Omnitracs, a provider of fleet management systems to transportation and logistics companies, announced the upcoming availability of MPG performance information on the its Mobile Computing Platform 110 (MCP110) and 200 (MCP200) user interface. With this enhancement, MPG performance feedback will be delivered directly to the driver via the in-cab unit.
“Fuel consumption is a top expense for fleets. With this in mind, we worked to improve our existing platform and bring valuable MPG performance information to drivers in real-time,” said Vikas Jain, vice president of product management and general manager of software as a service at Omnitracs. “By empowering drivers with access to the right information at the right time, they will be able to make positive performance changes and see the resulting impact on their MPG performance in real-time, ultimately contributing to fleet-wide fuel savings.”
The real-time MPG performance monitoring update will be available this summer for MCP110 and MCP200 at no additional charge to fleets subscribing to Omnitracs’ Performance Monitoring application.
Omnitracs also announced the addition of new tire condition alerts, high heat and fast leak, to its Tire Pressure Monitoring application. Extending the current value Tire Pressure Monitoring brings, heat and fast leak alerts will offer customers a more comprehensive look at tire health maintenance.
Data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration shows that more than half of all truck tires are under-inflated, which serves to drive up tire maintenance costs by as much as 10 to 15 percent. With adequately maintained tire pressure, fleets can save up to $2,200 per truck per year, not accounting for savings achieved in improved fuel efficiency and safety.
The high heat alert notifies drivers when a truck’s tires have surpassed safe tire temperatures and have reached an excessive heat range and the fast leak alert informs drivers if tire pressure drops, indicating a detected leak.
The new alerts will be available in the summer of 2014 at no additional charge to customers subscribing to its Tire Pressure Monitoring application.
In another announcement, Omnitracs said that Pilgrim’s Pride will deploy its Mobile Computing Platforms across its entire fleet of 800 trucks by mid-May. Pilgrim’s Pride selected Omnitracs’ MCP50 and satellite-enabled platform to cost-effectively help improve regulatory compliance, overall operational efficiency, and communication with drivers, many of whom travel on rural routes with limited connectivity.
“By adopting a combination of Omnitracs MCP50 and satellite-enabled units, we can now ensure seamless information exchange between our drivers and dispatchers, which is essential to a smooth and efficient delivery process and, ultimately, better customer satisfaction,” said Jim Bliss, IT business analyst at Pilgrim’s Pride.
The announcements were made during the At the National Private Truck Council’s 2014 Education Management Conference, during which five additional Omnitracs employees were awarded with the NPTC’s Certified Transportation Professional (CTP) designation for enhancing their industry knowledge related to operations, fleet finance, fleet equipment maintenance and management, safety and human resources.
“CTPs are raising industry standards and increasing the respect and prestige of the transportation profession,” said Monica Wyly, director of product management at Omnitracs. “Omnitracs’ growing pool of CTPs reinforces our continued commitment to advance systems and practices to better meet the unique needs and objectives of our private fleet customers.”
