That’s according to AGM Telematics, which carried out a telephone survey of 50 operators earlier this month to ask them about their experiences with telematics.
The Corby-based telematics business asked operators if they could easily access and retrieve vehicle data – 30 of those questioned said they could not. Worse still, most of these said their system is so difficult to operate that many of the features are left unused.
AGM Telmatics – which designs and supplies the RouteMaster system – says a common theme arose from its survey. Most operators, whatever their size, wanted telematics to reduce fuel and operating costs, and to improve efficiency through better schedule planning, tracking and reporting. However, despite most system suppliers promising these attributes, few are delivering in reality.
“We often hear from operators who find the system they have bought to be difficult to use. Plus, to add to their frustration, many operators say they receive little support from their supplier when they call in to report the difficulties they are experiencing,” says George Weston, director of AGM Telematics.
“This prompted us to put a few basic questions to a sample of telematics users about their experiences. Frankly, we were surprised at the number who said that they have ended up paying for a system on a long-term contract that is quite useless.”
Weston says the AGM RouteMaster system, not surprisingly, does deliver on its promise.
“It really is quite straightforward,” he says. “It’s all about matching a flexible fleet management solutions package to the operational and commercial needs of the industry. Our RouteMaster system is a powerful cloud-based modular toolset which comprises three core modules: planning; dispatch; and tracking. These can be used individually or all together depending on the requirements of each operation.
“Either way, the data managed by the system is instantly accessible and retrievable, which apparently is where a lot of other systems fall down.”