Tracking cargo fleet

Technology is enabling tracking of fleet, thus fine-tuning delivery schedules and enhancing security

Rising costs is a challenge for fleet op-erators. May it be the time bound operations of a bank, FMCG, pharma or an auto company, the need to reach in time is always the criteria. Leaner schedules call for tight delivery times and have a good deal of bearing on the company’s revenues. Operators thus play an important role as a link between the manufacturer and the consumer, battling cost pressures all the while. To keep costs under check and ensure efficient operations, fleet management companies are turning to tracking technology. Use of tracking devices help operators keep a closer check on the movement of their vehicles, and thus the delivery schedules promised to the manufacturers.

Mumbai-based Trackon Telematics specialises in fleet management solutions. Started in 2001, as Shreya.Com according to Mrunmai Pawar, Manager-Marketing & Projects, the company started working in the GIS space as one of India's first technology companies working with the various segments of the Indian Government including the Survey of India, Indian Navy, Municipal Corporations & Police Departments, etc. With the company finding exciting opportunities in various sectors of Telematics and M2M, it started using its rich GIS, GSM and Telematics experience for a full fledged research and development programme, focusing on creating state-of-the-art and first to market solutions, products and services. Renamed as Trackon Telematics in 2008, the company, buoyed by a PE investment in the same year, has come to establish three independent groups of R&D engineers working simultaneously on new products with two full fledged software and hardware development teams involved in beta testing and taking the products to market. Announces Mrunmai, “As a provider of fleet management and tracking solutions we outsource the hardware. We, thus play the role of an integrator and developer, and have four sub-brands under the Trackon umbrella – Trackon FMS, iHawk, autoHawk and tgis.”

Trackon FMS is a highly scalable, cost effective and secure solution to almost all the problems and issues faced by fleet managers. Easily configurable, a hardware device is fitted in the vehicle, depending on the requirement of sensors and alerts. This device has various inputs and outputs for configuring sensors like the temperature sensor, door sensor, motion sensor and also those that are capable of voice/text communications. It uses the in-built advanced GPS capability to locate and track the movement of the vehicle and using its processor communications with the sensors, further relaying the information to the server farm through GSM/GPRS networks. Explaining that Trackon has developed tracking solutions for companies like Rajesh Roadlines, Reema Transport for its refrigerated vans and Syndicate Bank for its cash vans, Mrunmai states that her company offers solutions to help optimise costs. Stressing on the solutions using top quality components, like the Applicon GSM modem device for example, Mrunmai Pawar points out that all that the fleet manager has to do is to add a LR. “We create the interface for them,” she adds. With the service turning a bread earner for Trackon, the company enjoys a 20 to 21 per cent market share. “In another two to three years we will be the market leaders,” she quips.

Turning to autoHawk, Pawar explains that it is a B2C offering and would be sold through channel partners the company is installing across India and expects to be fully operational by mid-2010. autoHawk, she explains further, is aimed at automobile owners. A security system that combines tracking of vehicle, the company is currently dialing-in further investment into the product line, according to Mrunmai. She avers, “We will be using FMS backup for autoHawk.” Running cost for autoHawk is expected in the region of Rs 200-250 every month once the product has been bought and installed. These would be towards subscribing to a mobile network much like a cell phone.

Co-owned by the Russia-based Shreya Group and its subsidiaries, and the SMC Group and its subsidiaries, Trackon Telematics is also into crane management solutions under the brand name of Trackon CMS. Under this brand, the company also offers off-highway management solutions according to Mrunmai. Besides, the company is also into remote monitoring solutions, which find applications in areas like assembly lines in factories; government buildings monitoring of traffic; commercial units such as retail outlets, banks and casinos; transport systems such as railways, airports and ports; and educational institutions. The tgis end of the business, remarks Mrumai, was born out of the need for development for own use. “We have collaborated and made a pan-India map. Over time we have developed the capability to develop maps. In the area of maps, Trackon offers one of the leading solutions in cartographic publishing called Mercator. Under the Mercator, the company offers Trackon TPS, a palm surveyor; Trackon Digitiser, a vehicle mounted survey station installed with high accuracy, mutually correcting dual GPS and Trackon Zeus, full fledged, vector based system that has an in-built database of road network, POIs of many major cities of India, and offers exciting features like automatic turn by turn guidance to a chosen destination, voice prompts, over speeding alerts, POI alerts and much more. Stating that maps is a diversification that was driven out of the need to offer value-added services, Mrunmai states that it is the fleet management solutions that form the core competence and at the center of the business orientation of the company.

With a plethora of Telematics, M2M and security products under development, Mrunmai Pawar reveals that Trackon is looking at an economic range. “Like the cost-effective small cars we see today,” she concludes.