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RFID: A “Fleet” Solution for the Transportation Industry

An automated fuel control management system provides many advantages for fleet managers. However, often, one problem won’t go away. James D. Gerdeman discusses how to get accurate information without much manual input, through RFID technology.



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Author: Gerdeman James D.
Winning the war on information gathering
In this first of a two-part series on RFID, James Gerdeman presents an overview on RFID applications for the fleet industry. The August issue will cover the practical experiences of fleet managers with RFID—its strengths, limitations and costs.

 

Feets are everywhere—buses, trucks, vans, car pools, railways, taxis, limousines, school buses, rental car fleets and more. While fleets abound, fleet management is getting more complicated. Road taxes and permits, fuel consumption, licenses, insurance, safety, administration, maintenance—the list seems endless. At the same time, maintenance staffs and service facilities are often stretched to their limits because of driver turnover and shortages of skilled people. In many cases, staffs are even reduced just as the workload increases.

Although computer architects have solutions for many of the problems faced by fleet managers today, at least one significant problem remains. The cost of collecting sufficient, accurate data often gets in the way of making a profit. Excellent analytical software packages are available to help get the necessary data. However, this software only works well if the data is available, and therein lies the problem. Acquiring, collecting, editing and storing the data is often costing too much, so solutions are inhibited and progress is stymied.

Fleet managers are looking for accurate information, faster and cheaper. How can they do this? Most managers know a great deal about their own fleet, and have defined specific problems. But there are seldom opportunities to make changes which will make a significant difference to the bottom line of their organizations.

One innovation can significantly impact the bottom line—-RFID technology. RFID (a radio frequency identification system) offers a way to collect data automatically, in the course of conducting business at hand. This, in turn, makes it easier for computer systems to help fleet managers cost-effectively collect all the necessary information.

Atkins Technical, a company that produces electronic equipment and monitoring systems in Gainesville, Florida, published a study late in 1997 that reveals the power of automatic data collection systems, especially with RFID. In a survey of fleets with 50 to 1,000 vehicles, Atkins’ study revealed:

 1. the use of a touch system, without RFID—a system in which the operator goes to the truck but does not need to write anything down—saves three to six times the manpower of the manual system; and
 2. the use of an RFID system to read the data saves 14 to 39 times the effort! Obviously, this savings is significant.

Today’s costs
The big three—Each fleet has its own cost structure, which includes drivers, fuel and maintenance. These three areas account for about 70 percent of a fleet’s total overhead, according to a recent study of industry averages compiled by the American Trucking Association. According to the ATA, the remaining 30 percent of a fleet’s costs come from such variables as taxes, insurance, administration and ownership.

Data management—In order to make a profit, fleet managers need to analyze more data, and do it as quickly as possible. In this way, they can make informed and timely decisions to guide actions out in the field. Manually capturing fleet data—such as fuel consumption, odometer readings, engine hours, oil consumption and vehicle location—is costly and requires editing to eliminate inaccuracies.

Managers need the ability to capture the data automatically during the normal course of business activities. That ability is now available with RFID systems in conjunction with onboard computers and computer technology.

Computers and RFID tags
While computers store, analyze and report data, RFID tags (or transponders) positively identify assets. RFID tags can be read automatically without the driver hitting any keys or using any card or key ID. Tags can be read at fixed points, such as in electronic license plates and toll tags. Data provided by the tags is sent to the computer continuously or as needed. The combination of RFID, onboard computers and computer technology should always be viewed in terms of the overall benefits of effective, targeted communication.

The RFID tag is a small device with a relatively small cost. The computer is a general device, or system, that can do virtually everything. Both devices vie for funding. At one end is a low cost and low function item, and at the other end a relatively high cost and high function item. As additional features are added to tags—such as dynamics and read-write capabilities—tag systems start to look more like computers and a system’s capabilities are increased.

Drawing on its general purpose, communication functions, a computer can capture, store, analyze and report data supplied by the tag system. A computer is usually in control of the tag reader, so again, both are needed.

Typically, in an automated fleet fueling system, the RFID tag is located inside the driver’s area with a physical connection between the tag and the onboard vehicle computer. Communication is typically done via a short range RFID communications system. A driver’s console may also have sufficient capability to act as a “stand alone” device to capture data when the driver removes the console from the vehicle.

Later, the driver makes a physical connection to the system unit and sends the data across a radio connection using cellular, radio or satellite communications. This data is typically used to monitor the engine’s health and status. Certain data is collected and analyzed for later transmission to a host through the communications device mentioned above. The processor or system unit also fills in a data field of the dynamic transceiver. In this way, the system offers a flexible approach to data collection.

 
 
 

The RFID serves as an initiator of the fueling transaction in this fueling management system.
Courtesy of Petro Vend

RFID options
• Dynamic tags
Dynamic tags are transponders that exchange information, usually with a sophisticated onboard computer system. They make it possible to read the driver’s ID, fuel taken, mileage, and oil condition as well as to develop triggers for actions that are based on a judgment call by the fleet manager. For instance, a trigger for the time to change oil can be based on miles traveled since the last oil change, or on the condition of the oil in the vehicle. This may help to extend the life of the vehicle and to reduce oil use, maintenance and down time. These advantages extend to onboard equipment, as well, such as refrigerators and cranes.

• Read/write options
A read-only tag has information permanently coded on it; a read/write tag can have the contents of its code information changed by the computer system reading it.

Read-only tags—One business objective—true for both private businesses and public fleets—is to extend the useful life of the assets in order to defer the acquisition of replacement equipment. RFID can assist in this effort. The read-only tags can be used to reliably identify the asset at strategic points such as gates and maintenance bays, without any manual input—thereby, ensuring accuracy. Accurate records permit replacement decisions to be made on the basis of efficiency and cost of operation instead of an arbitrary decision based on age.

Other uses for the read-only tag include automatic gate access control, fueling operations, inventory control and access to vehicle washing systems.

Read-write tags—RFID offers a number of read/write applications for fleets. Maintenance and inspection records can be written to the tags, to be read later at other points along the route. Critical information can travel with the vehicle, such as records of hazardous materials.

Tags installed within the tires can hold the ID and location of the tire as well as certain maintenance functions, such as desired air pressure and service dates. There are even ways to indicate and transmit the current pressure.

The driver’s ID can be written to the vehicle tag. As the vehicle travels along its route, records from strategically placed readers can provide data on driver performance and productivity. If the driver has his own RFID tag, the data collection system can read the tag; then, the information on the trip, schedule and route can be written to one of the transponders. Again, the data is captured through the course of performing routine work, with no need for driver intervention.

Tags can be used for the contents of a trailer or truck to produce bills of lading and inventory records. This information can be transmitted via a tag to a computer for tracking—and all without pencil, paper and erasers.

Public sector and multiple fleets
RFID has major advantages for multiple fleets within the same system, such as police, fire, sanitation, water and public works departmental fleets within the same jurisdiction. In addition to the capture of the data previously mentioned, public sector fleets can use RFID to track vehicle locations, progress through streets and traffic flow.

There are many other applications, as well. For instance, vehicle maintenance schedules can be based on data that has been collected by the tags. Dynamic tags on garbage containers can identify the source of waste. A public safety vehicle routinely traveling through the neighborhood can read and record the level of waste. When a predetermined level is reached, a truck is sent to pick up the container. Route planning reduces trips, thus saving fuel and driver time, while maintaining a high rate of service completions. One fleet helps the other. The data is collected in the normal course of doing business.

Since the objective of private business is to earn a profit, costs must be kept within certain parameters. Public fleets must also work within budgets and strive to reduce costs. Because of the many challenges they face, fleet managers are particularly aware of the need for higher productivity and cost reductions. Low cost automatic data acquisition and access control help the fleet manager to achieve these goals.

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I need a fuel filling solution for trucks , need automatic sum of total petrol filled in a particular truck . We have more than 1000 trucks