5. Truck Fleet Management

This system incorporates the functionality required in a door to door logistics solution. It can be used as a standalone system or it can be fully integrated with our Intermodal Terminal package (TopS).

Job Quotes

It records job quotes for services requested by potential and current customers. It is a very efficient method as the person responsible for giving quotes, accesses the system’s quote program while talking to the customer on the telephone. The quote may be made for multiple billing companies and quote details such as client, customer, truck activities, container depots etc. are stored in the system and assist the user in taking accurate and consistent information, thus reducing data entry errors.

The billing rates for each quoted service are directly connected to this screen and the user may review the current default charges for potential customers or actual charges for the current customers before confirming the quote. The quoted charges may be discussed with the customer and may be varied depending on the circumstances. When the quote is completed, it may be emailed or printed and faxed to the customer. The quotes are stored on the computer and may be reviewed by management or by the user at a future time.

Container Bookings

It records container movement Bookings for multiple billing companies. Bookings may be linked to Job Quotes and the quoted charges are passed on to the billing system. Booking details such as client, customer, truck activities, container depots, connecting vessel sailing details etc. are stored in the system. As a result, data validation is carried out by the system and assists the booking clerk in taking accurate and consistent information, thus reducing booking data entry errors.

Truck Scheduling and Daily Diary

The system has a screen for scheduling daily truck operations. It lists all the transport legs for a date by job type; allows the scheduler to assign drivers and trucks to legs; and records comments regarding the job. When a transport leg is assigned or completed, timestamps are recorded. The screen has many features which allow the Scheduler to view data for the booking, previous transport legs, client, customer, driver and truck. All scheduling screens receive realtime updates from other scheduling sessions. Although the system is a GUI based system, screen navigation is facilitated by the use of the keyboard. The scheduler may have up to 4 daily diary screens active and each screen may be filtered so that the data can be viewed according to various groupings.

Truck In and Out Gate

The system records the container movements in and out of the truck depot, marine or rail terminals.

At the Ingate a truck registers the export receivals and/or import deliveries to be processed on this truck’s pass through the terminal or yard. These containers are assigned to the truck by the system and the movement instructions for both the receival and delivery container processing are automatically passed to the Radio Frequency Equipment Control System. The export receivals are allocated a yard position from allocation filters set up in the TopX graphical system. This yard allocation is printed on the gate pass, which is printed for each container.

A gate pass is also printed for import deliveries with the container’s current yard position and other instructions for the driver. Arrival timestamps are assigned to the truck and the receival containers.

At the Out gate the security officer verifies the containers on a truck. The delivery containers on a truck must be registered in the system and are displayed on the screen for this truck. The truck and delivery containers are assigned timestamps on departing the terminal.

The system has the facility to view historical Truck movements and the containers on the truck at the time.

Container Details Management

The system has many functions to manipulate container attributes. The container number may be changed and the following details may be recorded: reefer temperature settings, hazardous classes, over size dimensions, attached units, multiple seal numbers and many more. A container may have multiple stops (holds) assigned so that it can not go out of the terminal. There are many screens to view both current and historical container details. This also includes the export and import vessel details which are updated directly from the marine terminal operators via EDI.

Customer and Client Management

The system has many functions to manipulate customer and client details. This records their business and delivery details; their Rate Card details for billing purposes; as well as any discounts or other relevant billing information. These rates are dynamically set up allowing the recording of future information and viewing of historical details.

CFS and Cargo (Warehousing)

The system records the receival and delivery of cargo at the warehouse. On receival the truck details and arrival timestamps are recorded. The method of unloading the cargo, its volume, weight and CFS location are also recorded. One consignment of cargo may be received on one or many trucks and is consolidated in the CFS on receival. The consignment may be stacked in various locations in the CFS while waiting for further processing.

The cargo may then be packed (stuffed) into one or more containers. Containers may also be unpacked (stripped) of cargo which is stacked in recorded locations. The cargo in the warehouse can then be delivered to a customer or further unpacked into smaller units for distribution.

Billing

The system has a billing module, which records the charges for services provided. Charges for container movements and services are automatically assigned as bookings are completed and grouped by client and customer. Billing details for bookings may be reviewed and re-processed as required. Following the verification of the bookings, billing details invoices are generated and sent to the client. The billing (sales) details are then posted to the corporate Financial system.

The truck fleet operation was documented to produce a truck fleet operation system from which the truck fleet operation software was developed for truck fleet management.