Volvo Trucks New Zealand importer Motor Truck Distributors (MTD) has been trialling Volvo Trucks‘ Telematics system Dynafleet with national operators for more than 18 months.

The simple scoring system with traffic light coded features allows drivers to see the results while trying different approaches and driving styles to improve their performance.

Drivers are given scores in four key areas; anticipation and braking, engine and gear utilisation, speed adaptation, and idle time. These feed an overall fuel efficiency score with the information available on the Dynafleet app.

Users can access this data when it suits them rather than being restricted to the in-cab environment.

Sean Webb, Volvo Trucks product trainer for MTD, says fleet owners were seeing results in fuel savings, reduced repairs and maintenance, and drivers were getting recognition for using the Volvo‘s features in a more efficient way.

The hardware for Dynafleet is built into all new Volvo Trucks and just needs activating once the truck arrives from the factory. It‘s a fully integrated solution, combining with the display screen functions already on board.

Dynafleet subscription costs are included as part of the Gold Contract maintenance programme, or can be added separately.

There are now about 350 trucks working with Dynafleet in New Zealand and more are coming on board. One operator who has made significant gains is JPM Holdings Ltd from Christchurch, which has a fleet of 20 Volvos, many operating on high kilometre, time sensitive runs.

Operations manager Steve More says that Dynafleet allows them to report back to the drivers every month with accurate figures on their performances. He says it is useful for accurate comparisons, whether it‘s the time of year with seasonal influences, new drivers on the run, a relief driver, or the weight of the loaded unit.

“One of the main things we find is the interest and discussion that the phone app brings to all the drivers. This creates great camaraderie between the drivers while at the other end it keeps us informed of how we are going with fuel efficiency and vehicle performance in general.”