Challenge:
Formula Chemicals is one of Australia’s largest privately-owned chemical companies. Founded in 1973 by owner Leigh Smart, Formula Chemicals employs more than 40 staff across four factories in Sydney, NSW. It’s a leader in the blending and delivery of chemical products such as windscreen wash concentrates, bulk detergents, degreasers, and general-purpose detergents for the food and meat industry.
As part of its delivery obligations, Formula Chemicals maintains a small fleet of Hino trucks that are used to transport dangerous chemicals through metropolitan and country New South Wales. The fleet consists of three 15-tonne trucks, one seven tonne vehicle and a purpose-built Omni Tanker unit. The fleet also contains three one-tonne trucks to complete urgent deliveries if the need arises.
Ensuring that all vehicles and drivers are adhering to strict compliance actions such as pre-trip checklists, the completion of Dangerous Goods Manifests and Chain of Responsibility compliance is essential. But this requires administration tasks that started to take up more and more time for back-office staff as the business grew.
The transporting of chemicals across the length and breadth of New South Wales also meant Formula Chemicals required a solution that could track its fleet of vehicles and keep staff in touch with drivers, ensuring their safety and the safety of other road users.
The success we’ve experienced using Teletrac Navman’s technology has given us the confidence to explore new features of the system to address existing business needs, such as more fine-tuning of vehicle maintenance and driver management.
Solution:
Go West Tours implemented Teletrac Navman’s comprehensive suite of telematics solutions in more than 100 of its buses. A key part of the solution is an in-vehicle compliance and productivity tool, alongside telematics that provides GPS tracking capabilities, speed management and card reading technology.
With electronic pre-start capabilities and a new digital process to manage documentation, such as risk assessments, the business streamlined complex compliance requirements while ensuring safety and easy measurability. Teletrac Navman understood the sensitivities of the cultural change required to get the drivers on board with the new processes and platforms. The team hosted a series of onboarding sessions for the staff at Go West Tours so they could quickly and effectively adopt the new technology.
This change also had to coincide with the acquisition of 50 new 50-seater buses being rolled out over two months across five different mining sites. Tablet style data importing, work diary logging and electronic pre-starts were new to bus drivers but training and the user-friendly nature of Teletrac Navman’s product suite helped Go West achieve the all-important acceptance from drivers while meeting the implementation deadline.
The whole process also occurred not long before the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a change in operations. New requirements such as contact tracing needed to be implemented immediately and Go West turned to Teletrac to quickly implement the technology. Teletrac was able to rapidly provide functionality such as identifying passengers as they boarded buses using RFID cards and QR codes to coincide with the new contact tracing legislation.
Results:
Since adopting the Teletrac Navman platform, Go West Tours has experienced significant improvements in its operations:
- Enhanced Decision-Making and Transparency: Senior managers now have access to comprehensive data, allowing for informed decision-making and a clearer understanding of business operations.
- Increased Efficiency and Safety: The implementation of geo-fencing and high-definition location data has streamlined fuel tax credit calculations, while in-cabin systems provide speed alerts and messaging capabilities, enhancing driver safety and engagement.
- Improved Driver Performance and Satisfaction: The technology has empowered drivers, fostering a positive relationship with the system and promoting higher levels of performance and job satisfaction.
About Go West Tours:
Go West Tours is Western Australia’s leading supplier of modern charter, rental and tour vehicles, servicing the mining, education, tourism and government sectors as well as private parties. It has become one of Australia’s most respected integrated transport providers, employing more than 200 staff across seven agencies in Western Australia. Enjoying a reputation for providing safe and reliable transport, the company is the preferred choice for Australia’s blue-chip companies, particularly in the mining space. It has established strong relationships with resources companies to develop tailored transport solutions that meet clients’ unique needs.