Truck and Track Summer 2021

www.truckandtrack.com Summer 2021 Truck and Track 29 TACHOGRAPH ANALYSIS John Raymond Transport Ltd. has boosted compliance, efficiency and its biosecurity protocols with the help of TruTac’s tachograph analysis and fleet management software. Based in Bridgend, Wales, the company specialises in transporting fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). It has a fleet of 120 44-tonne tractor units and 300 predominantly curtainsider trailers, which operate 24/7 and serve industries such as retail, food and drink manufacturers, paper and building material specialists. The business was acquired by transport and logistics specialist, NolanGroup, in September 2016. As a result of the acquisition, John Raymond Transport adopted various Nolan Transport’s systems to improve group efficiency and control - one of those implemented was TruTac’s compliance software. John Raymond Transport subsequently began using TruTac’s TruAnalysis tachograph analysis system, which includes TruControl compliance management software, with TruView and TruDriver modules. TruView includes a customisable fleet manager’s dashboard to highlight key performance indicators, and TruDriver is a driver portal, to educate and inform drivers about tachograph records, infringements, compliance and working time. “We already did 100% analysis with our previous system, but we migrated to TruTac because of its enhanced features, which helped us develop our compliance strategy further –muchmore so thanwe could with the former supplier,” said John Raymond’s chief operating officer, Geraint Davies. “It affords us greater visibility of what’s going on and generates clear and coherent reports, which have helped us to deal with any tachograph infringement in a timely manner.” Geraint Davies, who chairs the Welsh Road Transport Advisory Group, is a member and former chair of the Welsh Freight Council and a member and former chair of the UK Road Freight Council, has also used the TruAnalysis package to improve efficiency, as tachograph data is no longer manually collected from the vehicles – which has had the knock-on effect of greater biosecurity during the pandemic. “Previously the tachographs had to be downloaded manually and now they can be done remotely, which has saved a good deal of time and effort,” he added. “It’s been a tremendous boon for us to be able to do remote downloading because that negates the need to physically enter the vehicle. The health and safety implications – particularly with Covid – are outstanding and it saves a tremendous amount of human resource, because the system just does everything for you.” As a result of its commitment to compliance, the company has been recognised as a FORS Gold operator and sports a series of other accolades, including three separate ISO standards for quality management, health and safety and environmental management. www.trutac.co.uk John Raymond Transport improves compliance, efficiency and biosecurity with TruTac One of the UK’s leading animal by-product processors has simplified its fleet and driver management by using TruTac’s compliance software suite, TruControl. JG Pears has specialised in eco-friendly treatment of animal by- products and foodwaste since 1972. It operates a fleet ofmore than 60 HGVs – predominantly 6x2 tractor units – and 300-plus trailers. The company collects material from around the UK and delivers it to the firm’s three primary processing sites at Bradford, Newark and Market Harborough – among other secondary locations. The vehicles run 24/7, every day of the year, with around half an hour’s downtime between their 12-hour day and night shifts and aremanned by around 120 drivers. Each truck is fittedwith a digiDL unit, which automatically remotely downloads both driver and VU tachograph data straight into TruControl for complete tachograph and compliance management. “It saves an awful lot of issues with trying to get the drivers to download data from their cards,” explains Peter Todd, Group Logistics Compliance Manager at JG Pears. “We have to make sure the downloads happen within the legally prescribed times at three major depots. If we had to do that physically, I’d never be out of my car.” JG Pears also utilises TruTac’s TruAnalysis management system to oversee compliance, which Peter describes as “a one-stop shop for everything to do with professional drivers.” He uses the software to manage compliance, including theworking time directive, and even adds drivers’ holidays to the system to illustrate which employees have booked time off work and when. “The system is pretty easy to get your head around. I spent a day down at the TruTac office in Coventry for some training, which was very informative,” adds Peter. “I came back, scratched my head and thought ‘what did they say about this bit and that bit?’ but when you actually get stuck in and start using it, you realise what it can do. There’s a lot of information you can glean from the systemwhen you interrogate it. Plus, their friendly Support Team are always available on the phone or email.” The company has also used TruAnalysis to cut down on paper usage and to speed up the way it deals with infringements, having previously printed physical copies and handed them to drivers. “About a year ago, I thought we must be able to do it electronically,” says Peter. “I contacted TruTac and they toldme exactly how to set it up. Drivers can now read infringements via an app on their phone, sign them off and then they’re stored on the system. I’ve not raised a piece of paper for a single infringement in the last 12 months, which has been particularly useful during the pandemic.” JG Pears is planning to use TruTac’s software to register as an approved DVSA Earned Recognition (ER) Operator of excellence, in the future. Both TruTac’s TruAnalysis and TruFleet systems are fully DVSA Earned Recognition approved. www.trutac.co.uk TruTac software is a ‘one-stop shop’ for JG Pears