Ctrack sees trucks to the sea shore

The Ctrack-fitted Truck Test 2012 fleet parked at Dube Trade Port next to King Shaka International Airport, where they took part in a parade – one of the test’s highlights for Eugene van Niekerk, senior business consultant at Ctrack.

The nationally and internationally record-setting Truck Test 2012 may have passed, but the value it added to the industry remains. JACO DE KLERK takes a look at the contribution Ctrack Fleet Management made toward the success of the event.


According to Hein Jordt, MD of Ctrack Fleet Management South Africa, a division of DigiCore Holdings, the company wanted to be involved with Truck Test 2012 because it believed the event could be an excellent opportunity to establish benchmarks for the industry and for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). “Especially with regards to fuel consumption and the performance of different vehicle and trailer configurations,” he says.

Ctrack has been actively providing vehicle monitoring and management solutions to the transport industry for 27 years. “Technology has advanced rapidly over the past few years, both in the telematics industry and in the vehicle manufacturing environment,” says Jordt. “We therefore wanted to reiterate – to vehicle manufacturers and the industry – that our latest telematics technology is capable of interfacing with their vehicles while delivering accurate monitoring and management information.”

Truck Test 2012 allowed exactly this, providing the company with a chance to explore the interface capabilities of various vehicle manufacturers. “This event offered Ctrack an opportunity to strengthen its existing relationships with vehicle manufacturers,” says Jordt, “but it was also an opportunity for us to establish new relationships and get first-hand exposure to new vehicle models.”

He adds that the system performed as expected during the event, satisfying the company’s expectations. “We were also able to make our latest mobile monitoring application, Ctrack Mobi2, available for the event,” says Jordt.

Mobi2 enabled the organisers to follow the progress of all participants on Google Maps using Apple iPads provided by Ctrack for the event.

“This aided the decision-making process, because movement and positions were visible in real time,” says Jordt. “In one instance, a vehicle skipped a designated stop, but with the tablet application organisers were able to easily locate and monitor the vehicle’s progress.”

The test again proved the accuracy of Ctrack’s technology with an average distance variance of 0,16 percent and an average fuel-used variance of 0,27 percent for the overall results. “Truck Test 2012 also proved the relationship and influence that driver behaviour has on fuel consumption and driving time, which directly affects productivity,” notes Jordt. “We also believe that significant information was obtained regarding the vehicle and trailer combinations in terms of fuel consumption and productivity.”

He says that, as with any operation, the company did experience a few operational challenges, but these were effectively resolved through open communication between suppliers and manufacturers. “We experienced wonderful camaraderie between all parties involved,” says Jordt.

“We believe the results from an event such as Truck Test 2012 are very relevant to the industry and can provide interesting facts and results,” he adds. Ctrack has already stated that it would like to be a part of the next test and will strive to provide relevant information from a vehicle monitoring and management perspective.

Jordt says the number one highlight was providing the technology that allowed remote monitoring and management of these vehicles. “Ctrack was working behind the scenes to monitor the progress of the vehicles on both the down run and the return leg,” he says. “Providing solutions that improve monitoring and management of vehicles, and thereby help the decision-making process, was our favourite part of the event.”

In conclusion, Jordt says Ctrack believes Truck Test 2012 was well organised and a resounding success. “As always, some lessons have been learned – and will make future events even better and provide even more relevant results.”

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Focus on Transport

FOCUS on Transport and Logistics is the oldest and most respected transport and logistics publication in southern Africa.
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