Lynx Telematics Signs Another Major Contract

Lynx Telematics, in Cincinnati, Ohio recently has signed a deal to partner and provide services to an industrial company that employs a fleet of more than 700 trucks and is the number 3 company in their industry.

It was learned through conversations after the decision had been made to work exclusively with Lynx Telematics, that this was the 4th test pilot that the company had been through over the past 3 years.
The reasons sited for making their decision were the complexity and robustness of the solutions we provided as well as the customer service and attention to detail that we demonstrated while servicing the test pilot program.

Vice President of Business Development, Vincent Rush, who handled the account from inception to delivery, explains the process and what led to the acquisition;

We began by picking a total of 16 large box trucks in two different locations.
Location A had 9 trucks on pilot while location B had 7.

Before we began stage one, we crafted a team “Roll Out” letter to the employees explaining the purpose installing this technology.

We called the program “The Safe Driving and Operational Efficiency Program”. One of the problems with many telematics projects, is failure to properly implement the program. That not only takes into consideration the explanation of why, but when, how and the name of the project.

The main objectives of the program were, safety compliance, reduction in fuel consumption, lowering insurance costs and allowing drivers to earn more through improved route efficiency.

The telematics landscape is littered with programs gone wrong, due to an improper roll out with unclear expectations.

When dealing with employees, it is very important to make sure team members see the project as a good thing for the company and not a “Covert Spying Project”.

This has always been one of our specialties and what differentiates us from many of our competitors.
There is a big difference in building a successful and sustainable telematics company and simply selling telematics devices.

Phase 1 of our program consisted of setting up our “plug and play” system in the trucks and then monitoring and collecting data for the Operations Manager for a period of 2 weeks.

During this time period we focused on idling time and discovered that each truck would idle an average of 8:30 per stop or an average of 7 hours per week, per truck.

It was during this phase that we were able to show, that by getting control of the idling time, we could reduce the company’s annual fuel expense of approximately $9 Million dollars by a conservative $720,840, using just one element of savings.

In phase two we split the locations and the fleet into two separate groups.

One with audible alerts for idling over 3 minutes and the other location, with only 6 trucks, without audible alerts.

The results were staggering!!!!

Location 1 accumulated a total of 280.5 hours with 9 trucks for an average of 1:52 per stop, while Location 2 with 3 fewer trucks, totaled 592 hours for an average of 6:12 per stop.

We were able to show our client an estimated annual savings in fuel expense, based on idling alone, of $902,415 or roughly 10% of their annual fuel budget.

We didn’t stop there.

The next phase of our test pilot was a meeting with their insurance company.
Not only did we get a verbal estimate of $75,000 dollars in annual savings, we received an endorsement from the company as well.

With an additional estimated savings of $129,600 in maintenance expenses we were able to show our client a projected annual savings of $1.1 million or $3.3 over the next 3 years.

Sure, these numbers are great and alone they should be enough to help any company pull the trigger on making the investment into telematics.

We also added the ability to monitor texting and driving through our partnership with ZoomSafer. In fact, 3 days before our final meeting, one of the company drivers was ticketed for texting while driving.

However, for a company that has been down the road with 3 other test pilots, all lasting 90-120 days, the real thing that sealed the deal, after only 52 days, was our level of customer service and attention to detail for the client.

“Lynx Telematics did not simply install a bunch of units and accumulate data for us”, 
commented the company Fleet Operations Manager. “They actually took personal responsibility and helped us manage and understand what the data was telling us.”

“Lynx also monitored our fleets ECM data and alerted us to possible mechanical issues as they were happening. That alone saved us thousands in productivity and lost product.”

“When I wanted reports or samples of data, my Account Manager, Vincent Rush, didn’t just email it to me, he hand delivered it and explained how the data was presented. They were the most thorough company we had tested.”

“What has really impressed us to this point is that now that we are partnered with Lynx, we are still getting help and attention, like we did in the testing phase. Very impressive level of service from a telematics company”

For more information or an analysis on how Lynx Telematics can help your company fleet reduce operating expenses, improve safety compliance and productivity while reducing risk liability, contact Vincent Rush at (513) 965-6318 or vrush@lynxtelematics.com

Telematics Insurance Simplified

Jared Davidson, Commercial Insurance Agent at Beehive Insurance If you’ve heard of the word, you likely work in the fleet management industry—or maybe you’re a tech junkie(!). What does telematics have to do with insurance you might be asking? Telematics is a relatively new field in technology that combines telecommunications and informatics – the study of information processing. GPS is a form of telematics. A Vehicle early warning system, such as GM’s OnStar, is another. To compare GPS to today’s telematics would be like comparing an analog cell phone from 25 years ago to today’s versatile smart phones. Businesses that operate fleets of vehicles today are under constant pressure to reduce costs and increase efficiency through improved fuel economy, better driver behavior, more effective dispatching and tracking, and overall vehicle management. The FMCSA in conjunction with the USDOT has enacted regulations and guidelines that reflect their push to improve overall road safety through better monitoring of driver behavior and vehicle road worthiness. Today’s cutting edge telematics devices integrate vehicle data obtained from the vehicle’s on-board diagnostics devices, which since 1996 are on all vehicles under 12,000 lbs GVW, with GPS data as well as driver inputs such as braking and acceleration levels to monitor overall vehicle operation. Telematics devices are becoming less proprietary over time so the cost of entry is becoming lower. The newest systems are cloud based and work on all major brand smart phones and tablet devices. Windows and/or Apple based operating systems are used at the dispatching end and Android (and other) operating systems on the driver’s end. Telematics systems can (and should) include real-time dispatching, routes traveled, and locations traveled to. There are applications that factor in traffic and weather data to route the vehicle to the most efficient way to reach its destination. This can result in savings through fewer miles traveled, lost time in traffic, and decreased idle time. Many hand held devices can now be configured to only allow incoming calls from numbers chosen by the employer, with similar restrictions on out-bound communications, reducing distractions to a minimum. Driver logs and post-trip inspections can also be performed with some of the better telematics software, reducing costs related to employees’ time to perform these government mandated duties, with the input automatically uploaded to the company’s server for real-time record keeping. So again, what does this have to do with my insurance? Well, several insurance companies have completed studies indicating that businesses that utilize telematics have fewer claims on their commercial auto policies. Lower claims for a business owner means that their account becomes more attractive to a potential insurer, and are more likely to get their best price on a quote. Some large commercial auto insurance companies are giving discounts for permanently attached telematics devices as well. Additional benefits can include time, money, and attention saved not having to deal with claims. Like deductibles, vehicle rental, repair shop issues, purchasing a replacement vehicle, possible negative publicity, and expenses related to training employees in new vehicle operation. Additionally, drivers have been shown to have fewer moving violations and accidents when they understand their vehicle and driving habits are being monitored. Quick location and recovery of stolen vehicles is much more likely. Even when the vehicle is not in use, the tracking device will ‘ping’ its location every few minutes. Weekend and holiday vehicle use can be monitored and better controlled by the business owner, lowering miles traveled, fuel expense, and unnecessary vehicle wear and tear costs. All of this adds up to a more efficient, well run vehicle fleet – and makes the roads safer for all of us. Jared Davidson Senior Account Executive 801-743-7717 | jadavidson@beehiveinsurance.com

Lynx Telematics and Geo Tab

The Value of driver monitoring, by Geo Tab.



At Lynx Telematics, along with our valued partnership with Geo Tab, we provide solutions to assist fleet managers with the operational challenges they face. Amongst these are fuel cost reductions, reduced maintenance cost and extending the life of the fleet as well as carbon footprint management, all of which are key issues being encountered.

Lynx Telematics is a Cincinnati based company that manufactures a device that has been proven effective in helping transportation companies manage their vehicles and/ or assets as well as helping with safety compliance issues and lowering insurance costs.

Lynx Telematics is a full-featured GPS fleet location, tracking, and vehicle performance management system offered to our fleet customers. A compact hardware and software unit that is installed in the vehicle and connects to its existing computer and diagnostics systems, Lynx communicates wirelessly via a dedicated and secure connection to a Web-based application that can be only accessed by fleet, safety and driver managers.

Key features of the Lynx Telematics device include the following:

--10-27% savings in fuel costs through specific driver modification.
--Up to a 30% discount on insurance rate because of telematics installation.
-- Enhanced Mapping Capability: A new map engine provides faster transitions between maps, improved detail, and a "bird's eye view" of tracked vehicles with the ability to obtain a street-level perspective in real time.
-- Safety and Savings: Monitor speed, fuel consumption, seat belt usage and idling time and eliminate texting and dtiving. Receive instant alerts for accidents and know that our 24/7 emergency service has already contacted your driver and dispatched help if required.
-- Extended Fleet Life. Protect your investment with real-time ECM diagnostics and read outs of what vehicles need specific maintenance, before larger problems arise.
-- Multi-Vehicle Following & Route Tracing: Lynx can follow multiple vehicles simultaneously and trace their routes traveled on the map.
-- Vehicle History Playback: A history playback capability shows a vehicle's 90 day history and includes a slider with play and pause options.
-- Analytic Reporting: A new analytics capability provides extensive fleet, safety, and travel data for vehicles as well as protect in liability cases.
--True "Plug & Play" solution, eliminating costly installs and uninstall expenses associated with hard wired devices.
--Lynx Telematics works with companies on how to properly introduce this technology into the company culture, which is nearly as important as the advantages of the technology it's self.

The companies that we work with typically report an annual savings of approximately $2500 per vehicle while recovering initial investment within the first 6 months.

The expanded analytics, improved mapping, and new interface of Lynx Telematics provide fleet managers with greater visibility and easier-to-use navigation.

Drivers love not having to complete paper logs, and CSA scores [Compliance, Safety, Accountability program of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration] have been shown to improve with the help of a Telematics device.

Lynx Telematics offers customers the ability to improve the performance of their fleets by continuously monitoring vehicles' location, mileage, speed, and direction, as well as other key performance and diagnostic data -- such as idle time, fuel consumption, average speed, miles logged, and hard braking events and a “speed compliance by street” feature that is unique to our industry.

Lynx Telematics also facilitates regulatory compliance through paperless trip reporting for interstate fuel tax calculations and Department of Transportation Hours of Service eLogs, reports, alerts, and audits for drivers.

Understanding ROI in Telematics

 

Understanding ROI in Telematics

By Light & Medium Truck Magazine

Telematics devices can improve fuel economy and driver behavior, but a recent survey released by Donlen Corp., a fleet financing and management company, revealed a divide between some of the perceived and actual benefits. 

The survey found that those considering telematics devices have a higher expectation of fuel savings than those already using them. 

The way the return on investment and perceived benefit is always preached to fleets is in mile-per-gallon improvement. I think the perceived benefit is probably a little more than what is gained.

Another reason for the disconnect could be that the importance of fuel economy on the return on investment moves further down the line as carriers notice other benefits and savings with use.

Donlen also found a large divide between small and large fleets on acquiring the devices. Among carriers with fewer than 100 vehicles, 80% of respondents said they are not considering telematics. However, among fleets with more than 300 vehicles, 80% of respondents are either considering or already using telematics.

It’s shockingly surprising that smaller fleets aren’t even considering the devices. One would think that you could really maximize your ROI on a smaller fleet, according to “Light & Medium Truck Magazine”. 

Among those not considering telematics devices, 69% said they don’t see a business need. Only 17% cited the cost as a deterrent. 

The top reasons for investing in telematics devices among those who are using them are improved driver behavior, route productivity and fuel savings. 

While return on investment is an important factor in choosing telematics, 40% of respondents already using the devices said they did not know their ROI. That is likely because carriers aren’t reviewing the data, either because they don’t have time or because they already perceive the ROI and don’t feel it is necessary to drill down through the numbers. 

Most telematics providers don’t have access to all of a carrier’s information, such as a fleet’s fuel and maintenance expenses, so entering and reviewing the data to further identify the ROI is up to the carrier. 

To help quantify the ROI, Donlen said, carriers need to understand their reasons for using telematics and to integrate and analyze available data relevant to those reasons.  According to experts, choosing a Telematics company that not only custom builds a solution to fit the specific needs of your fleet and company objectives, but then also works with you in partnership to learn how to interpret and understand exactly what the data is telling you, is worth it’s ROI weight in gold.

Working with a company like Lynx Telematics, located in Cincinnati Ohio, is like partnering with a team, rather than purchasing from one of the endless streams of Telematics companies on the great “gold rush”.

Having worked with some of the largest fleets in the world by developing custom built solutions, Lynx Telematics as an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) works equally as well with small fleets of 3-30 vehicles.

 Lynx Telematics, located in Milford Ohio, is an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacture) that specializes in developing proprietary fleet GPS Tracking devices for fleets of all sizes and functions.
For information on how Lynx Telematics can help your company save an average of $2500 per vehicle annually, contact Business Development Manager, VincentRush at (513) 965-6318

Lynx Telematics is an OEM that controls design, engineering, firmware, software development, IT support and manufacturing processes of our product, allowing us to produce the highest quality product in our industry, while offering our customers competitive pricing.

As your partner, we provide ongoing training and support to insure that the product is properly sold to the end user, maximizing the re-sellers profitability.

As one of the pioneers in telematics technologies, Lynx Telematics provides our clients with powerful end-to-end vehicle telematics tools. Our technology offers a real solution that delivers safety, saves money and provides an unprecedented level of peace of mind to our customers.

Telematics and Vending Fleets: ROI and Driver Behavior

 

Vending Fleets: ROI Is Top Issue For Telematics Users Improved; Driver Behavior Is No. 1 Reason For Use

NORTHBROOK, IL -- Route delivery is a central feature of operators providing merchandise vending, office refreshment, amusement and music services, so every operation depends on its motor vehicle fleet. In 2010, the number of vehicles run by operating companies dipped marginally, to 191,400, as operators continued to consolidate routes and improved scheduling efficiency to offset high fuel costs. 

National average gas prices in 2010 saw one of the smallest ranges in recent history. The price for a gallon of gas bottomed out at $2.61 and peaked at $2.94, a spread of only 33¢. 

In general, the composition of operator fleets remained the same compared with the year prior. Vans represented 54% of vehicles in use by operators, and non-modified vehicles, principally automobiles used by sales, technical and supervisory personnel, ticked up marginally. 

Operators continue to become more sophisticated vehicle purchasers, as the pressing need for improved route productivity puts a premium on vocational vehicles that allow drivers to make the most efficient use of their time. Vending delivery vehicles must be able to haul ever-larger payloads of packaged cold drinks; coffee service route trucks need different organization if they are delivering pre-written orders than if they are run as "rolling stores"; and in amusement and music fleets, the need to carry cigarettes has been supplanted by the need to haul redemption merchandise.

Most fleets, vending and amusement operations among them, understand the need for a telematics solution and are making the move to implement one if they haven't done so already, according to a recent study of fleet managers by Donlen Corp., a vehicle fleet management firm. The study found that many fleets already using telematics, long-distance transmission of computerized information like GPS, are unsure of their current solutions' ROI. 

This suggests a need to both understand their reasons for using telematics such as improved driving behavior, route productivity and fuel savings and to integrate and analyze available data that are relevant to those reasons. Fuel cost savings and sustainability are becoming significant factors for considering telematics, and improved driving behavior continues to be the No. 1 reason for implementing a telematics solution.

The report sought to determine how telematics and GPS devices are used, and the future objectives of implementing the technology. While more fleets are making the move to implement telematics, uncertainty about ROI remains a stumbling block for many fleet managers.

Among fleet managers surveyed who are considering a telematics solution, 46% said the ROI was unknown. A similar result (40%) was seen among fleet managers already using telematics solutions.

Respondents were grouped into three segments: fleets using a telematics solution (21% of respondents), fleets considering a telematics solution (34%), and fleets not considering a telematics solution (45%).

Not surprisingly, the number of vehicles in a fleet appeared to be the largest contributing factor to whether or not they use telematics. For fleets with less than 100 vehicles, 80% of the respondents said they are not considering telematics. For fleets with more than 300 vehicles, however, 80% of respondents either said they are considering or already using telematics.

Reasons for not adopting telematics could be attributed to lack of understanding about what telematics solutions can provide. When asked the primary reason for not considering telematics, "no business need" was specified by 69% of the respondents. The cost of telematics was not as much of a factor, with only 17% of respondents giving that reason. The most frequent "other" response was telematics was not being discussed in their organization as a possible solution.

Instead, the top three reasons for implementing telematics indicate a full understanding of the technology's potential: driver behavior, route productivity and fuel savings. The Donlen study found the most significant difference between existing users and those considering telematics was the effect on fuel savings. Among fleets using telematics, fuel savings was the No. 3 reason while it was No. 2 for fleets considering the technology.

The lowest-ranked reason among those already using telematics was sustainability initiatives; only 20% of fleets said they were factors. However, Donlen pointed out that sustainability as a motive for those contemplating telematics was almost double for existing users, or 36%, which clearly suggests an increased awareness or mandate toward sustainability.



For more information on how Lynx Telematics, an OEM located in Cincinnati, Ohio can custom design a solution to meet your fleet management needs, contact Vincent Rush at (866) 314-0461

LynxTelematics is an OEM that controls design, engineering, firmware, software development, IT support and manufacturing processes of our product, allowing us to produce the highest quality product in our industry, while offering our customers competitive pricing.

As your partner, we provide ongoing training and support to insure that the product is properly sold to the end user, maximizing the re-sellers profitability.

As one of the pioneers in telematics technologies, Lynx Telematics provides our clients with powerful end-to-end vehicle telematics tools. Our technology offers a real solution that delivers safety, saves money and provides an unprecedented level of peace of mind to our customers. 

Our product, LynxSafe, is the newest and most advanced in-vehicle communication system currently on the market. It combines GPS/satellite and GSM cellular technology to provide users and family members with immediate access to real-time information delivered directly via any internet enabled device including I Phone and Android smart phones.

All of our devices benefit from the innovation of U-Blox technology and a 3D Accelerometer, providing the industry’s most accurate pin point locating technology to within a 3 ft. radius.