PeopleNet announced Wednesday, Sept. 3, that MacKinnon Transport, a customer since 2000, has signed a new three-year agreement for its mobile communications and advanced fleet management systems. MacKinnon, based in Guelph, Ontario, operates a fleet of 250 units in all contiguous U.S. states and Canadian provinces providing flatbed and dry van transportation and other logistic services.
In the process, MacKinnon has upgraded to PeopleNet’s G3 wireless network to enable use of recent technology options. The G3 network provides wide bandwidth for in-cab scanning, among other new applications that involve large amounts of data, including images, audio and video.
Rick Miller, vice president of operations for MacKinnon, says PeopleNet enabled the company to monitor and reduce fleet idling time, leading to an annual savings of more than $200,000 in fuel costs. MacKinnon uses PeopleNet’s PerformX vehicle monitoring application, which also tracks and reports on driver performance; the company shares performance data with drivers. Using PeopleNet’s broadband, MacKinnon also expects to deploy in-cab driver navigation with turn-by-turn directions, Miller says.
In-cab scanning is another technology MacKinnon expects to deploy going forward. According to Miller, PeopleNet In-Cab Scanning could lop four days off the typical billing cycle, which will speed payments and improve cash flow. “When our trucks are spread out across the country, it takes them an average of five days to get the paperwork back to us,” he says. “Our fleet was a beta tester for PeopleNet In-Cab Scanning. We’ve seen it, we’ve used it, and it works.”
PeopleNet offers in-cab scanning, driver navigation and other services through technology partners, all enabled by the power and bandwidth of PeopleNet mobile communications. “We’re very pleased that MacKinnon has chosen to renew with PeopleNet,” says Jamie Williams, president of PeopleNet Canada. “Rick is on our PeopleNet Advisory Council and has helped us develop and test new products.”
