Author: jmurphy@aampglobal.com

Our aim at M2M is to be transparent and efficient when it comes to everything we do.  We strive to educate all our customers and future customers’ in a  beneficial way to manage and track their drivers and trucks.

In this article, Marc Lonson the co-founder of M2M in Motion will talk about the under-utilized tool in fleet called Telematics System.

There have been reports proving that most are still not utilizing all the benefits of these systems.  The report (by Telematics Benchmark Report: U.S. Edition), had surveyed over 2,000 professionals in the industry and discovered that full use of these devices have decreased from the previous years.  Many are using it specifically for several tracking options like harsh braking, speed monitoring, maintenance, etc.

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IN the Telematics Benchmark Report, a few other trends were found, for instance, there were results of 64% using telematics solutions to comply with the ELD law and 28% not seeing any advantages to this technology. This means that more than half of truck drivers are not being efficient in their costs and wasting time and resources that could be saved through the vast benefits these devices provide.   [/lgc_column]

After reading all these above results we realized the need to help educate on the benefits these systems can provide. For instance, some examples are 43% saying telematics solutions have resulted in reduced fuel costs and 3% reporting savings up to 30%! more benefits are drivers and companies saving on paper and incorrect logging, which 31% of respondents said they were still using paper logs. A few other ways is improving driver retention (52% believe this), 28% see a lower risk of compliance violations because of ELD’s, 20% saw the elimination of manual processes as their biggest benefit, etc.

Fleets see benefits as well, especially when it’s related to their vehicle tracking, which the report shows that 46% found telematics to be beneficial. 32% found more efficient routing and dispatching benefits, 32% also said it meets their compliance, while 28% saw the improvement of their driver’s performance, 77% using it for vehicle or equipment tracking and find it extremely organizing for the driver. There are many more areas that these systems provide, which we will list below, but one outstanding report was noticing that 43% of transportation companies using telematics admitted to not using it to evaluate their driver’s behavior even though the system can provide it for them and help the drivers be rewarded for their driving performance.

The trucking industry is one of many that have taken advantage of the quality of life that technology has provided.  From fuel-efficient computerized engines to digitalized monitors installed in the truck to make the driver aware of any interior issue, which is no surprise that the industry began implementing onboard video recording devices.

Video recording devices have been a phenomenon across the world in all types of industries. You will see a camera in almost every corner through public building or homeowner security, cars automatically have them installed for safety precaution, many traffic light intersections are using them to help the police department monitor accidents or wrong turns, etc.

Years ago, video recording wasn’t even thought of in vehicles but now, trucking businesses are required to have them installed. Since many are struggling to understand the benefits of having them in their trucks,

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Sean Meister the co-founder of M2M in Motion would like to explain the many benefits these devices can have in their business. Since the government has made it a safety requirement, the increase of creating such a device has grown and many suppliers that carry an electronic logging device are also carrying these video recording systems. [/lgc_column]

Companies are not only installing them in the front but also around the truck to track incidents from all directions. The increase of visibility can assist the company in protecting their drivers, their merchandise and also to gather any other information that is required. Not all companies or truck drivers are taking advantage of the benefits of having these video cameras. Some will only install in the front of the truck while others will install all around, depending on the necessity.  The cameras can capture if the driver is fatigued, distracted, unsafe behavior, if someone else was at fault during accidents, help train a driver better, and other business saving benefits.

There have been many false cases of accidents caused by other drivers, but there was no way to prove it. This is why many police and government-related industries have demanded cameras to be installed on their vehicles to prevent false accusations, the same has been provided for the trucking industry and many are beginning to see the necessity of these devices and incorporating into their business.

As mentioned before,  having a video recording device can not only prevent false accusations during accidents but give the trucker a deeper insight into their business and revealing opportunities missed to improve and save in the business overall.

Here at M2M Motion, we thrive in helping all our customers in providing detail information on fleet management solutions.

It’s becoming increasingly popular for trucking companies to install cameras in the vehicles. Why, exactly? In-cab cameras can improve the driving experience, protect driver safety, regarding fallacy and potential lawsuits, and boost the efficiency of communication, between both driver and dispatcher.

Beyond these benefits of in-cab cameras, installation can also lower insurance costs, which is a major bonus for trucking companies. Check out the article in the link for further proof. As many drivers are inexperienced, accidents are pretty common, leading to a sense of distrust amongst insurers who are on the hook for pricy settlements. So, premiums have increased, and in some cases, insurance companies simply refuse to offer coverage.

Yet—installing cameras in fleets will give the company more credibility and insurance companies more faith. These video cameras are often used in court, as they can highlight the moments before an accident hits—making a driver’s case stronger and accurate. What’s more, as drivers are being filmed, they’re more vigilant with driving skills and are less apt to make phone calls, take photos, text, or engage on any apps when driving.

Here are a few cost-saving technologies to choose from.

Forward-Facing Camera (non-connected)

In simplest terms, you’ll just need a single, forward-facing camera to record what’s ahead of you (the most budget-friendly). Being the most basic, they’ll offer better coverage and reassurance, but you won’t be able to record from different angles or collect any real-time data.  These simple, non-connected cameras are limited and can be unreliable depending on the manufacturer. Also, these simple cameras require the user to manually pull the SD card to view the camera footage. This presents challenges in the field when real-time accident footage is required.

Multiple Cameras (non-connected or event-based)

If you’re interested in seeing from several different angles, and willing to shell out the extra cash, you can tact on more cameras throughout the vehicle. This will offer extra protection, as you can record video from all sides.

Whether you want a dual-camera, where you’ll see from forward-facing and rear-facing, or you’d like to add up to 5 cameras, the technology will add functionality and cost. These systems are a step up from single cameras and allow for more than 1 viewing angle. A downside though is that they require a manual pull of the SD card to retrieve footage or rely on the manufacturer to detect an event. Event-based systems are limited to events only, and do not allow for access to historical footage and will not help customers retrieve footage to monitor driver safety & compliance, end-customer disputes, roadside inspections, etc.

Onboard 3G Camera Telematics

If you want all the gizmos, and to possibly eliminate an existing GPS tracking solution, you might choose a more luxury style of logging, with a video data event recorder camera solution. With these systems, you’ll find built-in GPS, so you can watch your vehicle move along a Google map in real time and track your distance with GPS telematics functionality all built into one solution/vendor. A vehicle can have up to 5 cameras connected through a web-based platform to allow for live streaming, on-demand historical footage, and proactive event generation. These systems combine in-cab camera functionality with GPS telematics. There are differences in systems out there so make sure to do your homework. The reliable, higher quality solutions allow for companies and users to access footage real-time as events are happening in the field.

Depending on the vendor, customers are able to access live video streaming, which you can select your level of quality and number of cameras, which will dictate the cost. What’s more, you can access searchable on-demand storage, so you can play back your video recordings whenever you like (in the case of an insurance claim, a customer dispute, workman’s comp claim, law enforcement stop, road rage incident, or just for fun!).

Nowadays, providers offer $0 down lease programs that eliminate the need for any capital up front to realize the positive bottom line impact. In today’s world of technology and safety equipment, there is no better bang for the buck, than some form of Camera Solution in your fleet vehicles…

For more information on In-Cab Camera Systems and Fleet Management solutions, contact us here.

Posted in Joilet Patch on June 30, 2017.

Mayor Bob O’Dekirk touted several recent and ongoing business developments across Joliet as part of his mid-year report.

By John Ferak (Patch Staff) – Updated June 30, 2017 7:00 am ET

JOLIET, IL – Mayor Bob O’Dekirk wants people to realize that Joliet remains front and center for a number of technology companies looking to move. These jobs enhance the city’s image and are a huge boost for Joliet’s growing tax base. Dekirk touched on a number of noteworthy economic development projects during his mid-year report. The mayor gave his update on Wednesday in front of the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry, an event held at Joliet’s Country Club.

Here’s a rundown of five pivotal projects around Joliet, developments at the heart of the mayor’s message:

1. M2M in Motion, a company in Schaumburg, recently moved its corporate offices to Joliet. The company’s move brings 50 computer programming and code-writing jobs to Joliet’s Route 53, just north of Laraway Road. “Again, that’s a goal that the (City) Council has talked about, actively recruiting corporate offices, getting that level of jobs into Joliet,” O’Dekirk said. “This is another success story …”

2. CTDI, a cable-communications company with 95 locations world-wide, has opened a 500,000 square-foot-facility in Joliet’s CenterPoint. CTDI opened about a month ago, starting with 120 employees. The company tests, repairs and refurbishes electronics equipment. Joliet’s site will serve a five-state region, and CTDI plans to grow its Joliet work force to an estimated 600 employees later this fall.

3. Houbolt Road Bridge. The estimated$175 million bridge project will extend Houbolt Road from U.S. 6 to Schweitzer Road with the creation of a new toll bridge over the Des Plaines River. The new four-lane span is aimed at alleviating heavy truck congestion around the CenterPoint transportation hub. The bridge is currently in the design phase.

4. Rock Run Crossings. A 265-acre development east of I-55, north of I-80, that marks one of the largest destination-entertainment-shopping ventures being proposed near Chicago. Recently, Joliet approved a cost-share agreement to fund the first phase of engineering work. Cullinan Properties is the investment firm involved with Rock Run Crossings. The project calls for creating a full-blown north-south interchange at I-55 near Route 59. In all likelihood, it will take another two to three years before this mega development comes to fruition.

5. Certified Warehouse Foods.

In March, Certified announced it was closing its two grocery stores on Joliet’s east side. One operated on East Jackson Street. The other was on Richards Street. O’Dekirk said that he, interim City Manager Marty Shanahan and Economic Development Director Steve Jones are optimistic that the two buildings won’t stay vacant. “I can tell you myself, Steve Jones and Marty Shanahan are having active discussions with Caton Commercial about the two vacant Certified grocery stores, and we are hoping that in the next month or so that an announcement will be made regarding those,” O’Dekirk said.

Watch O’Dekirk’s address here:

Image via City of Joliet

 

As a result of the ELD Mandate, which will go into effect December 2017, trucking companies will have to comply with ELD solutions and any necessary installations. But here’s the good news: There are several benefits of ELD solutions—so, you’ll likely find your company’s efficiency and drivers’ performance to improve over time.

And even better news? It’s safe to say that any roadblocks that could’ve posed legal challenges to the ELD Mandate are gone. So, the next step is to determine complexity, need, and budget.

According to a study, ELD costs estimate to $495/yearly, or rather $41.25/month/truck, and ELD vendors cost between $165-832/year. So, it’s safe to say there’s quite a variety. Here’s how to pick which type of solution is right for you—there are two set categories to choose from.

FMCSA Rule Compliant ELD

This gadget has no bells and whistles, but it gets the job done. Starting at the lowest price point—fit for a driver on a tight budget—it comes to about $18/month. What’s more, there’s often no up-front fee. And, as it’s super easy to use, it’ll make training and practice a breeze.

It also offers a single, web-based platform, keeping all your ELD management needs contained in one solution. It mainly conforms to a BYOD model, which means you can bring your own device, but be certain that the states in which you drive in will accept a personal device at a Roadside Inspection. Most ELD vendors would recommend a tablet to separate voice and data communications.

From the mobile app service, you’ll directly receive automated duty status changes and visual drive time data, including changes in breaks, shifts, and cycles, all broken down into color-coding blocks. And, you can revisit your logging reports, for the current day and 7 previous days, to effectively observe progress and improve driving skills.

This type of basic model is most appropriate for a single driver, as opposed to a larger fleeting company, and someone on a budget. An owner/operator for a truck, like a 1099 driver, doesn’t necessarily need all the other services that come with more intricate ELD solutions, as shown below.

ELD With Fleet Management & Tracking

FMCSA rule compliant and providing the same basic services as explained above, but with more functionality—this ELD solution lets you track miles and hours through a Fleet Management System. Starting at about $39, this ELD solution is better suited for a Carrier that has both Company Drivers, OO’s and IO’s with a focus on Safety, Management, and an overall want to progress.

As the number of drivers and load

dispatches increase, the more challenging it is to make sure the process is smooth and communicated well. By providing better logging skills and visual tracking devices, drivers can hone their skills and feel more in control of their routes.

What’s more, with the help of DVIR (driver vehicle inspection reports) and driver-messaging features, trucking companies can stay up to date on driver performance and safety standards—overall, increasing the company’s ROI. So, shelling out some additional cash can really go a long way for Carriers with larger fleets.

For more information on ELD solutions, onboard camera solutions and tracking, contact us here.

Come December 18^th, 2017, as a result of the ELD mandate, all commercial motor carriers and truck drivers will be required to implement a certified ELD that meets the FMCSA requirements. So, what does that mean, exactly

ELDs are electronic logging devices that record drivers’ Record of Duty Status (RODS) in relation to their Hours Of Service (HOS). For fleets unequipped with such devices, they’ll have until December to put them into action, while fleets that have already adopted an AOBR platform will have until December 2019 to make sure they’re up to the published ELD mandate’s standards and specifications.

Here are some things you might expect, as a result of such actions.

It’ll Take Time To Get It Right

Adapting to a new electronic logging system (say goodbye to tedious, inefficient paper logs) can take time and effort, as it’s important to make sure you’re finding a system that’s a good fit for your fleet. Doing some research to find an expert provider of ELD services will pay off in the long-run, as you’ll be better equipped to train employees on how to use a simple and accessible system and guarantee a streamlined transition.

Take the time to inquire about products and vendor capabilities to ensure you’re in good hands. Working with a vendor who understands the operations and the different devices to choose from will help you select the right provider and ELD products for your particular fleet. For instance, does it matter if the system is Android, iOS, or Microsoft? Are other software components necessary, in addition to telematics? Do temperature, vibration, shock, water, and other modalities factor in? These are just a few points to consider.

It Boosts Efficiency

Who wouldn’t want that, right? One of the many benefits of the ELD mandate is that it’ll make the drivers’ lives easier, so they can focus on one task at hand: Driving (not logging). As implementation of the mandate immediately cuts down on paperwork and time spent logging, it lets drivers and dispatchers work on communicating better with one another and staying on top of whereabouts, in an effort to stay more organized when on the road.

It Prevents Ambiguity Of Unassigned Mileage

Let’s say a technician needs to borrow a truck for a road test, or some piece of equipment needs to be moved around the lot—that added mileage will now be accounted for, thanks to ELD services.

As a result of the ELD mandate, exempt drivers can track their mileage within separate categories, so the subsequent driver and the folks in the back office won’t be confused as to who is responsible for those additional hours. Depending on how many conditions this applies to, you might want to include two-to-four differing, exempt categories.

It Gives Drivers More Flexibility & Control

A huge change from the new ELD guidelines is that drivers will gain more flexibility and control over their logging hours and edits, thereby preventing any potential for driver harassment.

Here’s how it works: Drivers can edit their logs, meaning they can either reject or accept an admin’s insertion. Until the driver responds, the logging edit will remain pending, meaning fleeting companies can no longer interfere with the accuracy of their drivers’ logging reports. Letting drivers be responsible for their own logging reports puts the power back in the right hands.

There Are Smartphone & Tablet Based System Opportunities

For a lower-cost plan, many ELD providers allow the option to connect a tablet or smartphone device, as supplied by the driver. The mobile device will work in tandem with a “black box” device to wirelessly sync information from the truck’s electronic control module.

By using these mobile devices (which are simple to use), it provides greater flexibility for the driver and can help increase system efficiency through camera features. However, there is a drawback to be wary of: if the phone’s battery dies or the device gets lost or damaged, it could cause logging complications. So, perhaps an in-cab camera and computer system would be more durable and reliable.

For more information on ELD’s and Fleet Management solutions, contact us here.

We were fortunate enough to be a part of hni’s open forum on Building Your ELD Strategy this week. Over 70 transportation owners, safety directors, and risk managers attended. With the ELD mandate by the FMCSA becoming law, it is a stressful time for most transportation companies that have not moved forward with an ELD strategy. With so many options and a bunch of misinformation out there, it doesn’t make this process any easier for companies to decide which ELD provider to choose. The theme that resonated with the audience was 1) working with an open-architecture platform that allows flexibility and growth & 2) collaborating with your solution provider. Instead of fearing the transition to electronic logging devices, this presents an opportunity to embrace technology and drive better business decisions throughout your company. Most transportation companies use multiple platforms & systems to manage their fleet, from their back end system, to GPS tracking, to Report Analytics, to IFTA reporting, and more. The decision on ELD should be embraced as an opportunity to CONSOLIDATE to a single-platform. By choosing an open-architecture platform, this allows the opportunity to have ONE portal, ONE sign-on, to manage all of this functionality for your company.

Our Company, M2M In Motion, is a Single-Source Provider for Fleets and the Transportation Industry. We have a cloud-based, open architecture platform to help your business manage GPS Track & Trace, Driver Behavior Scorecards, ELD, Onboard Video, Route Optimization, IFTA, Customized Integrations, and more. We are a local, stable provider with more than 10,000 connected devices on the road. But most importantly, our organization is founded by people that WORK in the transportation industry. We know this is a big decision for you and your company, but the bigger decision is choosing the right partner. Give us the opportunity and we won’t let you down…

We want to thank John at hni again for allowing us to be a part of the ELD forum and speak with his customers. We look forward to many more forums like this. And I encourage everyone that reads this to reach out to us with your questions – whether you work with us or not, we are here to help.

In the age of technology one thing is certain, data is constantly being collected. As we move forward in business, the companies that will consistently have a leg up on their competition are the ones that are putting that data to good use. Knowledge is power; anyone can make a business decision, but is that decision made based on facts? Often times you will hear people say “perception is reality,” and that is philosophically true. Although, this is not always the case when you are trying to determine an important decision that impacts your company’s operation.

For example, running a transportation company has many variables: assets, fuel, dispatch, drivers, maintenance, customer satisfaction, etc..you get the point. On the outside, everything might appear to be running smoothly. Drivers are on time, fuel costs are down, and your customers are happy. My question is, why stop there? This won’t always be the case, and since we live in a constant flow of information, solving issues proactively should be the standard. With the data that is at our fingertips, being a reactive company will only lose you business.

M2M In Motion is an asset tracking platform that provides every piece of data a company needs to make informed business decisions. The key piece to this solution that separates itself is the word “platform.” By creating a platform, we have allowed our customers to dictate the features and information they need through customization, without the high software development prices. Too often products are made available to us that don’t have everything we need, so we are forced to mix and match until we patch together a functional system. M2M In Motion has eliminated that issue and is ready for you, the consumer to let us prove it.

The “In Motion” Difference

M2M In Motion differentiates itself from the competition by listening to the industry experts and applying that knowledge into a scalable platform that can grow with your organization. We understand that each organization’s operational environment is unique to their business. This is the very reason why we have built an Asset Tracking platform with the functionality relevant to all industries and encourage customization based on specific needs. We have found that the competition gives you too many bells & whistles, most of which are not relevant to your operation. At the same time, customization and backend integration is sometimes difficult to achieve.

WE ARE CHANGING THE CONVERSATION…