Forklift News - GPS at Toyota Lift saves fuel

Navman M-Nav 650

Use of global positioning system (GPS) technology on technician service trucks at three Toyota Lift of South Texas locations has produced fuel savings of 15% during June and July.

The dealership operates 62 service trucks from its six US locations and has another facility in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.

Toyota Lift wanted a viable technology.

"We used tracking systems years ago," but that Internet-based equipment was inadequate and unreliable, says Jack Parker, vice president of operations.

As fuel prices skyrocketed in 2007, Toyota Lift installed cellular telephone technology for its service trucks, but jettisoned the system after six months. "That (technology) was a huge mistake," Parker tells Forkliftaction.com News.

A unit of Navman Wireless Holdings LP leases the basic fleet-tracking GPS system to Toyota Lift under a five-year commitment. "For tracking, navigation and messaging, the all-inclusive (per vehicle) cost is about USD2 per day for a five-year lease," says Gregg Steliga, director of sales and marketing for the subsidiary, Navman Wireless North America, in Glenview, Illinois. A three-year lease is also available.

Navman dealer TJ Cooper, owner of Mobile Workforce Solutions in McKinney, Texas, sold the technology to Toyota Lift and installed systems in service trucks and Texas facilities in Pharr and Laredo in July, Corpus Christi and Austin in August and San Antonio in November.
Service trucks in El Paso, Texas are scheduled to get systems in early 2009, Parker said. The service trucks in the Ciudad Juárez branch, which operates as Servicios de Montacargas de México CV, will not get the equipment.

"For Navman, Cooper installed Qube 2 fleet tracking hardware in each vehicle with the Navman M-Nav 650 integrated GPS navigation and messaging device," Steliga notes.

The system allows a dispatcher to know the exact location of each service truck, its road speed and engine operating status. A dispatcher can direct a technician better and avoid assigning trucks to go unnecessary distances. An engine idling too long may prompt a call asking the technician to shut it off.

Parker projects sales volumeS for Toyota Lift of South Texas may grow up to 5% this year from the 2007 level. That compares to earlier annual growth averaging 20%. He won’t, however, reveal dollar amounts.

Affiliates of parent firm Leslie Doggett Equipment Services Group oversee operations of San Antonio-based Toyota Lift of South Texas and a separately managed sister dealership, Toyota Lift of Houston, which has GPS technology from On-Board Communications Inc of Dallas, Texas and is reviewing its own use of the equipment.

In Houston, "we have a Navman demonstrator on one of our (more than 40) vans, and we will probably go to Navman" after the upcoming expiration of a 24-month on-board contract, says Tim Kolajajck, vice president for operations. Toyota Lift of Houston employs 70 technicians at its single location.

Another unit of the Houston, Texas-based Doggett operates four heavy equipment dealerships in south Texas selling construction and forestry equipment from Deere & Co.

Navman is experiencing growth. In addition to Toyota Lift of South Texas, "we are working with a variety of other companies at this time", Steliga reports.

Prairie Capital Partners of Chicago, Illinois and others acquired Navman Wireless Holdings from Brunswick Corp of Lake Forest, Illinois in July 2007 for USD28.8 million. Navman has New Zealand roots extending back to 1987 and operates facilities there and in Australia, Singapore, England and the US.

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