Wiltshire-based M&N Transport has taken on Michelin’s EFFITRAILERTM telematics system following a successful three-month trial on 10 assets.
The bulk haulier, which specialises in grain and aggregates, is rolling out the system across 40 trailers – six of these are new builds and 34 are in the process of having it retrofitted.
Company director Mike Burton says: “The potential savings in terms of our control over breakdowns are huge. We recently had an incident with a trailer where the hub overheated, and the damage was extensive. With EFFITRAILERTM, we would have been alerted as soon as the hub exceeded normal operating temperatures and the driver would have been alerted to pull over, saving us from a £2,000 repair bill.
“Looking at the full package, EFFITRAILERTM gives us an amazing amount of information – much more than we got from our previous system which means we can be more proactive when it comes to picking up potential issues before they result in downtime and possible damage.
“We can really use the data we’re now getting to look at all aspects of how our trailers are being used to help with driver training as well as any possible maintenance issues.”
M&N Transport will benefit from the system’s on-board datalink, tyre pressure monitoring system, electronic braking system data analysis and constant geolocation. Michelin’s telematics programme also details each trailer’s mileage, the length of any periods of abnormal downtime or ‘wait-time’, the ‘unhooked’ or ‘towed’ status of the asset, and whether the trailer is overloaded.
The Westbury firm has achieved FORS (Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme) Silver status which is given to operators which are providing exemplary levels of best practice in safety, efficiency, and environmental protection.
Burton adds: “The silver accreditation is a real testament to all of our staff. And going forward, using EFFITRAILERTM will only help us to make our vehicles more efficient and environmentally friendly to maintain and improve the service we provide.”
For further information on the Michelin commercial vehicle tyre range visit http://trucks.michelin.co.uk/
