Hole Lot Of Trouble Going On - How Potholes Are Hitting The UK's Transport Fleets Hard

Potholes on a road in Banbury, UK.

It will come as no surprise to anyone who is out on the road on a day-to-day basis - but councils in England have today admitted that they don't have enough money to fix the potholes that are blighting the country's highways. 


Last Winter's bad weather once more created millions of dangerous craters on our roads. Councils say they have increased spending to deal with it and the Department of Transport has pledged £3 billion to fill in the mess.


But even this isn't enough. 

The Local Government Association (LGA) told the BBC that they would face a "huge struggle" to repair holes after the coldest December in 100 years.

Potholes form when water seeps into road cracks and freezes, breaking up the tarmac. The association estimated councils had filled in more than two million potholes following the winter of 2009-10 and faced a similar task this year. 


The problem has huge implications for the transport industry, not least because councils are increasingly facing compensation claims from road users who are affected by badly damaged roads. 


One council, Hampshire County Council, admitted to the BBC that payouts for damage to vehicles caused by potholes almost doubled in a year. The authority paid out about £111,000 in 2009/10 - compared to about £60,000 the year before.

If you are a fleet manager worried about the damage bad roads are causing your vehicles, telematics can play a vital role in monitoring the problem - and making claims. 


Detailed 'snail trails' of vehicle's routes and timings along with readings on harsh-breaking patterns and speeds can be used to build up a comprehensive picture of how a vehicle's progress has been disrupted by potholes. 


Contact us to find out more about how iBox technology's mates can help you chart the damage potholes cause your vehicles.

How To Stop Forklifts Being Lifted! The Genius Of Geo-Fencing

Fleet managers and vehicle owners are always facing new challenges. And we, as suppliers of tracking equipment, have to move with them.

An important recent development has been the addition of 'geo-fencing' to our vehicle tracking equipment.

Geo-fencing very simply allows users to set the geographical parameters within which a vehicle or piece of equipment should be operating. On the one hand it can show that vehicles have reached designated delivery locations. On the other hand, it can reveal that a vehicle or piece of equipment has strayed out of a designated zone, ensuring the fleet manager knows about it immediately.

At iBox technology we've seen this technology applied in a variety of ways. In the haulage and logistics business, for instance, it allows transport companies to detect - and if necessary, prove - that a delivery has arrived at the correct destination.

One example of the usefulness of this came when a delivery firm was charged a heavy penalty by a major supermarket chain for not having delivered a consignment on time. After talking to its driver, the delivery firm challenged this. They argued that he had been on the supermarket's premises, but had been held back from emptying his load by the warehouse manager's decision to give another, later delivery priority because of its perishable load. They were able to prove the driver was on the premises by showing them the geo-fencing data which showed that the lorry had arrived ahead of rather than behind schedule. The penalty was refunded.

Another example came when we fitted geo-fencing to a fleet of forklifts being operated by a warehouse company on a large, industrial estate. They had suffered a series of disappearances of their forklifts. One or two had been stolen and subsequently recovered. But others had simply gone astray. Within a week of having our geo-fencing equipment fitted, the company had discovered the cause of these mysterious disappearances.

They found that workers were using the forklifts to travel around the estate, far from where they should have been working. The new geo-fencing kept showing them leaving the designated operation zones, often to do 'private work' or even make social calls. Workers were often simply abandoning the forklift trucks at the end of the working day.

When they discovered this practice they launched a search of the industrial estate and quickly found the remaining 'lost' forklifts. Needless to say they didn't go missing in that way again - and staff didn't go wandering from their workplace as much either.

Lorry Drivers To Be Hit By Tough, New EU Pollution Laws

The importance of managing a fuel efficient - and environmentally responsible - fleet is going to increase still further if new EU laws come into force. A report in today's edition of European Voice reveals that a new Europe-wide law that could mean lorry drivers are required to pay for the environmental harm caused by their vehicles moved a step closer today.

The law on the taxation of heavy vehicles was approved by ministers this morning (February 14th) and will now go on for approval in the Euro Parliament. 

The proposal would allow EU countries to charge lorry drivers for noise and air pollution caused by their vehicles. This will come on top of new arrangements, which we reported last week, that will allow countries to charge tolls to vehicles from other EU countries that use their road system. 

The new rules would apply to any motorway in the EU, a significant point as national governments have previously objected to attempts to extend the law beyond the ‘Trans-European Network' of EU priority roads. The proposals were not unanimously approved. Italy and Spain voted against the law, while Ireland, the Netherlands and Portugal abstained.

All MEPs are due to vote on the issue in June. 

If the law comes into effect, it will make it even more imperative that fleet managers control their vehicle's emissions. And this will make devices like iBox's technology's eco-mate even more effective and useful. 

The eco-mate allows fleet managers to monitor a wide range of fuel-related data. 

Inspector Gadget! - How Telematics Can Help Track Down The Truth

Modern telematics and tracking devices offer much more than simple messages about a vehicle’s location, speed and travel routes. They can also act as digital detectives, as Steve Green explains:

“A while back we fitted some of our Eco-mate devices to a fleet of 7.5 ton trucks available for rental with one of the country’s biggest fleet operators. Some of the trucks were rented out to a well known transport company that distributes fruit and vegetables to pubs and restaurants all over the UK. The owners signed the contract, sent out the lorries and left the delivery company to get on with their business. As far as they were concerned, they were doing just that.

“As part of our service, we routinely monitor the data that is streaming from all our clients’ vehicles. One day, whilst monitoring this particular fleet of trucks, we noticed something odd.

“One of the trucks had stopped and remained parked at a location in East Sussex. It remained there with its ignition off for several hours. Using the map function that we have built in, we were able to zoom into the location and saw that the lorry was parked up in a lay by. We assumed it was some kind of problem, perhaps with the driver.

“When we looked again the following day, the data stream showed that the vehicle had changed location and was now in Leighton Buzzard. From the fuel readings we could see that it had done this without using any fuel. Quite obviously, it had for some reason been towed or transported there. It remained in Leighton Buzzard for three days.

“Now it just so happened that we knew that the company which had hired these trucks had a service garage in Leighton Buzzard. So it was then that we started to put two and two together. There had clearly been some kind of accident and the lorry had been towed or transported to the company’s garage to fix it.

“In a routine conversation with the client who owned the trucks, we mentioned that we thought one of their trucks had been in an accident or broken down.

“As far as they were concerned the truck was travelling around the country making deliveries as normal.”

“No, we’ve not heard anything about that,” they replied. “If there was  an accident, the client has to inform us automatically. It’s in the contract. You must be mistaken.”

“In the end, however, we were proven right. It turned out that the truck had been involved in an accident in East Sussex and had been transported back to Leighton Buzzard where it was fixed up.

“It highlighted an aspect of telematics that we hadn’t until then considered. By interpreting and analysing data properly, we can highlight areas that wouldn’t ordinarily be identified. In this case, the company that had hired the trucks from our client had been keeping them in the dark, in breach of their contractual obligations to inform them of any problems or accidents.

“In a way, tracking devices are digital detectives. I’m sure that won’t be the last time we use them to solve a mystery.”

Lorry Drivers To Be Charged £9 A Day To Drive Britain's Roads

As if spiralling fuel costs, rampant insurance hikes and other factors aren't making it hard enough for transport companies, the Government is now planning to force drivers to pay £9 a day to travel on the UK's road system. 


According to the Daily Telegraph the plan will be rolled out in the Summer with a view to being introduced - via new legislation - by April 2014. 


Now Ministers are promising that lorry drivers won't be worse off because of the scheme. They claim other taxes will be reduced to compensate for the £9 charge. For instance, annual road tax could be trimmed to reflect the difference. 


The aim of the exercise, apparently, is to make foreign drivers pay for the use of UK roads for the first time. They would be charged via a 'vignette' system. According to the Telegraph the haulage industry is behind the idea: 

"We are for it," said a spokesman for the Freight Transport Association. "It's a charge which will apply to foreign hauliers, who should pay for their road use. "But we wouldn't want to be hit over the head twice with road user charging and existing taxes."

The only detail that's unclear is what system would be used to calculate when a lorry was on or off the road. The Government has ruled out a "spy in the sky" system involving compulsory black boxes. 

Sounds like an opportunity for telematics and vehicle tracking specialists. 

Telematics Key To Australian Road Safety Says Report

Fleet managers 'Down Under' face legislation that will require them to use more telematics and vehicle tracking devices. 

Australian publication Supply Chain Review reports that the country's National Road Safety Strategy 2011 – 2020 recommends sweeping changes to the trucking industry to reduce the national road toll by 30 percent over a 10-year period. 

The report, which is currently open for consultation, wants an increase in point-to-point speed cameras and a greater role for telematics to monitor speed, mass limits, road damage and braking and handling. 

Budget Time. How Telematics & Vehicle Tracking Can Deliver Huge Savings & Efficiencies

It's that time of the year again - fleet managers up and down the country are putting together their budgets for the coming year. As we reveal in our latest press release, iBox Technology is helping companies of all sizes achieve significant savings. Here's an extract:

A whole range of clients have benefited from using iBox Technology's innovative products. These include:

- a small west country company, running a fleet of six, two-man vehicles, whose costs were slashed by an instant £8 per man, per day (£2,000 a month), by using iBox’s Trac-mate device.

- a large, urban local authority, who have been able to monitor and manage their fleet of 50 waste disposal trucks and street-cleaning vehicles, potentially saving hundreds of man hours - and tens of thousands of pounds - in the process.

- a large, 3PL provider who have used iBox’s Tele-mate device to slash their communications and phone costs as well as optimising shift patterns and highlighting driving issues within part of its 1,200 strong fleet.

“A lot of fleet managers are talking to us at this time of the year as they put together their budgets for the coming twelve months. Whatever the specifics of their fleet, there are areas where each of them can make cost and efficiency savings,“ says iBox Technology director, Steve Green.

“Whether it’s improving their trucks’ fuel efficiency via our Eco-Mate or streamlining their communication and task mangement systems via our Tele-Mate or Task-Manager, we’ve got the technology to help. And in these cost-conscious time we can make the difference between going places or going under.”

iBox Technology - Budget Time. How Telematics & Vehicle Tracking Can Transform Fleet... - MyNewsdesk

‘Task Manager’ System Delivers Big Benefits To Fleet Managers

Just issued a news release on our successful Task Manager facility.

The system, which comes as standard in each of iBox’s range of tracking ‘Mates’ and works in conjunction with a standard Garmin Sat-Nav, allows fleet managers to remotely update their vehicles with new or amended job details.

The system is remarkably simple - and efficient. As soon as the driver receives the new or amended job details - and presses ‘accept’ on the Sat Nav - he or she is given the updated destination and route details. The fleet manager is then able to track the progress of the vehicle and the new task via the iBox ‘Timeline’ display, which as well as showing the vehicle’s location, generates an Estimated Time of Arrival that is constantly updated according to traffic conditions.

“The Task Manager system brings several benefits to the fleet manager,“ said iBox Technology director Steve Green. “First and foremost, it removes the need for the fleet manager and driver to be exchanging telephone calls, something that can be hit and miss at the best of times. The manager can amend and add to the scheduled jobs remotely, without having to speak to the driver. And they can do that at any time of the day or night,” says Green.

The system dovetails perfectly with IBox Technology’s other features, in particular its Timeline display, which shows the progress of all vehicles within the fleet on a single screen. “Thanks to the Timeline display, this system allows the manager to monitor the progress of tasks, right down to the driver’s ETA at the client. This also means that the manager can be in direct contact with the client, keeping them up to date with the driver’s progress. It brings a huge improvement in efficiency and communication and helps put the customer’s mind at ease.”

“It’s proving a real hit with our clients, especially 3PL providers,” said Green. “It’s also got significant potential benefits in sectors such as the service industry. So, for instance, a client who has requested a maintenance or service specialist can be kept up to date with precise details about their ETA.”

iBox Technology - New ‘Task Manager’ System Delivers Big Benefits To Fleet Managers - MyNewsdesk

Praise in the Press for iBox Technology's Telematics Systems

Interesting piece about one of our clients, UKDN, in the WalesOnline business section. UKDN - or the UK Drainage Network, to give them their full name - are a fast-expanding company specialising in drainage jobs of all sizes, from domestic blockages to contracts with water companies. UKDN boss Bob Gallagher told Wales Online that their success was, in part, down to their use of technology. And he singled out iBox technology as a key contributor. He said: 

“Using cost-saving technology like “no dig” techniques with materials provided by ER Solutions, through to directing the nearest vehicle to the nearest job by way of a state-of-the-art telematics tracker system supplied and fitted by IBOX technology are innovations that help reduce our costs. It means the savings are passed through to our customers and wherever the drainage incident is managed from, customers can be assured that the very latest drainage techniques are being employed to minimise the cost, inconvenience and ensure completion on time.”

New Version of iBox technology's 'live' Can-bus winning orders

Sales of our unique 'live' Can-bus device are exceeding our expectations. Customers are telling us that they like the fact it delivers 'today's data - today'. Steve Green has talked about it in detail in a new Press Release. He says: 

“As far as we aware, ours is the only system that gives you live data, connecting the cab to the manager’s office in real time. With our live interface it’s all there for you. If you click on the icon or link for a particular vehicle it will show you the fuel consumption, total fuel used, the average speed, its location, everything you need to know.

A transport manager can take a look at this and see, for instance, that a driver has made six harsh braking manoeuvres in the space of half an hour. He can ring the driver up immediately to find out if there’s a problem.

It still gives the fleet manager the option of generating a weekly report and will provide him or her with a plethora of information. But the difference is that, rather than waiting for the start of a new week to analyse last week’s data, we provide immediate information. We provide today’s data, today.”

Read about it in more detail here. 

iBox technology launch the 'Telemate'

Just released details of our exciting, new product, the 'Telemate'. Here’s what the Press Release says:

This innovative device removes the need for drivers to use mobile phones and allows seamless and safe communication between vehicles and their Fleet Managers.

The device has been designed and launched by iBox technology in response to consumer demand and combines a standard Garmin Sat-Nav, Can-bus with a mobile phone and remotely updated phone book. The phone answers automatically when called and drivers can speed dial any one of up to fifty numbers that are remotely input to the box.

iBox technology director Steve Green says the new device has a number of advantages.

“The beauty of this system is that communication between the driver and his office becomes safe and seamless. The office will upload all the key numbers the driver needs, from the manager’s number to tyre companies, garages and the emergency services. It can also have the driver’s home number in case he needs to make emergency calls. All calls are hands free, so it is much safer and time efficient. Rather than fishing around for a mobile phone, finding and punching in numbers, the driver has to do very little beyond pressing a button or two for an outgoing call,” said Green.

“In addition, anyone who has the Telemate’s number will be able to call in to the cab. So, for instance, if a client is awaiting a delivery, they can call the vehicle with any important information,” said Green. “Equally, if a family member needs to make an urgent private call to the driver, they can do so.”

Read more about it at mynewsdesk.com. 

Meet The Ultimate Executive Assistant - The Sat-Nav PA

Ever feel lost without your PA? Ever wish he or she could be running your life wherever you are?

A Midlands businesswoman is pioneering a unique, new executive tool that may provide a solution -  a sophisticated, Sat-Nav PA built into her car‘s dashboard.

Like many top executives, Diane Williams, Operations Director of  the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, leads a hectic and meeting-filled week. New appointments are constantly being added - or removed - from her diary by her PA, often while Dianne is tied up in other meetings. As a result she is constantly relying on her office-based assistant to phone, text or email her with details of where she needs to be next - and when.

In an attempt to simplify her life, Dianne agreed to trial a new device by innovative UK telematics and fleet management company iBox technology.

iBox specialise in providing fleet managers with live data on their vans, trucks and lorries. Their boxes deliver a mass of live information - from a vehicle’s location and speed, to its fuel consumption, load weight and even its driver’s braking habits. They also allow a two-way communication between the vehicle and the office.

iBox adapted a special version of their Trac-Mate device for Williams, integrating it into her car’s Sat Nav. The device allowed her  PA to track her exact whereabouts - as well as her mileage, start and stop times and speed - as she got on with her week’s work. It even provided a ‘snail trail’ of where she had been that week.

Crucially, however, it also allowed two way communication and task scheduling between her PA’s computer and the in-car device so that whenever Dianne climbed into the driver’s seat and switched on the ignition, she knew where her next meeting was and what time she needed to be there.

Dianne was delighted with the impact the device had on her working life. “I’m in and out of the office all the time, going to lots of meetings, not usually that far from each other. I will often have my telephone off so if the next meeting is cancelled or there is a change of destination I may not pick that information up,” she explained.

“Even if you have your Blackberry it takes time to get the details of a change of location. You then have to go to a map website and get directions. It can slow you down.”

The iBox device transformed her working life.

“It was like having my PA in the car. She was able to manage my diary remotely. It left me free to focus on the things that are important, not be distracted by the worry of where I had to be and how I was going to get there,” she said. “I would switch on my ignition and the device would tell me where I was going next and tell me how to get there. It was a very efficient way of managing my time.”

Dianne believes devices like this have a number of benefits. “Nobody is carrying any fat in their staffing at the moment. If you put too much pressure on too few people you are going to have problems. You have to help them manage their time and provide them with access to information quickly. This allows you to achieve that,” she said.

“Secondly, there is a safety and security issue for women. As a woman going out all the time, this allows people to know where I am. I felt safer when I had this in my car. It also has real benefits from a corporate responsibility point of view. As a company, you are more able to protect your staff,” she said. “I’d thoroughly recommend this kind of technology for all sorts of businesses.”


For more details on this story click here. Or click here to read it in full at mynewsdesk.com