• A trend toward outsourcing of maintenance based on the technician shortage and everincreasing complexity of assets. • More and more data requirements around faster and better decision-making, as well as the continual push to do more with less. Vehicle connectivity aff ords fl eets the opportunities to enhance driver safety, improve uptime and reduce maintenance-associated costs by giving them more data and insight into their vehicles than ever before. As time passes, more and more vehicles will become connected in some form or fashion. However, says Panasonic’s Lewis, for this level of integration to function as effi - ciently as possible, the data gathered could be made available to the entire transportation and logistics value chain, improving the overall performance of the industry. “To maximize the value of this data, development of industry-specifi c analytics tools will be required,” he adds. Paul Menig, CEO, Tech- I-M, a provider of consulting services to help companies succeed by leveraging technology in products and processes (www.tech-i-m. com), says he expects the industry to evolve in a similar way to when electronic engines were introduced in the mid-1990s and there was too much data for the industry to process. “Th e engineers and designers learned that they need to cut down on the number of fault codes, and they need to do some fi ltering and testing of the reasonableness of the values,” says Menig. “People’s comfort level with the technology will improve over time. It’ll be an evolution. Th ere will be some issues, but we’ll get used to it.” Riemer agrees, saying that, as more systems and technologies become connected, fl eets will become more adept at making informed decisions on maintenance and repair events. “Th e more you know about the driver, hours of service, issues at hand and all the other information about the asset, a more informed and coordinated process between maintenance and operation will transpire,” he continues. “Th is will allow maintenance to become a more strategic and valued part of the fl eet management hierarchy.” ANYTIME, ANYWHERE We have you covered in the middle of nowhere A roadside emergency sets your fl eet back in time and money. The last place you want your drivers to spend downtime because of a tire failure or mechanical issue is stranded on the side of the road. With one simple call to 1-800-OKLOVES you get reliable and hassle-free roadside service. LOWERING YOUR 1-800-OK-LOVES | loves.com/trucktirecare We do some of our best work in the middle of nowhere by providing your fl eet 24-hour roadside service. Additionally, we now off er Great Dane AdvantEDGE trailer services nationwide. Speak with a Love’s Fleet Solutions expert today about lowering your cost per mile. DOWNLOAD OUR APP VehicleServicePros.com/10710487 DATA SECURITY is a key concern that should not be overlooked. Cover Story |
FleetMaintenance_June_2016
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