Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/625735
38 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JANUARY 2016 a Cummins Westport 12-liter engine with a 10-speed automated manual transmission. Smith says Modern is the fi rst tanker fl eet – and one of only two fl eets in the nation – to have a natural gas-powered tractor with a 6x2 tag axle confi guration. The Super Diesel can achieve 8 mpg when pulling empty trailers, and 7.5 mpg overall. While the CNG- and LNG- powered trucks get the diesel equivalent of 6 mpg, they release half of the carbon and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, Cozzens says. The testing also includes a new spec for tank trailers with an automatic lift axle; this forward trailer axle applies more pressure to the wheels on the ground when loaded. Besides using its data warehouse to analyze the fuel effi ciency of this new equipment, management is looking at other cost-saving benefi ts by using this equipment across the fl eet to extend tire life, Smith says. Gaining deeper insights The data warehouse has proven to be a valuable tool for Modern to build its culture of innovation. "We challenge ourselves to get better every month, every quarter and every year," Cozzens says. "Without that data, you are not able to do that." Management is able to monitor the daily profi tability for every tractor, trailer and driver by doing projected weekly closings of the company's fi nancial reports to make faster and smarter decisions in near real time, he says. One critical measure to maximize fl eet profi tability is payload weight. As a bulk carrier, Modern bills customers by weight and holds managers and drivers accountable. A daily report shows the op- portunity costs for drivers who did not fi ll tankers to maximum capacity at quarries and other loading points. Another example of harnessing data is predicting freight seasonality. Modern is determining freight patterns and lane volumes to proactively reassign equipment and drivers to different locations. Every executive and manager uses a custom dashboard-style interface to the company's data warehouse. Each dashboard is tailored to their areas of responsibilities and has real-time vis- ibility of key metrics, including driver performance. Every truck has a system that gives drivers real-time feedback by using various inputs to detect risky behav- iors, most of which also impact fuel effi ciency. An indicator on the dash changes from green to yellow and red according to the level of risk detected, and drivers can use a mobile app to review their scores in more detail. The system provides detailed in- formation for supervisors to manage driver safety. When scores change, "we have it, and we coach the driver im- mediately," Cozzens says. When implementing its fl eet safety software system, Modern sent a letter home to the families of drivers to explain the new program and encour- age spouses and children to ask drivers about their scores each day. "The driver can pull it up on their phone through an app, and we publish their scores in the terminal so drivers see how they rank," he says. The company's insurance provider has recognized its safety efforts for nine consecutive years, and Modern now is working with a data company to take a deeper dive into predictive analytics. The intent is to combine safety performance data with workers compensation and driver health data to identify areas of potential risk. The project should give the compa- ny a more holistic view of its drivers, Cozzens says. It could identify those who may need treatment for certain medical conditions that could cause safety hazards, and it also could help the company make more informed hiring decisions. Another recent effort to improve driver safety during unloading events involves Modern's DOT 407 chemical tank trailers that have a rear discharge pipe. The company has worked with vendors to spec a center discharge pipe to provide drivers more versatility while unloading at customer locations. It also began spec'ing a ground-level vapor recovery valve to eliminate the risk of drivers climbing to the top of trailers where the valves normally are located. Modern fi rst was recognized in November 2011 as a CCJ Innovator for its efforts to enhance its safety culture by using technology. Since then, the company has been able to harness all of its data and technology to make smarter decisions, Cozzens says. CC J I N N O VATO R S pro les carriers and eets that have found innovative ways to overcome trucking's challenges. If you know a carrier that has displayed innovation, contact Je Crissey at jcrissey@ccjmagazine.com or 800-633-5953. Modern Transportation's data warehouse has proven to be a valuable tool for the company to build its culture of innovation, says Patrick Cozzens, president. Modern Transportation has created managerial dashboards that compile data from various sources.