How should fleets deal with a flood of information from their trucks?

Technicians at Penske Truck Leasing diagnose, repair and monitor vehicle performance across a large and diverse fleet. The complexity of their work once required various handheld scan tools, paper manuals and more than 30 separate software programs.

In 2001, Penske teamed up with Nexiq Technologies to reduce the complexity of accessing vehicle repair and service information. The two companies developed a service bay diagnostics platform called Penske Launcher. Technicians now have “one look and feel” to all vehicle diagnostics, software and service information.

When connected to a vehicle through a wireless link, Penske Launcher automatically detects what vehicle system – engine, brakes, etc. – requires work. The application pulls up the specific software program a technician needs to repair the problem.

“With the technology, we are able to get a vehicle in, diagnose and repair it, and get it back on route much quicker than in years gone by with a handheld device and paper manuals,” says Brad Shimell, manager of maintenance support for Penske Truck Leasing.

Keeping diagnostics and other PC-based software programs current used to be a challenge. With a fully networked platform, Penske Launcher is updated automatically through the Internet as Penske’s software suppliers – the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) of engines, transmissions and other components – send updates. A derivative of the Penske Launcher application is available commercially from Nexiq Technologies, says Tom Kotenko, director of sales and marketing for Nexiq.

Today’s vehicles generate a virtual library of information. The latest technologies can provide fleets with unlimited access to information that is affordable and understandable to maximize fleet profitability, even as vehicles continue to grow in complexity.