TIS Press Release June 2021

Bocholt, June 15, 2021

With TISLOG, the Heinrich Gustke forwarding company has a uniform telematics system for all cargo and general cargo transport, which enables gapless digital work.

Why not use it in local transport too? The drivers of the Heinrich Gustke forwarding company used in cargo transport are open to this question. With the owner-managed medium-sized company, it happens again and again that the truckers who are mainly used in long-distance transport take over general cargo tours. This high level of flexibility is supported by a uniform and comprehensive telematics system that simultaneously controls cargo and general cargo traffic.

Here, Gustke relies on the TISLOG telematics solution and 145 driver-related mobile computers of the Zebra TC75 type, which are fixed in a vehicle holder with an integrated charging station, developed by TIS, during the tour. The TISLOG app installed on the handhelds guides the driver step by step through the entire delivery process up to the delivery receipt and loading equipment handling.

Familiar environment

"With TISLOG, our drivers always work in the familiar technical environment, so that switching from long-distance to local transport is easy for them," explains Christian Schröder from the IT department of the family-owned company based in Rostock. The versatility of TISLOG and its predecessor PSV3 was also one of the reasons why Gustke switched telematics providers in 2012. "In addition, the solution is being developed further dynamically and continuously improved," adds IT manager and authorized signatory Henry Gustke.

One of the most recent enhancements is the graphically supported loading scanning, with which the previously used terminal emulation could be replaced in summer 2020. “With the graphic load scanning from TIS, our drivers always have an overview of all stops and the packages to be loaded,” says Schröder. This means that there is no longer any need to print out cargo lists and the approximately 300 daily local transport shipments can be processed completely paperless.

Immediate feedback

In addition, the driver receives an immediate response in case he grabs the wrong package. Another backup is activated if individual packages are overlooked. "The driver can only complete the process when all the parts of the shipment have been scanned without errors, which means that loading errors are almost completely ruled out," explains Gustke. The new load scanning gives the drivers considerably more safety, which is why the software has been very well received.

At Gustke, graphic loading scanning integrates with the Komalog transport management system (TMS) from Transdata used there. The interface to Komalog enables direct access of the loading scanner to the data of the TMS. This enables drivers to access their digital loading lists directly on the mobile scanner.

Unitized process

The pre-trip control developed by TIS, which can now also be carried out paperless, is also popular among drivers. The app appears on the driver's mobile device as an additional menu item. The function provides drivers with a uniform control process for the tractor unit and semi-trailer or motor vehicle and trailer for small and large departure controls. Damage and defects can be ticked off using pre-formulated descriptions and, if necessary, documented with photos. “The checklists are based on the specifications of the BG Verkehr trade association. We have adapted them to the specific needs of our vehicle fleet with little effort, ”reports Gustke.

At the end of the control process, the drivers decide whether their vehicle is ready for use and sign their entries on the device's display. The digital pre-trip control is then transferred to the web-based information and dispatching platform "Infodesk" and archived there as a PDF document. In this way, fleet managers and dispatchers have access to all logs at all times.

Targeted training

The heart of the solution is the type Truck 2 telematics box installed in all cabs. It has a GPS antenna and SIM card and can be installed in as little as 60 minutes. During this time, the hardware, which weighs 150 grams, is connected to the digital tachograph and the FMS / CAN interface. In addition to pure location, the solution thus offers great potential for other functions. Gustke uses, among other things, the driver evaluation feature. Based on an objective analysis of driving style and consumption data, drivers can be specifically addressed and retrained.

The remote transmission of driving and rest times led to further savings at Gustke. "With this function, we save several hours a week that we used to spend manually reading out driver and company cards," emphasizes Schröder. Now the data is simply transferred from the tachograph to the telematics boxes and from there to the TIS data center via mobile network.

Much more comfortable

The data form the basis for various server services that TIS has combined under the name TISLOG office. TISLOG office serves as an online interface for the telematics data sent by the mobile devices. The data can be edited and analyzed directly in an online portal. All legal provisions including the one-minute rule up to the double week are taken into account by TISLOG office. In the event of impending violations, the dispatchers can be automatically notified by email. But the drivers also have access to their current driving and rest times via the TISLOG app. "This is much more comfortable for our drivers than having to maneuver through the narrow display of the tachograph," says Schröder.

The translation function integrated in TISLOG is also convenient. It facilitates communication with the 30 Polish drivers who work primarily in long-distance transport at Gustke. Text messages from the four long-distance traffic dispatchers are automatically translated into Polish and then sent to the respective handheld. "This expansion was implemented by TIS just as easily and reliably as the many other project steps", states Christian Schröder. "The cooperation with the developers and consultants at TIS is always trusting," confirms Henry Gustke.

Against this background, the company is already looking forward to the improvements planned for 2021: Among other things, dynamically updated ETA times and the expansion of the telematics solution to the trailers are planned.