Maxi Haulage is using a “transformational” system from Freeway Fleet Systems as part of a digitisation programme to eliminate paper, the company has revealed.
The Ayrshire-based haulier, which has a fleet of 150 vehicles and 712 trailers and operates from seven depot locations across the UK and Ireland, has equipped its fleet engineers with tablets for managing defects and inspections.
Maxi’s vehicles are serviced by their manufacturers and trailers are maintained by commercial workshops. However, since Maxi is responsible for fleet management and compliance, the company has to keep tight control of all maintenance work.
Freeway’s software is designed to improve asset management, compliance, and fleet maintenance. The system combines the functionality of a number of different systems to provide a single solution incorporating fleet and asset management, maintenance and defect management, stores and stock control, purchasing, and compliance.
Freeway also integrates seamlessly with Maxi’s Mandata Transport Management System, which enables operations to be fully informed of the status and availability of every fleet asset.
Andy McGuire, Maxi Haulage general manager, said: “We’ve long been burdened with paperwork, with records that had to be laboriously typed in by hand. Freeway is now automating all of this with digital job cards and inspection sheets.
“It’s transformational, not just because we are eliminating paper and data entry, but because suddenly everything is live and online, so we have a level of visibility that we just didn’t have before.”
McGuire added: “Over two years, we reviewed all the major systems on the market. All had certain advantages, but Freeway was seen as the most complete.
“However, two things stood out about Freeway. One was the fact that it was a truly open system designed to easily integrate with other systems – in our case, that meant Mandata.
“Secondly, it was clear Freeway was well proven and supported – something that we appreciated after a visit to another major haulier.”
Maxi expects to gain particular benefit from the data stored in Freeway, and work is underway to import existing asset and stock data. Over time, data collected digitally by Freeway will help build an accurate picture of the fleet.
“What we’re really excited about is the picture we’ll gain of the whole life of a vehicle. We’ll be able to look at the performance and costs all the way from individual parts to whole vehicles.
“Armed with this management information, we’ll be able to better control costs, optimise resources, and generally make better-informed decisions to improve business performance,” McGuire added.
