Best Practices for Asset Management
Table of Contents
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Assess transit inefficiencies with GPS tracking and live video monitoring By Diego Capelluto
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Improved dispatch improves passenger satisfaction By Diego Capelluto
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GPS mobile apps and the AVA are taking transit to the next level By Diego Capelluto
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AN INDUSTRY LEADER
TSO Mobile is an innovative leader in Mobile Resource Management and logistics products and services. Established in 2002, TSO Mobile has a continuing striving record of providing cutting-edge web-based software solutions to commercial and consumer markets. TSO Mobile is an industry leader with key partnerships with manufacturers, digital cartographers, software developers, wireless data providers and product distributors. Listening to customer’s unique needs sets TSO Mobile apart and brings a performance advantage to all technology products and services provided.
Products and Solutions Our products and services are designed to maximize operational efficiencies, reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction, consequently, these solutions provide an extraordinary Return On Investment (ROI) to the clients of TSO Mobile. All of our services can be accessed from anywhere via internet, mobile phone, and Interactive Voice Response (IVR).
What Makes TSO Mobile Different? Customized solutions that tailor to industry specific needs implemented by an experienced software development team. For the most effective market innovating features, TSO Mobile is always assessing the evolving situations of the modern business world. TSO continuously improves software applications by paying detailed attention to customer requirements. Thousands of service, transportation and distribution companies in NorthAmerica, South America, and The Caribbean are currently using TSO Mobile’s products and solutions. Our customer base spreads through any organization with mobile assets, including: HVAC, Trucking, Electrical, Paving, Roofing, Landscaping, Plumbing, Contracting, Transit, Distribution, Emergency Response, Law Enforcement, Municipalities, Government Agencies, and more.
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Assess transit inefficiencies with GPS tracking and live video monitoring By Diego Capelluto
With many different forms of public transportation, buses play a significant role in carrying a large percentage of our public population on a daily basis. In an effort to ensure efficiency and productivity, data collection is an essential tool for entities to learn and utilize information gained from data collection metrics. Live GPS Vehicle Tracking with Video Verification has a multitude of benefits, one of which enables us to thoroughly observe buses, drivers and their routes. Monitoring drivers establishes accountability of good behavior while the enforcement of procedures leads to happy passengers and increased ridership. Every entity is different, which is why it is important to assess all aspects of the system to find the right fitting platform and management solutions for each. Working together, video surveillance systems and logistics solutions installed in buses can assist management in improving the performance of a bus ride. Individual modules to surveil can include, but are not limited to, vehicle speed, tracking of current and past locations, accelerations and brake use. Cameras and sensors have the ability to confirm that rules are being followed, creating safety for both passengers and drivers, helping to understand behaviors, measure practices and verify the data being recorded, all in real time. Video camera systems capture information from various intelligence resources and they can be referenced in real time with real people. The systems are constantly being updated to reflect the latest technology and conditions. By surveying bus interactions as they happen, managers are able to verify that all rules are being enforced, whether this is in the case of driver activity on the road or passenger actions on board. With the ability to install cameras both inside and outside of the bus, an all-encompassing visual of the ride is put together and transmitted to surveyors. Measuring driving practices is easy with the use of these systems and implementing solutions based on the results is even simpler. By using video surveillance to watch drivers, behaviors are recorded in real time, offering the chance to find and correct mistakes that may be disrupting the overall service. By tracking behavior behind the wheel at any given time, overseers are able to assess any distractions, reactions and reasons for actions throughout any given ride, allowing them to thoroughly understand the situation. While the use of video camera surveillance and logistics systems allow companies to see and react immediately to events and make 4
decisions to utilize the most efficient use of time and money, they can also be used at later times for video analytics. It has been extremely helpful to save recorded materials and develop records to be accessed at later dates, if needed. With the task of transporting millions of people to and from their destinations each year, it is unquestionable that reliability will remain an essential element to be addressed when making smart transportation decisions. GPS tracking with Live Video Verification is a great tool for buses and those who ride them.
Live GPS vehicle tracking with video monitoring yields a multitude of benefits for transit agencies. Diego Capelluto serves as director of public transportation for TSO Mobile, an innovative leader in mobile resource management and logistics products and services, providing “all-under-one-roof GPS Vehicle Tracking and Fleet Management solutions� to all transportation entities. For more information, please visit www.TSOMobile.com.
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Improved dispatch improves passenger satisfaction By Diego Capelluto
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rom an operational standpoint, dispatching plays a significant role in pleasing passengers. Passengers are aware if their public transportation is running on time, the frequency of buses arriving during peak times, or if their bus is exceptionally full. These things are all addressed through dispatching methods. By incorporating preemptive tools to aid dispatching, public transit should run efficiently and passengers will take notice. What exactly are these preemptive tools? There are a handful of different solutions that can address a range of dispatching issues. An important preemptive tool that should be incorporated on all transit systems is a Passenger Counter system. Passenger Counters use high-efficiency sensors to accurately count how many passengers are alighting and boarding at each stop and during what time of the day. The information that is taken can then be assessed to address how frequently buses should run depending on the time of day. This will assist dispatching with properly scheduling vehicles on their respective routes and passengers will no longer feel cramped, as there should be an ample amount of vehicles scheduled during peak times. Another useful dispatching tool is Anti-Bunching technology. Anti-Bunching technology provides simple monitors to display driver performance in “comfort zones, keeping vehicles efficiently distributed while on the field and within their designated route. Ideally, with Anti-Bunching monitors in place a vehicle won’t get too ahead or fall behind and can adhere to the times designed from Passenger Counter data. With Anti-Bunching technology in place, passengers will not be as frustrated waiting long periods for the bus and extra buses will not arrive when they are not needed. GPS, in general, is extremely helpful when it comes to public transportation, but for dispatchers it enables them to properly track the location of a vehicle. In addition to tracking, GPS aids with routes and rerouting when necessary. GPS technology is a huge asset for any public transportation entity, regardless of size. While maintenance may not seem like it effects dispatching, properly servicing vehicles on a routine basis will prevent breakdowns and help keep a consistent schedule. Maintenance ensures properly operating vehicles are out on the field. Pre-set parameters can determine when a
vehicle is due for maintenance, and send alert reminders. This feature enables only necessary maintenance to occur and can help dispatching in anticipating scheduled maintenance while also helping thwart a common occurrence of vehicle issues that arise from not properly maintaining them. A large proponent of maintaining vehicles is hiring careful drivers who take care of them. With driver behavior, an automated scorecard is created for each individual driver based on Speed, Harsh Brakes or Turns, RPMs, and Fatigue where you can weigh each variable into a 100 percent total. The scorecards enable operations to review driver performances while also creating a sense of accountability for drivers. Driver behavior ultimately plays an important role in dispatching because the on-time and safe arrival of passengers has a lot to do with the driver. Simply put, improved dispatching improves passenger satisfaction. Fortunately, there are many preemptive tools that can be incorporated in public transportation entities to aid dispatching operations. Diego Capelluto serves as director of public transportation for TSO Mobile, an innovative leader in mobile resource management and logistics products and services, providing “all-under-one-roof GPS Vehicle Tracking and Fleet Management solutions” to all transportation entities. For more information, please visit www.TSOMobile.com.
Above: GPS technology is a huge asset for any public transportation entity, regardless of size.
GPS mobile apps and the AVA are taking transit to the next level By Diego Capelluto
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echnology has revolutionized the way that business is conducted in today’s world. With people constantly on-the-go, businesses are taking advantage of the ability to share and receive information as quickly and efficiently as possible due to advances in communication and information technology. One of the latest forms of continuously progressing technology is the real-time passenger information that can be communicated through different devices. GPS Fleet Tracking mobile apps offer passengers the ability to view on a single screen the whereabouts of connected fleets in real-time. Time is important and this app ensures that passengers don’t waste a minute. Seeing and scheduling route navigations is clear and easy while frequently receiving updated information about current and historical locations through different map views. Location updates every 10 seconds plus turn by turn and Google maps provide a reliable map to view. The GPS Fleet Tracking mobile app also has the capability to manage vehicles from anywhere, allowing work orders to be placed and processed with the push of a button. This innovative app gives exact locations and information while provides agencies the power to communicate with riders about scheduling and timing with the GPS tracking of vehicles. The most important tools of a GPS Fleet Tracking System are accessible at the palm of your hand with mobile applications. TSO Mobile is integrated with this system to allow fleet operators to track vehicles and entire fleets on the go with access to professional versions of web systems. As different updates and statuses arise, real time chat and messaging capabilities are accomplished as situations need to be
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reported. The application is easy to use with instant communication between drivers and operators that make solutions to problems or concerns easy and effective. The TSO Mobile “TSO Fleet Pro” GPS Fleet Tracking App may be downloaded from Google Play for Android phones and in the App Store for use on iPhones. The Audio Visual Automated Announcer (AVAS) is an automatic announcement system that keeps passengers up-to-date about the vehicle’s location, routes and upcoming stops. AVAS complies with the ADA and is a great benefit for both visually impaired and hearing challenged passengers. A LED sign displayed at the arriving or departing stop provides information on the vehicle’s current location. Passengers can also call a number provided to hear the displayed information through an automated voice system or they can text a number to receive a text message containing the same information that is on the LED sign. The AVAS system can be updated remotely or locally via USB stick so information is always up-to-date. The passengers riding in Hollywood and Miami Beach, FL, are loving the mobile-app and AVAS because it’s convenient, informative and a reliable service they can use daily. Diego Capelluto serves as director of public transportation for TSO Mobile, an innovative leader in mobile resource management and logistics products and services. TSO Mobile proudly announces its customizable ELD platform as certified by the FMCSA. PT Driver® mobile data terminals work along other transportation solutions such as Automated Passenger Counters (APCs) Audio Visual Automated Announcer (AVAS) and Anti-Bunching to promote good driving behaviors and increase productivity. Learn more at www.TSOPublicTransportation.com.
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