Whether a business utilises a fleet of five vans or 500 trucks, it is extremely complicated to run such an operation without telematics technology and fleet management software that goes hand in hand with that hardware. However, this software is only as useful as the person controlling it; the effective management of fleets and the data that goes along with it needs to be done by a person with sufficient training in order to get the most out of your fleet management system, enjoy the benefits and save on costs. Depending on the size of your fleet and how your business is set up, employing a dedicated person for this role might not be a practical or feasible solution.

While Ctrack offers several software solutions that allow owners or fleet managers to look after their own fleet management requirements, including the recently launched Crystal, the Ctrack Bureau Service enables customers to pair Ctrack’s world-class telematics technology with an expert fleet manager at a minimal cost.

“Use of Ctrack’s Bureau Service allows customers to ensure that they are getting the absolute best out of our tried and tested hardware and software solutions and that their fleets are being run in the most effective and productive way possible,” says Hein Jordt, Chief Executive Officer of Ctrack Africa.

Ctrack’s Bureau Centre monitors and analyses movements, incidents and alerts meticulously, providing analytical reporting and support to optimise fleet operations. Highly experienced telematics consultants interrogate and interpret vehicle data to provide the insights and actions needed for future cost reductions and operational improvements. With this information, business owners will be able to implement best practice methodologies that streamline operations, save costs and focus on the core business. Reports are tailor- made to your needs and can give a high-level overview if that is all your business needs or a thorough analysis of any data stream if that is required.

Utilising Ctrack’s Bureau Service is a quick and easy way to streamline your fleet operation and ensure that you get the most out of your movable assets without the need for additional staff count and infrastructure. The way your vehicles are used has a massive effect on your bottom line and having expert eyes on them all the time is a sure way to secure fleets and reduce fuel and maintenance costs.

In the background, these experts monitor and analyse movements, incidents and alerts, and provide the customer with reports that are easy to act on. In essence, Ctrack’s Bureau service gives you the right data needed to make the right decisions. The benefits of a 24/7 bureau service include the fact that an expert always has eyes on your assets and how they are being used, ensuring tighter control and immediate action against predetermined parameters.

These controllers pay particular attention to schedule adherence and fuel consumption, ensuring that your fleet is run as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. Direct communication with drivers ensures swift action in the event of any deviations or transgressions and ensures that you nip trends in the bud before they become a habit and long before unnecessary resources are wasted.

The benefits for operators are multifaceted and include emergency response, panic alarms and tamper alarms that give them the protection and backup they need in an environment fraught with risks. A bodyguard service and even air response are available to help mitigate imminent threats.

Fleet operators now demand visibility and control, resulting in standard telematics visibility no longer being a suitable solution on its own. Ctrack offers a number of camera solutions for the monitoring of various aspects of vehicle usage, including fatigue and ADAS monitoring, front and rear cab facing and trailer cameras that allow for total visibility of your asset.

These camera solutions offer live video streaming and give fleet managers the ability to view footage around incidents or other data inputs such as accelerometers or speed events and then act accordingly. However, the number of alerts and footage that need to be viewed can be overwhelming.

To assist with sifting through all this data, the in-cab camera system can be paired with artificial intelligence (AI) software. As an example, this sophisticated AI software filters through the data gathered by in-cab cameras and only reports on the transgressions defined by the fleet manager instead of on every transgression.

This results in better quality data that can more easily be used to take action. AI can filter through thousands of alarms and only highlight those that are of critical importance to the fleet manager, be that in-house or as part of the bureau service. The bureau service operators will still investigate all alarms, however the AI assists in highlighting the most important ones.

“In an environment where running costs are always rising, the efficient and effective management of fleets is imperative to the success of a business that relies on moveable assets. Ctrack’s Bureau Service takes the guesswork out of fleet management and ensures the best results,” concludes Jordt. Ctrack’s Bureau Service is offered in four levels, allowing fleet and business owners to select a package that best suits their needs and budget.