“24 hours per day, 7 days per week, we put our whole heart in the transport of the most diverse shipments: from small packages to complex transports: we've seen it all,” according to Jeroen Walravens, owner of Formule Logistics. “We work with the latest techniques and resources, to deliver the highest quality. Meanwhile, we are deploying 58 vehicles, 16 trailers and 90 drivers and every day we grow further towards what we want to be: the most complete and reliable partner in the area of (urgent)shipments and linehauls, domestically as well as abroad. But most of all we are and will be a family-run company. We all know each other, we know what is going on in the workplace and on the road.”
We stand for short lines, direct communication and a smooth cooperation. Then it is vital to have an overview, to be cost-efficient and to provide the client with correct information. The modular set-up of the GPS-Buddy system is growing along with us, as it were, and thus forms a Fleet Management System that seamlessly fits in with our personal business operation.”
More than 10 years ago, Formule Logistics started to equip courier vans with track & trace equipment by GPS-Buddy, to monitor the various vans. Insight in the exact location of a vehicle makes it easier to plan and process incoming goods and to manage the client's expectations the best way possible. As a result, couriers are used much more efficiently, while the internal departments can focus on their core tasks.
The continued growth and professionalisation of the organisation has ensured an increase in the need for control of the other vehicles. The Luton vans, lorries and trailers have now also been equipped with the GPS-Buddy Track & Trace solution and their location-information is being shared real-time within the management platform. The employees of the Planning department can see, at the blink of eye, where all the different company assets are located, so they can be deployed adequately.
“If you look at trailers, the cause of the huge cost advantage instantly becomes clear. In the past, it happened that it was not obvious where a trailer was, as we also chartered them to third parties. Now it is directly visible to us where in Europe 'our' vehicles are located, which makes planning much more efficient. The time required in the past to track a trailer can now be spent on more useful matters”, Walravens says.
By linking the GPS-Buddy-system to the CANbus, Formule Logistics also has direct insight in different vehicle data, from the same management platform; not only consumption data on the basis of the driving style, but also the engine hours. Walravens: “Optimisation of our drivers' driving behaviour has resulted in significant cost savings in terms of fuel, so we are meeting the prescribed CO2-reduction within the sector. We can now also make diagnoses for preventive maintenance, including warranty recovery and service records, as a result of which the costs dropped further and the safety of the vehicles remains at a high level.”
Thanks to the modular set-up, it was also easy for Formule Logistics to retrieve the data of the digital tachograph. Within the management platform, the Tachograph Remote Download solution of GPS-Buddy gives insight, for instance in the service times, the remaining driving hours and rest periods and the lorries' speed. The tachograph data stored in the vehicle and data of the driver passes can be read 24/7, including data of temporary or external drivers. The fully automated process does not require any interaction from the driver.
“The digitisation of the process concerning the tachograph will simplify the work of the planners and drivers. The card doesn't need to be handed in and read every 2 weeks, which saves a huge amount of time for both parties. Plus that we are now certain that all data has been read and thus we comply with the driving hours regulations. On top of that, we can easily and accurately generate violation notifications from the system, to point out breaches to drivers, if necessary. This will save time as well as fines”, Walravens concludes.
Formule Logistics transport pharmaceuticals, oxygen and other medical goods with an own storage temperature, for various commissioners in the Benelux. In addition, they see to refrigerated transport for clients in the food sector. The transport of temperature-sensitive goods sets high requirements to the transport process. Active temperature monitoring and real-time registration of the temperature progression of the goods are essential to demonstrably guarantee the quality during transport. The vehicles of Formule Logistics for conditioned transport are equipped with wireless GPS-Buddy temperature sensors and are connected with the transport management system within the organisation. The driver will receive an alarm if the temperature drops or rises too much, depending on the set temperature range. The temperature progression is registered within the management platform as well. “This way, the cause of any temperature change can quickly be solved, while the quality of the load remains guaranteed and we continue to meet the requirements of the European regulations. Since we are able to hand over the measured temperature to our client directly, in a report, we can issue guarantees and no discussion will take place afterwards. Quality and client satisfaction are key issues for us and this way, we can guarantee that” Walravens concludes.
We believe that a solution should be able to grow along with a company. Therefore, you can request the Efficiency scan, free of obligation. We will tell you where the opportunities are for optimisation and how you can save time and costs.