Inside California’s new fleet management system
The California Department of Transportation, better known as Caltrans, is currently deploying a new fleet management system from Verizon Enterprise Solutions that is expected to help the department reduce costs for fuel, maintenance and employee time.
Steve Takigawa, the deputy director of maintenance for Caltrans, and David Cassie, national sales manager of public sector for Verizon Networkfleet, joined StateScoop Radio to discuss the progress of the project and its benefit to the state.
The Verizon Networkfleet GPS-based units will help the state keep better track of its vehicles as well as get information on needed maintenance, such as when a vehicle’s engine light goes on.
The system also automates employee usage reports that used to be done by hand. That automation is expected to save the state approximately 28,000 salary hours each year at a cost of nearly $500,000.
Takigawa also highlighted the safety aspects of the devices. So far, he’s found that drivers tend to be driving at safer speeds knowing they are being monitored and during the program’s pilot phase, the state was able to recover two stolen vehicles.
The Verizon Networkfleet telematics solution offers round-the-clock visibility into fleet assets with access to near-real time data, such as GPS location, mileage, speed, fuel consumption, idle time and vehicle diagnostics to drive improved operations and cost efficiencies. Automated vehicle management reports help fleet managers improve dispatching, optimize routing and boost employee and fleet productivity by improving utilization and streamlining preventive maintenance programs.
