PTV at transport logistic: map&guide new standards

24 April 2009, 10:13am

Karlsruhe/Germany, April 20, 2009. The current version of map&guide professional sets new standards for green logistics and transports and provides a wide range of useful features. Vehicle fleet operators and schedulers can now benefit from the first route-based emissions calculator and numerous new features, such as green zone routing or a directory of transport companies. Additional transport information on DocStops or truck wash centres, for example, support truck drivers during their journey. P

Version 2009 offers an extremely significant innovation: the emissions calculator, which allows dispatchers to calculate emissions, such as CO2, based on routes. The software uses the official data provided by the German Environment Agency for the calculation process. map&guide professional is the first standard software designed to provide high quality emissions data on the basis of routes. An important step to get prepared for the challenges of future climate protection.

Environmental zones - red, yellow or green?

The latest software version includes information about the green zones introduced in many German and Dutch cities. This comprehensive information tool helps dispatchers to take the right measures for each route to be driven. Different colour shades on the map and a route list show where the green zones are located and what type of badges are required for the various zones.

The software calculates the routes by taking the selected environmental badges for the green zones into account. Should the vehicles have no valid badges, the software displays routes that avoid green zones whenever possible. Or it calculates the shortest route through the green zone. If the vehicle has to take a route through an environmental zone without a valid badge, a warning message will appear in the route list.

Data for the transport industry

Additional data that is relevant to businesses in the transport sector enrich the transport route planner. Users have access to information on acceptance points for Routex and UTA cards and truck wash centres in Europe and DocStops in Germany. 250 DocStops at motorway exits, rest areas or travel plazas provide commercial drivers with medical care. map&guide enables the dispatcher to immediately identify the next DocStop and to forward this information to the sick driver.

Individually editing toll rates

If countries increase their road toll rates, users want to quickly calculate transport costs on the basis of these new fees. Therefore, dispatchers can now edit and update the rates themselves in order to ensure precise results, regardless of the software updates.

The user can specify an individual surcharge per toll kilometre for each country and vehicle category. This extra fee will be included in the toll calculation. If costs are for instance shared with other business partners, it is also possible to store these reduced rates. As a result, users can precisely calculate transport costs according to their specific requirements.

Improved search for parking areas

A new feature enables the user to identify parking areas along the selected route according to driving times and rest periods. In addition to rest areas along the motorway users can add parking areas located in industrial parks to the route list. The dispatchers can then include this information in the route list or they contact the drivers to tell them where they can find the best place to park.

Legal rest periods based on previous routes taken by the driver can be included for realistic scheduling. This is particularly helpful for transport companies that wish to efficiently plan vehicles and routes including trips of several days or with tight deadlines while also complying with changing health and safety regulations.

Truck routing: Even more features for individual planning

The enhanced truck routing feature provides users with even more individual planning options. It allows the dispatcher to weight types of routes, such as motorways, federal truck roads, country roads, residential roads, toll roads and environmental zones, so trucks can completely avoid routes through environmental zones, for example.

All enhanced features are included in map&guide professional 2009.

map&guide transport products information

Geo: International