Equipment utilisation, sometimes referred to as asset utilisation, is a measurement of the use and performance of site machinery, which assists businesses to improve productivity and reduce costs on worksites. With real-time GPS location tracking and collation of machine data, equipment utilisation tools give you visibility on the whereabouts and the performance of all heavy equipment, assets and vehicles. In a tough market, greater operational efficiency can be the difference between winning and losing a contract.
What metrics are used in equipment utilisation?
Metrics that can be measured include ignition on/off times, engine hours, fuel use, high-definition GPS-based location, sensor data such as weight scales and PTO use, as well as engagement of machine parts for example if a crawler crane’s legs are extended or retracted.
Teletrac Navman’s equipment utilisation solution can send managers and business owners alerts when there has been unauthorised use of equipment – for example if the machines are operating outside of work hours or departing from designated work areas.
What are the benefits of equipment utilisation?
Minimise asset hoarding and get equipment to worksites where they’re needed. Preventing machines sitting unused on sites, eating up maintenance costs while contributing nothing towards the project.
Uptime can be improved through an effective maintenance schedule and understanding which machines are being under-utilised. Our solutions give asset managers important data on engine health and functionality to assist them with scheduling preventive and needs-based maintenance.
Improve health and safety around the worksite with better insight into and real-time alerts for dangerous operator behaviour, as well as ensuring excellent maintenance of machinery.
Centrally manage fuel consumption with usage reporting tools. As fuel prices are continually rising in New Zealand, maximising fuel usage has become integral to profit margins. Reducing idle time can save fuel and money.
Equipment utilisation can help businesses gain their customers’ trust by using data for accurate and fair customer billing. Time is money, with the metrics that Teletrac Navman provide, businesses can prove to their customers that they’re paying for eight hours worked, not just eight hours on site. This is an important benefit for tracking and manage unauthorised use and equipment theft with real-time GPS tracking and alerts, and the added security of anti-tampering systems the tracking hardware.
Does equipment utilisation work for mixed fleets?
Yes, and Teletrac Navman are specialists in mixed fleet solutions. Our system can capture and utilise data for ‘yellow iron’ heavy equipment, cranes, portable plant equipment such as generators and light towers as well as vehicle fleets including large trucks, single and double cab utes and light commercial vehicles. You can manage the entire mixed fleet from the dynamic dashboard in our powerful fleet management software. You can also create equipment utilisation reports for individual machines and vehicles, as well as overall fleet reports on different metrics.
What do our customers think?
Preston Hire uses our equipment utilisation capabilities to conduct transparent and cost-effective and safe business practices. With the business operating across Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch, Teletrac Navman offers full visibility into the company’s assets. National Sales Manager, Sean Reid can track each crane to see whether the outrigger legs have been left in or out, if the machines are in use or just idling. “Any time I want, I jump on my mobile and have a look at all the detail,” Sean says.
Visibility isn’t the only benefit that Preston Hire get from Teletrac Navman’s equipment utilisation, there are also financial and customer relationship building benefits. “The data takes the emotion out of it. You can’t argue with numbers,” Sean explains.
As well as Preston Hire enjoying these benefits, another company Contract Landscapes also use Teletrac Navman’s reporting functions to build trust with customers. General Manager, Mark Lyndon says, “When you put that report in front of client. It’s impossible to impossible to argue against it.”