In a recent conversation with Dan Deppeler, vice president of maintenance for Green Bay, Wis.-based fleet Paper Transport, Inc., he explained why his fleet uses Detroit Connect Virtual Technician for advanced fleet management, including using the information provided to proactively address maintenance. “We look at fault codes and use that information do preventive maintenance,” Deppeler explained. “Case in point: a fault code recently warned us of a re-gen problem. It caused us to look at the unit, and found excessive sand in the filter, which was undetected. We were able to act and repair without the driver ever knowing there was a problem. This is just one example of how the system manages codes, provides quality descriptions and suggested actions with fewer false positives.”
It’s all about using that information to take action on problems as quickly as possible before small problems become big problems. “Detroit Connect Analytics records data such as percent of cruise control, braking behavior, and speed relationship to MPG,” noted Deppeler, who added that this helps both the fleet and the drivers. “PTI drivers are paid directly for the fuel they save the company. When they are not achieving their full bonus, they want fuel economy information that helps make them better drivers.”
For more on onboard intelligence and fleet maintenance software, read our in-depth feature here.
