duel fuel vehicles into making the appropriate software changes related to Euro4 diesel engine compliance.
The Internet and e-commerce initiatives will play an even greater role in Fleet Managers working 'smarter' rather than 'harder'. Giving more users access to data reduces the burden on busy Fleet Management departments enabling them to use their time more efficiently. More business will be transacted on the Internet for acquisitions, disposals, work authorisation and enquiries to other service providers such as leasing companies.
Many field service companies run large fleets where the optimisation of vehicle and driver resource is becoming ever more important. RAC Software has developed products for the deployment and management of large mobile fleets and workforces, which fully integrate with telematics, effectively putting the deployed workforce on-line at all times. 2005 should see many more companies reaping the benefits of reduced travel time, cost and higher productivity.
“2005 will be an extremely exciting year for RAC Software, it will be the 21st year that we will have supplied Tranman to the fleet market place and we look forward to building on the leadership we have in the market.”
November 2004
Hackney Community Transport selects Tranman
Hackney Community Transport, based in East London has purchased a four user version of Tranman Series 5 for their fleet of 145 buses. The software will manage the company’s in-house workshop and stores department, as well as providing the facility to re-charge maintenance work carried out on behalf of external customers.
The Tranman software will enable better analysis of accidents by vehicles, compared with the previous method of recording accident information on spreadsheets.
October 2004
Accord continues roll out across UK
Accord plc, the support services company, is rolling out the Tranman fleet management software from RAC Software Solutions, to sites across the country to help manage its fleet of over 3,000 vehicles and plant items.
An exiting new feature of the Tranman software identifies users as they log into the system and displays only the relevant operating company information. This enables local users to benefit from autonomous operations whilst provides full visibility of the fleet operation at a Group level. Accord is made up of 15 different operating companies located right across the UK from Chichester to Cumbria.
Isis Accord in Oxford is one of the first sites to benefit from using Tranman to assist in the delivery of a range of services on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council including highways, landscape services and vehicle maintenance.
The team at Isis specialise in the service, testing, maintenance and repair of a wide variety of vehicles and equipment ranging from hedge trimmers to road marking vehicles. George Webb, Managing Director, RAC Software Solutions comments: "Tranman will deliver business benefits to Accord through better access to management information, improved reporting and analysis, both locally and at a management level." Tranman has been delivered to 5 sites to date which include; Isis Accord, Promark Accord and Islington Accord, with Westminster Accord and Haringey Accord currently being implemented.
September 2004
UniChem chooses Tranman fleet software
UniChem, the UK’s leading distributor and wholesaler of pharmaceutical, medical and healthcare products, has signed a contract with RAC Software Solutions, choosing its award winning Tranman fleet management software to manage its diverse fleet of over 2,000 vehicles.
Offering twice-daily delivery to over 5,700 UK pharmacies and hospitals, from 11 depots situated across the UK, UniChem’s fleet management needs are complex and vital to its service delivery.
UniChem’s confidence in Tranman is high thanks to the product’s proven track record in both the public and private sectors. UniChem’s decision to work with RAC Software was strongly influenced by the company’s blue-chip status, culture and heritage, which made it a strong and trustworthy partner.
UniChem’s choice of Tranman was based on demanding criteria as Central Distribution Manager, David Lunt explains: “It is essential to us that the fleet management software we use is flexible, highly functional and well tested in the market place – Tranman more than meets this need.”
“More importantly, Tranman enables us to ensure our service delivery remains high and as a partner we trust RAC to deliver.”
He continues, “Tranman will provide our team with better access to information, improved reporting and analysis as well as the ability to compare costs across our businesses. Ultimately, Tranman will transform how we manage our fleet.”
UniChem’s fleet is centrally managed from the company’s head office in Chessington with Tranman networked across 11 sites in the UK, with up to 30 concurrent users able to access the system at any one time.
George Webb, Managing Director, RAC Software Solutions comments: “This partnership signifies the importance of Tranman’s reputation in the marketplace and our ability to deliver flexible solutions based on customer requirements. We look forward to developing our relationship with UniChem and working together to achieve an enhanced fleet operation with improved efficiencies.”
RAC Software to exhibit at Utilities show
RAC Software Solutions will be represented on the RAC Utilities Services stand at the UVDB Live 2004 exhibition which takes place on 28 to 30 September 2004 at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.
The stand will have representatives from across the RAC plc group offering a unique and comprehensive range of services. Matt Goodstadt will be representing the Tranman range of fleet and asset management software and its new incident management software.
August 2004
Hampshire Police achieve 10-year milestone
Hampshire Police is a fantastic example of an organisation using the Tranman Fleet Management software as an integral tool in the running of its fleet operation. The force uses the system to its full advantage and continually makes strategic management decisions based on the vast amounts of data recorded and analysed in Tranman.
10 years ago Hampshire Police Transport Services Department were the first police force to invest in Tranman, and has evolved its use over time to become a full cradle to grave system. John Bradley, Fleet Manager for the force says, “It is the analysis of the powerful data recorded within the system that is key to running a successful fleet operation, Tranman is a highly flexible tool for total asset management”. Bradley is very happy with the way that the system has developed over the years to reflect changing requirements.
When originally selecting Tranman, the force were looking for a dynamic leading product supported by a business that would be around for a long time and would be flexible enough to take the product forward. The software is now described by John as “an invaluable tool” he goes on to say, “we would be lost without it”.
The mixed fleet consists of 850 vehicles, plant and boats located and repaired at four workshops across Hampshire, including those based on the Isle of Wight. The key functions of Tranman used by the force include; fleet administration, fuel usage, workshops and stores management, service scheduling, police vehicle incident recording (accidents) and purchasing linked to Cedar Financials eFin package.
Hampshire Police’s latest investment in the product is the Tranman Web Portals, which will provide Basic Command Units across Hampshire with the ability to make live fleet enquiries on their vehicle data through a secure intranet.
July 2004
Epsom Coaches choose Tranman
The coach operator based in the South East of England has purchased Tranman in order to manage their 150 vehicle fleet. This software is to be installed in the company’s new service centre and will provide fleet administration, maintenance scheduling, full workshop control and defects reporting. The Tranman system will be linked to Lex Fleetserve who operate the stores facility and provide a full supply chain management solution.
Lex Fleetserve has been a Tranman customer for a number of years and use the software to control their parts supply operation. Lex Fleetserve were the first of Tranman’s customers to take advantage of the 24/7 helpdesk support. This enables Lex Fleetserve to offer round the clock service to their many customers which include British Airways and the MOD.
Adrian Craig of Lex Fleetserve said "We have successfully integrated Tranman to a number of workshop systems over the years. Epsom Coaches' decision to use Tranman meant this integration was the easiest yet."
June 2004
Havebury invests in improving efficiencies
The Havebury Housing Partnership is a young organisation dedicated to the provision of good quality affordable homes and housing services in West Suffolk. As a Registered Social Landlord, they are responsible for maintaining 6,000 homes and plan to build up to 300 new homes for rent over the next 6 years.
The Company is committed to improving and updating its homes through an agreed programme of planned maintenance, which involves substantial materials management and purchasing to support its in-house maintenance team.
The objectives
With a year-end stock valuation looming in March 2004 and a programme to bring all of the Company’s purchasing within a single integrated system the Company looked around the market during 2003 for a new solution. In November it invested in Servitor from RAC Software Solutions to manage its stores and purchasing requirements including requisitions across the entire organisation. The contract was for a 30-user system to replace TASK.
The project
Servitor was implemented across the organisation within the agreed timescales of March 2004, which enabled the stock valuation to go ahead on the new system.
Servitor interfaces with DATASTOX stores bar-coding system and to the SunAccounts finance system, and enables the Company to analyse management information more efficiently using the BusinessObjects report writer provided with the system.
The results
The project has so far delivered benefits of enabling wider access to information and a reduction of duplicated data entry with the integration between Servitor and SunAccounts. Commenting on the success of the project David Hall, Director of Finance at Havebury said, “We were seeking a solid and reliable solution to support our stores and purchasing teams. It was important to us that the solution integrated with existing systems, offered value for money, and has the potential to evolve with the business in the future."
“The Servitor system most clearly met our needs and the implementation was managed well between RAC and our own internal project team. It has streamlined the process which allows employees to focus more on maximising value from the purchasing function.”
Tranman helps TVP reduce cost of accidents
According to industry statistics if you drive more than 20,000 miles per year you have a 1 in 8000 chance of being involved in a serious or fatal accident. With statistics like this and the number of work related vehicle accidents currently over 12,000 per year, health & safety and corporate manslaughter will stay high on the agenda of every fleet manager.
Thames Valley Police take this very seriously. When Ian Godolphin became Head of Transport, five years ago he introduced a strategy to reduce the number and costs of accidents to the force. Since April 2004, Ian heads up a new consortium 'Chiltern Transport Consortium' which includes Bedfordshire Police who will benefit from the strategy following implementation of Tranman systems. Ian explains, “If you include the costs of damage to people, property and the environment, the true cost of accidents can be higher than the total running costs of an average fleet and of course includes the very real threat of being sent to prison”.
Five years on he has reduced the real cost of accidents at TVP despite a 22% increase in fleet size.
One of the key factors in his success is making the best use of technology. TVP use Tranman to collect accident data, “We have over 10,000 driver records on the system, and use it to benchmark performance, manage and print driver permits and analyse costs”. One of the reports Ian produces highlights the average cost of damage by pence per mile and another breaks down the real costs by driver. Using the years of historical data he identifies individuals at most risk and recommends training to prevent a serious accident. Ian explains, “Drivers with a number of minor accidents on their file are more likely to be involved in a serious accident”.
As well as technology, Ian’s success is down to an innovative driver points system. Each driver is issued with a driving permit, which is endorsed with points following an avoidable police vehicle accident, too many points can lead to a ban from driving duties. If a driver accrues 12 points within three years, they will be relieved of driving a police vehicle for six months. However, unlike the current DVLA scheme, these points remain on the drivers permit indefinitely for reference.
Tranman is accessed by the Transport, Training, Roads Policing and other departments and is fundamental to managing the TVP drivers. It holds full driver details, dates of driver training, authorisation levels and full collision and accident histories. The result is a downward trend in accidents despite a substantial growth in fleet size; this has meant the force qualifies for lower insurance premiums as well.
Ian concludes, “Most fleet managers record accidents within their fleet software but not enough link them to the driver and proactively evaluate the risks. The points system is effective in reducing the number of accidents but it is the use of technology to identify those at risk and the ability to ensure adequate training is organised that really reduces the number of accidents and costs.”
George Webb, MD of RAC Software explains, "this is an excellent example of a customer using the software to its full potential, it is not about the amount of data you capture but more about the analysis of the data and the decisions made using it.”
May 2004
Success in new market
RAC celebrates success in a new market with two recently signed contracts from UK Housing Associations for its Servitor housing repairs management system.
Maidenhead & District Housing Association and Havebury Housing Partnership selected Servitor based on its achievements within the Local Authority market place. Current customers include South Lanarkshire Council, Coventry City Council and States of Guernsey.
RAC Software introduces ‘24x7’ support
RAC Software now offers technical support ‘24 hours a day, seven days a week’, in recognition of the mission critical nature of many of the businesses who use its Tranman fleet software.
Tranman is now implemented in 12 countries worldwide. The widespread use of the system by the British Armed Forces and NATO places unique demand for support across a range of time zones.
George Webb, Managing Director of RAC Software explains, “We need to be able to react to requests for assistance at any time. This enables us to meet the high level of support vital to our customers who provide incident management, integrated logistics and leasing services.”
April 2004
Integrated repairs solution to improve response rates
RAC Software is confident its housing repairs management solution will improve the ‘call to fix’ service housing repair organisations offer to tenants.
Servitor enables clients to improve management of the entire repairs process using integrated repair diagnostics software, real-time appointment scheduling and communication with operatives via mobile devices.
Mike Bailey, Director for Servitor explains how, "Servitor provides call centre staff with all the information required to diagnose a repair and agree a convenient appointment between the tenant, the repair organisation and the operative. It reduces the chain of communication.
‘The diary runs in real-time, so always provides up to date information. On receipt of a cancellation the system reshuffles the diary to show new available time".
Call centre staff would use Servitor to; diagnose a tenant’s problem, identify the most suitable skilled resource available, schedule a convenient appointment, despatch the closest resource via an optimum route, fix the problem and follow up with a satisfaction survey. Servitor also manages all financial and operational support services required for a building repair organisation.
Online fleet management
Fleet managers are increasingly looking to the Internet in an effort to create savings across the whole of their fleet operation not just monetary savings but also savings in time, through more efficient working practices. The Internet is now being used as a way of empowering customers and external contractors by giving them controlled access to view and update fleet data. The benefits are obvious with a clear reduction of time fleet departments spend on administrative tasks, paperwork and telephone calls. Giving customers and external contractors access to fleet data can save valuable hours and ultimately the costs associated with this.
George Webb, Managing Director of RAC Software explained, “This is the very latest technology and yet the most powerful, using web based products can effectively be like outsourcing parts of your operation and could reduce costs within a fleet department by 50%. It can take the entire work authorisation process and place it at the costs and responsibility of the maintenance provider. Some of the major UK fleets have departments of up to 40 people just authorising work over the phone so it is easy to see the potential savings”.
E-government initiatives drive public sector fleets online
In reaction to policies surrounding e-government initiatives RAC’s software division has developed a suite of web-based products to provide greater access to fleet information. The development is being driven by a requirement across public sector fleets to enable internal and external clients to directly enquire or update fleet data such as accident details, speedometer readings and cost information.
Police forces are giving the access to internal departments to make vehicle enquiries, check licence details of vehicles on covert operations and analyse costs and accidents by vehicle type. By providing online access to this information, the fleet department saves time by not having to produce as many management reports.
Local Authority fleets are using the web-based products in a different way. Customers are being given direct access to the fleet data to make general vehicle enquiries, to establish the progress of vehicles going through the workshop for servicing or repairs and to book hire vehicles. The potential cost and time savings here are significant but more importantly the customer service will be perceived as higher due to improved operational efficiencies.
March 2004
CV show success
Following on from a record year, RAC Software attracted great interest for its Tranman fleet software at this years CV show.
Tony English, Sales Director said “Fleet Managers were keen to see for themselves how our software can help them meet the new health & safety legislation requirements regarding driver licence checks and training. The CV show is a key event in the Transport calendar; it allows us to see a vast number of customers and prospects in one place”.
Web portals were also high on the agenda for a number of customers who stopped by the stand; the portals enable them to provide secure access for suppliers and external maintenance providers to live fleet data.
Are your drivers licensed to drive?
This may seem like an obvious question and one that all fleet managers would be clear on, as employees drive out of the car park each day in a company owned vehicle. But how many can honestly admit or prove that each company car driver’s licence has recently been checked for endorsements or even disqualifications?
The reality is that checking licences for even medium sized fleets is a laborious and time intensive activity that doesn’t always have priority and yet is one that if ignored could lead to prosecution or even a prison sentence for a company Director if one of its drivers is found responsible for causing a major incident.
For this reason the government’s proposed duty of care legislation should put health and safety risks high on the fleet managers list of priorities for 2004. So, along with ensuring that vehicles are serviced regularly, fleet departments should now make regular licence checks on existing employees not just new ones, check whether drivers have completed any driver training courses and are correctly trained for the class of vehicle they are driving and keep date related records of the results – additional administration for the fleet department.
Recording the data
Help is at hand – to take away the administrative burden it is worth investing in fleet management software. Date reminders or memo facilities can be set against each driver to prompt for regular licence checks. A typical software package should be able to record dates and details of driver training courses attended against each driver record along with the class of vehicle licence, therefore providing an auditable trail.
Lucy Caudle, Marketing Manager of RAC Software said, “These are key features of our fleet software and ones that are used extensively by our customers. Our memo facility is particularly useful as reminders can be set against a driver, a vehicle or even an accident record. The memo contains a free-text field to cover every eventuality, for example licence checks, booking a training course or tyre condition checks.”
February 2004
CV show is launch pad for new IM software
RAC Software Solutions will launch its new Tranman Incident Management software in hall 18 on stand 222 at the Commercial Vehicle show in March, at the NEC in Birmingham. Tranman IM is an office-based solution for managing vehicle breakdown incidents within a call centre environment.
The product is primarily aimed at Manufacturers and service providers who offer an incident or event management service to clients through memberships or entitlement schemes. Tranman IM integrates with email, fax, telephony, CTI and mapping software to identify, validate and locate a caller, despatch the closest resource or arrange for alternative transport and load transfers.
Using its task alert screen call centre staff can monitor the status of tasks related to a job and progress the incident through to completion.
The benefits of the software include: streamlined processes within the call centre operation, reduced call times and increased productivity.
RAC Commercial Vehicle Assistance use Tranman IM to manage its call centre operation in Cheadle Heath, Stockport. Colleagues from the division will be on the stand to demonstrate the advantages of the software in their business.
Tranman system helps ALC win £500m MoD project
The Tranman fleet management system from RAC Software Solutions, the fleet and asset management software division of RAC plc has played a key role in the Amey Lex Consortium (ALC) winning preferred bidder status for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) C Vehicle Capability Private Finance Initiative (PFI) programme.
Tranman was selected by the ALC bidding team three years ago to be the chosen Management Information System (MIS) for the C Vehicle project and will be deployed to in excess of 400 military users on an MoD infrastructure and to over 30 ALC staff. ALC will be investing over £20 million in the IT solution to support the project.
The Tranman application will be used by ALC to manage the contract: to hold the assets, plan the maintenance, authorise the work, charge the customer and monitor key performance indicator’s. The software will be used by the MoD for driver and vehicle tasking, asset location and utilisation and workshop control.
Chris Guthkelch, Bid Director for ALC said, “The Tranman software was one of the differentiators in ALC being awarded preferred bidder status. We selected RAC because of the strength of their company profile, the market leading position of the software and for their understanding of the defence marketplace.”
Commenting on the project, George Webb MD of RAC Software Solutions said, “This project will deliver significant cost savings to the MoD and we are happy to have played our part in what has been a real team effort. This contract will deliver substantial business growth, building on a record year in 2003”. He went on to say; “It is this type of significant transaction which differentiates RAC Software from the smaller players in our market.”
January 2004
Tranman voted best fleet software for 2nd year
The Tranman fleet software from RAC Software Solutions has once again been voted ‘Best Fleet Software’ in the Fleet Excellence awards. The software has won the title for the second year running, voted for by the readers of both Fleet Week and Fleet Management magazines.
On receiving the award George Webb, Managing Director of RAC Software said, “Winning this award for the second year running is a fantastic achievement and one that we are very proud of. This has been a record year for us with significant new contracts in the private sector along with investment in the product by our dedicated customer base.
We believe the reason for our success is that we tick so many boxes for the clients that voted; we have an excellent company profile – the RAC brand stands for reliability and service, we build strong relationships with our customers based on providing modern systems backed up by a client-care program which is second to none.’
2004 will see us advance into new markets with our incident management software for call-centre operations, which has already proven itself at RAC. We will also build on our work with telematics partners and extend our footprint in the hire & lease market.”
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