Vehicle tracking system facilitating Real Time Logistics Management
Third party logistics Companies are under increasing pressure to maintain on time deliveries, reduce inventory levels, reduce ‘in transit shrinkage’ and deliver the right product at the right place and at the right time. And this pressure comes from who else than Retailers who are competing fiercely in the market place to make the product on their shelves always available to avoid the much dreaded ‘stock out’ condition. Further in the cold chain management scenario, maintaining timings are still more crucial as every product has an expiry date like medicines and edible items and once the expiry dates are over due to delays in transportation, there is a huge loss to all participating partners in the value chain in terms of capital investments, credibility and survival in the cut throat environment in which Retailers and all the the value chain partners are operating.
. After the advent of E-Commerce, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of internet for retail business transactions and so has the pressure on third party logistics gone up to supply the products in rapid time to customers. The customer places an order over the internet and wants the products delivered at his doorstep. Any variability or inconsistency in being able to deliver on time can not only irreparably damage the retailer brand equity, but also often can result in cancellations.
Well, the technology has a solution to all these problems. A real time Logistics information system based on four technologies viz , GPS, GPRS, RFID and internet makes the life simpler to logistics companies providing an end to end tracking of all the assets being moved from manufacturers to warehouses/distribution centers to retailers.
How it is achieved?
1. Assets are tagged with the help of RFID (Radio frequency identification) tags. An on line inventory for the assets within the truck can be taken with help of a sensor and RFID transceiver mounted inside the truck. The trigger to RFID transceiver and the sensor to scan the RFID tags is provided by opening and closure of the gate of the container/vehicle. An inventory created upon door closure at each delivery location of the vehicle is compared to the last prior inventory, and differences identified by the comparison are matched against a list of cargo units scheduled for removal at that delivery location. Any mismatch identifies cargo units incorrectly handled at that delivery location in time for corrections to be made. This information can be sent to central control center over a GSM or GPRS wireless network. After acquiring the valuable data by the control center, commands can be transmitted through the same route through which data was acquired. The commands could be to raise or lower the temperature inside the reefer containers, trigger alarms, stop engines, change directions or send personal messages.
2. The asset tracking is done through GPS (Global positioning system) devices mounted in the mobile van. The GPS enabled Track transceiver collects critical data such as location, speed and vehicle and driver information. in terms of longitude and latitude with help of the signals received from the GPS satellites and such information collected is sent to central computer system through the GPRS (general packet Radio Service ) with the help of medium provided by mobile communication towers in a wireless manner.
3. By combining GPS information with advanced software applications , managers and dispatchers can see current locations and routes of mobile resources on an online map, find out when a vehicle travels across a defined perimeter ,view reports on activities such as number of stops, time at each stop, speed, idling time, routes traveled, miles traveled and trailer door open or close.
4. The movements of these vehicles can be tracked on a Google Map on a laptop/PDA or a mobile phone with help of the web interface based on the location information thus collected in terms of Latitudes and Longitudes measured and transmitted through GPRS as explained above. 2.Advantage of the web interface is that such tracking can be supervised from any location wherever internet service is available. The customer can, at any time, login through internet, using her order number and view the status of vehicle during transit on the Google map with its expected time of delivery.
5. A combination of onboard alarms, sensors, wireless monitoring and tracking offers the best available means to respond to cargo theft and security threats while also providing asset management capabilities.
6. If you’re in the business of transporting high value or high risk cargo, knowing the location of every bag, package, box or pallet is an important business driver, reducing the number of lost or misplaced packages. This improves better inventory control supporting just-in-time deliveries and ultimately, better customer service.
7. Access to mission critical data quickly and wirelessly may mean the difference between profit and loss for your company. Such solutions open a new world of fleet management that gives the transporter companies the tools to monitor the status and whereabouts of trucks, delivery vans, heavy equipment, leased vehicles and marine vessels. You get a solution that offers a robust communications and position-tracking platform that supports a more productive fleet – whether it’s to improve billable miles or tractor to trailer ratios.
Types of vehicle tracking Devices
Several types of Vehicle Tracking devices exist. Typically they are classified as "Passive" and "Active".
"Passive" devices store GPS location, speed, heading and sometimes a trigger event such as key on/off, door open/closed. Once the vehicle returns to a predetermined point, the device is removed and the data downloaded to a computer for evaluation. Passive systems include auto download type that transfer data via wireless download.
"Active" devices also collect the same information but usually transmit the data in real-time via cellular or satellite networks to a computer or data center for evaluation sa explained above and in the diagrams.
Business benefits of Vehicle tracking system
· Increased fleet productivity due to enhanced visibility in the supply process | |
· Details like speed of the vehicle, no. of stops, route taken etc. aid in better employee management and more focused shrinkage management | |
· Hands-on information on position and status of deliveries assist in better fleet management | |
· Waste elimination | |
· Reduced return trips as customer can schedule with the help of exact time of delivery made available to him | |
· The additional facility made available to the customer increases his confidence with the retailer and therefore opens doors to further business thus improving customer metrics by providing your customer with accurate status and location updates. · Reward drivers who keep idling and out of route miles to a minimum · Minimize losses due to theft or spoilage with onboard sensors that notify you immediately when your assets may become compromised. · Optimize asset use through visibility and control supported by real-time position mapping of mobile assets. · Remotely manage temperature Conclusion Such real time logistics management system provide logistics manager with complete transparency into their assets and operations, improving fleet performance and reducing costs, On demand access to time- and location-sensitive data, minimizes delays, protects assets and enhances customer service. Further they provide critical security and location information with monitoring, control and reporting capability. Solutions have the capability offering the powerful combination of onboard deterrence and immobilization in addition to instant notification and location monitoring. It effectively reduces risk while also allowing fleet managers to more efficiently operate their fleets..In order to succeed in today's global marketplace, companies must be aware of these trends and develop a logistics management strategy that capitalizes on the best-of-breed technology solutions. Only then, can they meet customer’s demands and be well prepared for the future. Written By Professor Akhil Chandra Institute Of Logistics and Aviation Management |
