FleetBoard keeps all eyes on UpTime

FleetBoard, the renowned proprietary telematics system from Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA), has set new benchmarks in the original equipment manufacturer telematics market. The system now sports a critical new component, aptly called UpTime.

MBSA’s Polokwane commercial vehicle outlet, Mercurius Motors, was one of the first dealerships to implement FleetBoard UpTime monitoring. The system enables constant communication with MBSA through the on-board control module, which records all fault codes occurring on the vehicle. These codes are transmitted to a server known as the Telediagnosis Viewer.

“When a particular vehicle is due for a service, FleetBoard UpTime informs us to schedule a session with our workshop and then call the customer. We have even made calls to operators to let them know that a specific truck within their fleet was low on oil, or needed to have its brakes replaced – all from the data on the screen. Basically, UpTime allows us to carry out proactive monitoring,” notes Japie Brits, dealer principal, Mercurius Motors.

Andre Bradbury from Dynamic Transport, a Polokwane-based company, says: “FleetBoard encourages our drivers to use a proactive and more economical driving style, which results in reduced wear and tear on our vehicles. This means we can reduce the number of times our trucks go into the workshop, due to breakdowns, as the drivers are handling them better.”

He adds: “We have noticed improved wear and tear on various parts and are happy that we can remotely monitor our drivers’ patterns. We can then advise those who need guidance and reward those who excel at efficient driving techniques.”

“We had one of our trucks hijacked recently. The culprits removed the tracker thinking they had got away with the vehicle. Thanks to FleetBoard, we were still able to trace and recover the vehicle,” exclaims Bradbury.

“Maximising vehicle uptime will always remain one of the most important aspects of running a commercial vehicle fleet. With UpTime, FleetBoard’s after-sales support team is given total visibility of customers’ vehicles. This enables them to offer comprehensive round-the-clock support to keep these fleets moving,” explains Rowlands Peters, manager of FleetBoard South Africa.

“What gives FleetBoard’s UpTime an added advantage over other telematics offerings out there is that we have remote access to fault codes. This means we can order the required parts for repair early. In short, FleetBoard UpTime is the perfect answer for those struggling with downtime,” concludes Peters.