Con-way Freight takes a proactive approach to keep its fleet on the road and generating revenue
“Many fleets today are facing technician shortages, a challenge that is compounded by the need for staff that is trained to maintain and repair more complex vehicle systems,” says Deryk Powell, president of Velociti (www.velociti.com), a global provider of technology deployment services, specializing in the installation and service of a broad range of transportation and networking technology products.
“While fleet maintenance departments concentrate on the service and repair needs of vehicles, there are also a growing number of aftermarket technologies being deployed by trucking operations, including onboard communications, telematics, tracking, fuel saving and safety systems.”
PROVIDED EXPERTISE
Using an experienced aftermarket transportation technology installation, implementation, management and maintenance services provider means company technicians can focus on keeping today’s equipment operating properly.
By way of example, Velociti’s post installation support service provides that expertise, says Powell. As an extension of a fleet's maintenance department, it makes experts available to troubleshoot and resolve technology system issues remotely and on site.
Included are maintaining an inventory of replacement components, staging and configuring components and managing integrations with enterprise systems.
“While aftermarket technology system installation and support may seem simple, and a fleet’s technicians may have the skills to do the work effectively, managing the project can be time consuming,” he notes. “That has a major effect on the financial results of the investment because the time needed to resolve issues adds up to missed opportunities to realize savings and improve shop productivity.”
DEPLOYMENT SOLUTION
A case in point is Con-way Freight (www.con-way.com/en/freight), which offers less-than-truckload freight transportation across North America. When Con-way Freight decided to add in-cab solutions to improve safety, driver performance and efficiency, it also identified the need to implement the aftermarket technologies as rapidly as possible to maximize operational benefits and minimize any potential disruption to its daily fleet operations.
Con-way Freight turned to Velociti to provide a deployment solution that included project and inventory management, staging and configuration, installation, testing and verification and post installation support services, says Tom Clark, senior vice president of operations for Con-way Freight. The project, involving about 8,600 tractors, was completed in four months.
Today, Velociti provides Con-way Freight with support for any technical issues, and works with the carrier and the technology providers to resolve them. If parts or on-site support is needed, Velociti ships replacement hardware and dispatches a technician to perform troubleshooting and repair.
