Vehicle Tracking and Mobile Computing from Mentor

02 December 2008, 5:06pm

CALGARY, AB – December 2, 2008 - Mentor Streets® Enterprise is Mentor Engineering’s mobile resource management solution for fleets of 100 vehicles or more. Tailored to each client’s unique business environment, Streets Enterprise delivers Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)/GPS, mobile computing, telematic data, incident management, and reporting capabilities.

In conjunction with your existing enterprise system(s), Streets Enterprise facilitates the dispatch of work orders to the field force with Mentor Ranger®, a rugged mobile computer installed in each vehicle. With Ranger, field workers can view their work orders and daily tasks instantly, send and receive on-the-fly schedule changes, communicate with dispatch by hands-free calling or two-way text messaging, and find their destinations quickly with onscreen maps and turn-by-turn prompts. An internal GPS receiver sends up-to-the-minute vehicle location updates and telematic vehicle information to dispatch.

Streets Enterprise allows organizations to capture OBDII and J1708 engine diagnostic information to facilitate real-time preventive maintenance programs. Based on the collection of this telematic data, incidents are automatically generated. Vehicle information such as maintenance issues, speeding, unauthorized vehicle use and unnecessary idling is captured, alerting managers to costly driving behaviors that consume excess fuel.

Managers can export incidents to generate reports. Historical data such as driver start/stop times, and vehicle speed and location can be verified, helping to resolve service disputes, account for cargo, and minimize liability. As well, automating the reporting process reduces paperwork and redundant data entry.

For American Electric Power (AEP), one of the largest utility corporations in the United States and a Streets Enterprise user, vehicle tracking and incident reporting allows for better distribution of their 4500 service trucks based on job demands, and improved response times to customer calls and driver emergencies. Multilevel grouping and filtering capabilities allow users to focus on only the vehicles that are relevant to the current situation.

More than a standalone application, Streets Enterprise integrates with the client’s existing infrastructure, such as databases and work order management software. Client GIS data can be imported to Streets so resources unique to each client, such as cables and green boxes, can be viewed in removable layers for faster dispatching. In addition, Streets works with every major US public data (cellular) network, as well as private radio networks. By utilizing existing technologies and keeping the work environment familiar, operational downtime, training time and capital costs are kept to a minimum.

“These factors, combined with Streets Enterprise’s scalability and the extensive integration expertise, support and training provided by Mentor when implementing projects, reduces the total cost of ownership and gives our clients a rapid return on investment,” says Mike Koebel, VP Sales and Business Development at Mentor.

Mentor Engineering

Geo: International