Telematics Experience Report – Pabst Transport GmbH & Co. KG

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Large fleets, multiple brands, and varied operations—under these conditions, it’s difficult to compare the skills of individual drivers. “A fair driver evaluation is based not only on diesel consumption, but on many other factors, such as the intensity of the route,” explains Alfred Ulbrich, Technical Director at Pabst Transport GmbH & Co. KG in Gochsheim. After all, it makes a big difference whether a vehicle is used for local distribution or long-haul transport. The route’s elevation profile also plays an important role, as do the number of stops, the weight of the load, or the average speed.

Practical tips and tricks

Ulbrich should know: the authorized signatory was a member of a working group that identified all the influencing factors for the most fuel-efficient driving style. Trendfire, together with transport companies and driver trainers, had defined and weighted the relevant parameters. Pabst Transport played a key role in this. “We then tested and fine-tuned the results in practice,” says Ulbrich. Throughout the development process, standard telemetry solutions from various truck manufacturers provided comparative data.

Drivers are naturally very critical of having their driving habits evaluated. With this in mind, they were involved in the telematics project right from the start. The experienced training drivers from Pabst played an indispensable role, as they know the ins and outs of their colleagues’ driving styles from real-world experience. “For example, we had to define exactly how we would evaluate the use of the handbrake,” recalls training driver Alex Rohr. Conventional evaluation systems, he notes, have weaknesses in this regard. From conversations with colleagues at other companies, he knows that drivers often brake “by hand” in their quest for a good ranking. After all, using the footbrake always factors into the overall score. Thus, the targeted use of the handbrake allows drivers to “pad” their own scores. With this in mind, roadlox also evaluates handbrake activity while driving, leaving no room for “cheaters.”

Quick response times

Trendfire has incorporated the insights gained into the telematics system roadlox and linked it with a powerful database. “The result is, in our opinion, the best driver assessment tool for mixed fleets currently available on the market,“ says Pabst Managing Director Jochen Oeckler. The system enables rapid analysis of the large volumes of data from the approximately 250 trucks in Pabst’s own fleet.

The vehicles are primarily from MAN and Volvo and have been fully equipped with telematics units developed in-house by Trendfire and manufactured in Germany. This means that all hardware and software come from a single source, leading to short response times for any questions, problems, or requests. “The collaboration with Trendfire is truly very pleasant and professional—everyone knows exactly what they are doing. Responses or proposed solutions are never long in coming,“ affirms Ulbrich.

Drivers compare themselves

At Pabst, the rankings of all drivers—including their exact point totals and actual fuel consumption figures—can now be accessed at the touch of a button. Drivers can view their position on their tablet in the truck at any time and review the evaluated parameters. This has created a transparent and easy-to-understand assessment that directly highlights potential for improvement. “The driver with the lowest diesel consumption is by no means ranked first,“ states Ulbrich. The best driver is the one “who consumes the least under the given circumstances,“ Oeckler summarizes. For the managing director, it was particularly important that the software also “fairly assesses and makes comparable“ drivers with constantly changing assignments and vehicles.

The meticulous approach to identifying influencing factors has paid off. “All drivers are convinced of the system’s value and eagerly compare their performance,” reports Ulbrich. “During breaks, colleagues ask each other about their current scores and exchange tips for improvement,” the head of technology has observed. The drivers' ambition has developed its own momentum, which is expected to also impact operating expenses in the short term. “We anticipate a cost savings of four percent, though we've calculated this effect rather conservatively,“ explains Ulbrich. After all, the young Pabst fleet is “at a high technical level.".

An online coach as the next step

In addition to lower costs, roadlox offers all the well-known benefits of a telematics solution. These include making dispatchers’ jobs easier through real-time tracking and improved communication with drivers. They now receive their assignments via mobile data directly onto the tablet in the cockpit. Speaking of which, this highlights another key advantage of roadlox. This is because only the “roadlox Driver" telematics app needs to be installed on the driver's mobile device. In addition to displaying the driver rating, it also supports monitoring of driving and rest times or expense reporting, among other things.

Conclusion

After thorough preparation, Trendfire, Pabst Transport, and other clients have developed a fair driver evaluation system for diverse fleets, from which other transportation companies will also benefit in the future. Meanwhile, Pabst is already working on the next steps. “We want drivers to receive concrete tips for even more fuel-efficient driving during their trips with roadlox,“ says Managing Director Oeckler. Such an “online coach“ is already being developed at Trendfire.