PeopleNet Honors Customer Innovators At User Conference

Contrans Corporation, Holiday Companies, McLane Companies, and Saddle Creek Logistics Services cited for creative contributions

PeopleNet, the leading provider of innovative and integrated onboard computing and mobile communications systems for effective fleet management, recently announced the recipients of its 2012 Innovator of the Year Awards, which the company gives to fleets that demonstrate exceptional leadership in using PeopleNet to create unique solutions that accelerate/drive return on investment (ROI). Presenting the awards at last evening’s customer appreciation banquet held at PeopleNet’s 10th annual user conference, Vice President of Tailored Solutions Randy Boyles said, “Our user conference is a unique time when all of our customers have the opportunity to benefit from the successes of others. It is an ideal backdrop for recognizing customers who have led the way in getting the most out of their technology investment. We are grateful to Contrans Corporation, Holiday Companies, McLane Companies, and Saddle Creek Logistics Services for sharing their creative, pioneering contributions.”

Awards were presented to each company in its respective category.

Under 100 Trucks
A customer since 2006, Bloomington, Minnesota-based Holiday Companies, integrated PeopleNet with its Lawson payroll system and reaped a six-figure ROI. PeopleNet Professional Services group helped Holiday automate its cumbersome, manual payroll process, which relied heavily on hard copy and data entry.

The pay-off includes time-savings for drivers who have less paperwork to deal with. Terminal operators and payroll staff have time to handle additional duties. Errors due to multiple data-entry steps were eliminated and driver on-duty hours are now accurate. The PeopleNet system captures and associates hours worked with the appropriate power units and captures vacation and sick pay.

100-500 Trucks
Saddle Creek Logistics Services has logged a number of firsts for compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks with PeopleNet, including recording miles-per-gallon (MPG) data using Vehicle Management and filing International Fuel Tax Association (IFTA) reports using Fuel Tax Reporting.

The company was instrumental in PeopleNet’s development of a program in which the onboard computer converts natural gas consumed by the engine to diesel equivalent gallons, so a comparative report can run to compare fuel metrics across their entire fleet of mixed vehicles (diesel and CNG)—MPG, idle, power take-off (PTO) and others. As more fleets add CNG and liquid natural gas (LNG) trucks, they will have a way to accurately track MPG performance and thus justify their technology investment.

Other Saddle Creek innovations include a low-cost, quick-release system for the BLU.2 display that facilitates driver interaction easier and Department of Transportation (DOT) viewing of eDriver Log records. The use of PeopleNet services is among the successful owner-operator strategies Saddle Creek uses to help retain quality drivers.

500-Plus Trucks
The Grocery and Food Service divisions of McLane Company, Inc. installed 2,300 PeopleNet in-cab computers with Wi-Fi. The Temple, Texas-headquartered company is a power user that has developed a number of customized reports from raw data pulled from the PeopleNet Link on its network. PeopleNet’s Tailored Solutions group has built several reports and programs for McLane, including an hours-available projection report and a report to track adherence to specialized state labor regulations.

McLane has initiated requests that have resulted in new PeopleNet capabilities to improve driver safety and reduce distracted driving. The company also was instrumental in the development of the PeopleNet Trip Recorder.

Canada
In just four years since Woodstock, Ontario-based Contrans Group began to use PeopleNet in their 1,400 tractor fleet, the company has continued to integrate the system across its operation—from creating a routing option with its dispatch software to developing an out-of-route miles report with data from the PeopleNet Link.

The company was instrumental in working with NaviGo to develop its Fuel Ahead program, which points the driver to the closest fuel stops offering the best prices. The program helps minimize both fuel costs and out-of-route miles.

Contrans extended the use of in-cab scanning by integrating ACS scanners with its border-crossing process to ensure that documents arrive at the border before their trucks in order to meet regulations. Their most recent pioneering effort is with Tailored Solutions on a program that enables in-cab printing for BLU.2, a new capability that will present PeopleNet customers with a new advantage.

Today is the final day of the 10th Annual PeopleNet User Conference being held in Boca Raton, Fla., at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. More than 36 sessions are helping fleets maximize ROI and MPG, reduce maintenance costs, improve safety, and more easily comply with regulation with the tools and information that PeopleNet provides them, including the unique needs of truckload, LTL, private, and service fleets.

About PeopleNet
PeopleNet is exclusively focused on providing innovative Internet-based and integrated onboard computing and mobile communications systems to improve North America’s trucking industry’s fleet management. Its products are used by more than 1,500 truckload, LTL, private, and service fleets in the United States and Canada, including several Fortune 500 companies. Reputed for its customer-driven technological innovation, unparalleled flexibility, and proactive customer care, PeopleNet was the first major technology provider to offer Internet-based communications to the transportation industry 15 years ago. Since then, the company has aggressively developed new products that continue to improve fleet management. Industry recognition of the company’s leadership includes: Frost & Sullivan New Product Innovation Award, Inbound Logistics Top 100 Award; Food Logistics’ 100 Top Technology Solutions and Service Providers; Frost & Sullivan Market Engineering Award; and M2M Value Chain Award. PeopleNet is part of Trimble’s international Transportation and Logistics division. For more information, visit www.peoplenetonline.com.