Over the past year, the Asplundh Tree Expert Co. has initiated a full-scale deployment of an Automatic Vehicle Management System (AVMS) to track the location of its assets. The system has already improved the safety and efficiency of Asplundh operations as it is being deployed incrementally across the enterprise. With its widespread, decentralized vegetation management and line clearance operations, Asplundh was, in many ways, ideally suited for deployment of a GPS-based system. However, the company quickly discovered that a suitable off-the-shelf system was not readily available.

Prioritizing the data and designing a system that would provide information in readily usable form were deemed critical success factors. Asplundh worked closely with Telogis (Aliso Viejo, Calif.), to design a system that could deliver critical operations information while minimizing cost and avoiding unnecessary complexity.

After completing several regional pilot projects, it was determined that the system significantly improved operational performance and the overall value of service delivered met or exceeded expect­ations. Much of this improvement is due to behavioral changes among field personnel, who are less likely to break rules (e.g., speeding), deviate from work plans, or take inefficient routes to and from work locations with the new system in place. The company has already installed over 7,500 units and is continuing to evaluate additional rollouts with the objective of having most of the fleet equipped and operational by the end of 2010.

How it Works
AVMS tracks vehicle location with a GPS receiver mounted under the dashboard of each truck. (A small wire antenna for the unit is attached to the windshield.) The GPS data, plus additional information about the truck, is collected every 15 seconds, and every two minutes the data is sent to a central computer server via a cell phone modem, which is located in the same box as the under-dash GPS receiver.

Once uploaded, the data is processed by remote software and can be viewed by any computer having Internet access. And, because it is Web-based, no special user software is required. This enables users to obtain a variety of information – both historically and in real time – about their operations.

A reporting hierarchy based on the manager’s level of responsibility assures that only authorized personnel can access this information. For example, a general foreperson can access information about his/her area of responsibility but not that of other general forepersons. Likewise, regional managers can only obtain information about their own regions.

Choosing the Right Information
It’s certainly no secret that information can be expensive to gather and interpret. An important part of designing an optimal AVMS program is identifying the most important information and then creating a system that will deliver that information in a format that is easy to use and understand. In this case, all levels of management use the system – from front-line supervision to executives – adding up to hundreds of people.

Therefore, the system must provide efficient delivery of pertinent information in a way that would not waste valuable time at any level.

Initially, several data points that would provide the greatest overall improvement in the safety and efficiency of operations and that were obtainable without excessive cost were identified. These data points included:

•    Engine start/stop times, to report when and for how long the main engine of a truck is running;
•    Pony motor (auxiliary lift engine) usage, to report when the aerial lift is being operated;
•    Geographic zone alerts, provided when geofencing boundaries are crossed (geofences are GPS-defined areas where access may be authorized or unauthorized depending on time and location);
•    Stops made over the course of the workday;
•    Routes taken to and from jobsites;
•    Total miles driven over a given time period; and
•    Vehicle maintenance requirements based on mileage and time.

Interpreting the Data
Though company personnel are highly skilled in crew and fleet management, until now many of the field management staff had only limited experience with this type of computer technology. Careful specification, prudent planning and close cooperation with the system supplier resulted in a user-friendly system that is capable of delivering key information quickly, accurately and efficiently and at a reasonable cost.

General forepersons now carry Wi-Fi equipped laptop computers that can access the Internet from most locations. As a result, the exact locations of crews are never in doubt.

Using the data points listed above, a map depicting the work history of any crew can be created – from the moment the truck starts in the morning until the crew pulls back into the yard at the end of the day, as illustrated in the map diagram, following.

This “breadcrumb” trail allows management to easily identify any number of problems, such as:

•    Late departures and/or early arrivals;
•    Deviations from scheduled work;
•    Excessively long stops; and
•    Misuse of equipment, such as speeding, excessive idling, or not enough use of the pony motor.

Each level of management is provided with information relevant to that particular operation. Maps that provide real-time locations or historical information can be obtained with a few simple mouse clicks. Alerts are provided for operations outside of expected norms, such as after-hours use or other geofencing violations, speeding or other pre-determined areas of concern.

Utility Interface
Utility personnel can also access the system via the Internet with a username and password. Much of the critical information, such as start and stop times and a “breadcrumb” trail, is available. Another key feature is the ability, with just a few clicks of a mouse, to find the closest crew to a trouble call and determine the best way for that crew to get from their current location to the trouble location. 

Performance Benefits
Once the system was deployed and operational, Asplundh identified several operational improvements Crews move more efficiently, use less fuel, depart and arrive on time, complete more work, can be easily located by supervisors, and are generally more accountable for their performance. A more detailed explanation of these notable improvements appears below.

Reduced Fuel Usage: By monitoring crew location, supervision assures that drivers are following the most direct routes, thereby reducing miles driven (and, incidentally, time on the job). Monitoring the use of the main engine reduces excessive idle time, and maximizing use of the pony motor (rather than the main truck engine) to drive the aerial lift saves fuel.

Safety: Reducing incidence of speeding is one very important benefit. Asplundh can monitor the trends of individual drivers, and if necessary discipline those with excessive speeding alerts. Additionally, in the event of a crisis,
the location of the crew is always known, and aid can be rapidly dispatched.

Improved Start/Stop Time: With widespread operations it can be difficult to be at every start and stop location every day. Through geofencing, supervision can be alerted if a vehicle departs late or arrives early at a parking location.

Monitor & Assist with Efficient Routing: Trucks can be routed more efficiently, traffic bottlenecks can be averted, and crews with multiple work locations in a single workday can be provided with turn-by-turn directions to jobsites.

Eliminate After-hours Usage: Obviously, trucks should only be used for company-authorized work. Engine start/stop and geofencing allows supervision to be alerted via email and text message if a truck is started or moved after hours.

Storm Management: Storm response is an area where AVMS is proving exceptionally useful. Crews moving to remote locations can now be tracked from deployment to destination, even over hundreds of miles. Once on the job, routing and scheduling can be accomplished far more efficiently.

Areas of Concern
As with any significant change, some pushback is inevitable; indeed, both management and crew personnel have expressed concerns. However, most employees have quickly adapted, while most of the expressed concerns underline the need to adapt to changes in routine operations. Some of the specific areas of concern were…

Learning Curve
This type of technology can be intimidating to learn and usually results in the need to change individual habits, some of which may be deeply entrenched. Even with the ease of the computer interface, learning how to obtain, interpret and ultimately use the data can be difficult for some people. To help offset this reality, the AVMS program was rolled out in phases, assuring that each region was able to obtain the necessary training and administrative support during
these critical early learning stages. Then, as additional units were installed, experienced personnel were available to assist as needed.

Workforce Acceptance
The notion that “Big Brother” is watching is also intimidating and requires a period of adjustment for some employees. To assuage those concerns, the program rollout was accompa­nied with information for crew members, emphasizing safety and asset management as the key reasons for deploying the system. Most employees quickly realized that the company was not asking them to do anything other than what they were already expected to do as part of their job, and as a result, they ultimately welcomed the opportunity to help improve overall performance and customer satisfaction.

Technological Limitations
The selected system operates only where both satellite and cellular communications services are available. Fortunately, this includes the vast majority of areas where the company typically has crews deployed. However, in certain remote areas, weather and terrain can sometimes compromise coverage. As communications technology improves, the system will need periodic upgrading, though it is anticipated that the current technology should be adequate for several years before any major upgrades are required.

Conclusion
AVMS has proven beneficial in the areas where it has been deployed. It has allowed better management of key company assets, including vehicles and personnel. Total miles driven have been reduced, and overall operational efficiency has improved. Moreover, crew members are more likely to drive safely and comply with established driving rules. The company has every reason to believe that improvements will continue as the system is deployed in additional areas.

One challenge will be assuring that management and crew personnel continue to maintain high standards of performance rather than finding or creating ways to circumvent the technology. However, there has been no evidence of such behavior thus far.

The introduction of new technology can sometimes fundamentally change how organizations are operated and managed. Considering the value of the truck fleet and its importance to the performance of daily operations, AVMS is proving to be a technology that will bring about change for the better, both in the short term and over the longer term as well.

About the Authors
Jim Orr is Vice President, Asplundh Technical Services, and heads up the task force that is deploying the AVMS system for the Asplundh fleet. He is a past president of the Utility Arborist Association and is a recognized expert in utility arboriculture. He has been instrumental in advancing research efforts and applying new technology to improve operations.

Geoffrey Kempter, Manager, Asplundh Technical Services, provides customer service, training and other support of Asplundh field operations. He serves on the ANSI A300 Standards Committee, chairs the ISA Certification Board and is the
author of “ISA Best Management Practices Guide for Utility Pruning.”