{"id":13980,"date":"2022-07-02T16:54:04","date_gmt":"2022-07-02T14:54:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/?p=13980"},"modified":"2022-07-02T16:54:04","modified_gmt":"2022-07-02T14:54:04","slug":"technology-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2022\/07\/02\/technology-4\/","title":{"rendered":"How in-cab technology is changing tank trucks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Quality Carriers is the latest fleet to onboard the Canadian provider Isaac Instruments, which already helped fleets Trimac and Tandet secure safety awards by uniting and simplifying transportation services.<\/p>\n

Technology providers have developed and deployed applications to solve problems in every transportation-related process over the years, from hours-of-service (HOS) logging to asset tracking, dispatching, and more.<\/p>\n

Now there are so many apps, their proliferation is the pain point. \u201cOne complaint we hear from drivers is that they need usernames and passwords for multiple apps, so we wanted a provider who would help us simplify that whole environment,\u201d said Nicole Gabel, vice president of process improvement at\u00a0Quality Carriers<\/a>\u00a0(QC).<\/p>\n

She found what QC was searching for in\u00a0Isaac Instruments<\/a>.<\/p>\n

See also:\u00a0<\/b>Service Transport, Lacy’s Express collect 2021 Heil trophies<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

The Canadian in-cab technology provider broke into the bulk sector with\u00a0Tandet Logistics<\/a>\u00a0and added\u00a0Trimac Transportation<\/a>\u00a0to its tank truck roster in 2017. And not only did Isaac and its ruggedized tablets simplify drivers\u2019 duties, they maintain, it also made them safer.\u00a0Trimac<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Tandet<\/a>\u00a0both credit Isaac with helping them win\u00a0National Tank Truck Carriers<\/a>\u2019 North American safety championship in the last four years.<\/p>\n

Quality Carriers is the latest bulk fleet to climb on board,\u00a0revealing in January it intends to outfit its entire fleet<\/a>\u00a0of more than 2,500 trucks with Isaac\u2019s versatile electronic logging devices (ELDs) and \u201cdriver-centric\u201d fleet management tools by the end of the year. They installed the system on the first eight trucks in May, and expect to conclude pilot tests this month, Gabel said. \u201cWe were looking for a provider who could bring us more solutions,\u201d she said. \u201cWe had these units in all the trucks, and we were using them for hours of service and dispatching, but we knew there was a lot of potential to put more solutions at drivers\u2019 fingertips.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Quality Carriers drivers rarely removed their old devices from their cradles. Now they can use their tablets to collect signatures, enter inspection information, and capture images of maintenance items for shop technicians\u2014without the fear of damaging the units.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Isaac\u2019s integratable, open-platform system provided the palette, streamlining access to an array of customizable offerings, including real-time coaching, digitized driver-vehicle inspections reports (DVIRs), and advanced telematics capabilities\u2014all displayed in one intuitive interface \u201cfuture-proofed\u201d for endless utility.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo of the top bulk carriers in North America are using our product, so we\u2019ve had success in this environment,\u201d Jean-S\u00e9bastien Bouchard, Isaac\u2019s co-founder and executive vice president of sales, told\u00a0Bulk Transporter<\/a><\/i>. \u201cPeople come to Isaac because they want the automation, but they also want to keep things simple for the driver.<\/p>\n

\u201cReliable and simple\u2014that\u2019s where we\u2019re the game-changer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Game-changing growth<\/h3>\n

Bouchard, chairman and CEO Jacques DeLarochelli\u00e8re, and chief technology officer David Brillon founded Isaac in 1999. Initially, the company used its signature, telemetry-powered \u201crecorder\u201d\u2014which today aggregates and measures more than 40 vehicle parameters up to 100 times per second, and serves as a wireless communications access point\u2014to teach race car drivers to go faster. They targeted transport in 2009, then zeroed in on trucking in 2014.<\/p>\n

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Isaac Instruments<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"Jean-S&eacute;bastien<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
Jean-S\u00e9bastien Bouchard, Isaac\u2019s co-founder and executive vice president of sales<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

With helping freight haulers improve fuel efficiency and their drivers\u2019 lives as foundational objectives, Isaac first focused on fleets in Quebec, began spreading across Canada in 2016, and turned its attention to the U.S. in late 2020.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were ready,\u201d Bouchard said. \u201cOur customers are our best salespeople. We\u2019ve grown through glowing references, and we want to maintain that. But to do so, we have to be careful not to outgrow ourselves, and proceed at the right pace, with good, controlled growth that ensures our infrastructure, and support for existing clients grows at the same pace we\u2019re growing with new customers.\u201d<\/p>\n

The company\u2019s southern advance also comes at the right time for companies looking to take their technology to the \u201cnext level,\u201d and unite fragmented transportation services on a dependable, driver-friendly device that eliminates unnecessary clicks, Bouchard said. \u201cA truck driver takes that position because he wants to drive a truck,\u201d he said. \u201cThey don\u2019t want to play with their phone or tablet, and waste time keying in a bunch of information.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not IT specialists. For them, entering information on that device is a pain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Meaningful\u2019 improvement<\/h3>\n

Deryk Gillespie, Trimac\u2019s vice president of technology and innovation, spoke about his company\u2019s partnership with Isaac during a\u00a0Truckload Carriers Association<\/a>\u00a0webinar on\u00a0how real-time coaching can improve the driver experience, safety, and fuel consumption<\/a>. He pointed to several system benefits but said what pushed Trimac \u201cover the edge\u201d was Isaac\u2019s ability to deliver live, actionable driver feedback.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe really liked that the feedback was presented to the operator at the time and place they could actually do something about it,\u201d Gillespie said in the discussion. \u201cWe didn\u2019t think it was especially useful that, a week or two after the fact, a driver is called into somebody\u2019s office and told they could have done better last week.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would have been good to know last week.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Isaac Instruments\/TCA<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"Deryk<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
Deryk Gillespie, Trimac\u2019s VP of technology and innovation, and Isaac co-founder Jean-S\u00e9bastien Bouchard (bottom left) discussed Trimac\u2019s partnership with Isaac last summer during a Truckload Carriers Association webinar on real-time driver coaching.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Fleets can immediately boost driver safety and efficiency using real-time advice and visual alerts generated by the\u00a0Isaac Coach<\/a>. Gillespie said some trucks have reduced fuel consumption by as much as 11%, and Trimac is seeing real-world savings of 2-3% fleet-wide\u2014results he called \u201cmeaningful.\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s huge,\u201d Bouchard agreed. \u201cWhen you think of a company spending $100 million a year in fuel, what\u2019s 3% of the operation?\u201d Driver \u201cscores\u201d disregard factors out of their control, like weight, terrain, conditions, and even vehicle year, make, and model; and aren\u2019t based on miles per gallon, which don\u2019t tell the whole story.<\/p>\n

See also: <\/b>Quality Carriers upgrades ELDs, fleet management<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cWe score drivers on their performance, and that is based on using the pedal,\u201d Bouchard said. \u201cIf you get a driver who scores 98% using the Isaac Coach, you know that driver has done everything they can to turn in the best miles per gallon with the equipment, load, and trip you assigned them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isaac scores are tied to Trimac\u2019s incentive program for company drivers, and contractors are appreciative of the system\u2019s ability to help them save money on increasingly expensive diesel fuel, Gillespie said. Customers and partners reap rewards as well, Bouchard added, with the corresponding reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions supporting their efforts to meet supply-chain sustainability goals.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Trimac\u2019s) past the honeymoon phase with this partnership,\u201d Bouchard said. \u201cThey\u2019re deep into it\u2014and they\u2019re raving fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upgraded appreciation<\/h3>\n

So are the QC drivers who previously worked with Trimac\u2014and already knew Isaac would improve their lives, Gabel said. \u201cWhen they found out Quality Carriers was bringing Isaac on board, they got so excited,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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\"Drivers<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
Drivers who previously worked for Trimac were delighted to learn that Quality Carriers planned to adopt Isaac Instruments\u2019 \u2018game-changing\u2019 in-cab technology.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

As with all new partnerships, the first few months were spent perfecting integrations (QC kept its camera provider) and ensuring the platform exceeds expectations. Then installations began. QC started with four trucks in Montreal and four in Alabama and planned to equip a group in Ohio this month. Each install took about two hours, Gabel said, including extracting incumbent equipment, equipping new hardware, and reassembly. Assuming the pilot goes according to plan, they\u2019ll take delivery of the remaining units later this summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve already started to get feedback from the drivers, and it\u2019s very positive,\u201d Gabel said.<\/p>\n

QC chose Isaac to help them go paperless, where possible, and to deliver training through the tablet, allowing drivers to meet requirements on the road. \u201cThat was something, historically, we could never do,\u201d Gabel said. They also rarely removed the previous devices from their cradles. Now drivers can take them outside the truck to collect signatures, enter pre- and post-trip inspection information, and capture images for shop technicians, without fear of damaging the units. Gabel said her team purposely abused them, and they emerged unscathed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re really good tablets,\u201d she said. \u201cNow we can provide all of the business-critical items drivers need on a single device.\u201d And what\u2019s good for drivers is good for trucking\u2014which goes nowhere without them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe limiting factors these days are drivers and tractors, so it\u2019s about who can deliver the best pay and driver experience,\u201d Gabel continued. \u201cAnd when you talk to drivers, pay only goes so far. They also want an environment where they\u2019re treated with respect and have an overall great working experience, and technology is a big piece of that. So if you can bring in something that makes their jobs easier, it\u2019s a great recruiting tool.\u201d<\/p>\n

Efficient execution<\/h3>\n

Isaac\u2019s system further enables digital document storage, distribution of company communications, and automated invoicing for faster cash flow, all housed in a company-owned device, instead of a driver\u2019s cell phone. \u201cWe\u2019re getting into this world where folks are wanting us to seriously invade drivers\u2019 privacy by having them install all these apps on their personal phones, which creates a privacy concern, but more importantly a safety concern because you don\u2019t have the ability to lock those devices while vehicles are in motion,\u201d Gillespie said.<\/p>\n

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\nsaac Instruments\u2019 telemetry \u201crecorder\u201d and ruggedized tablet are designed to simplify workplace safety and efficiency for drivers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Trimac eased into deployment, he said, first focusing on Isaac\u2019s HOS and workflow functionality before activating the coach, which also allowed it to establish a driver performance baseline. But whatever approach fleets take, the important thing is to settle on a system and scoring strategy, and stick with them. \u201cPick something, make it simple, and consistently execute it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cExecution is the challenge\u2014not debating the algorithms or weighting.\u201d<\/p>\n

And sticking with Isaac is easy, Bouchard asserts. Automated processes keep leaders from managing their businesses via email, Isaac is perpetually expanding partnerships and features, with four software updates per year, and the system pays for itself by unlocking cost savings. \u201cYou don\u2019t need many hours of downtime to justify the investment,\u201d Bouchard said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur solution is \u2018set and forget,\u2019\u201d he concluded. \u201cThe solution is there, it works, and you can concentrate on your trucking operations, and addressing your trucking challenges\u2014not on the device in the truck.\u201d<\/p>\n

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This article initially appeared in Bulk Transporter<\/a>, a FleetOwner sibling publication and part of Endeavor Business Media’s<\/a> Commercial Vehicle Group.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Jason McDaniel<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Source https:\/\/www.fleetowner.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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Quality Carriers is the latest fleet to onboard the Canadian provider Isaac Instruments, which already helped fleets Trimac and Tandet secure safety awards by uniting and simplifying transportation services. Technology providers have developed and deployed applications to solve problems in every transportation-related process over the years, from hours-of-service (HOS) logging to asset tracking, dispatching, and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":13981,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18],"tags":[28],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13980"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13980"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13980\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13982,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13980\/revisions\/13982"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}