Tesco.com has installed software from Microlise’s Fleet and Distribution portfolio to boost fuel efficiency and improve customer service across its home delivery fleet.
Tesco.com makes more than 250,000 home deliveries a week, transporting goods in over 2,000 vehicles. Since installing the system it has made an extra 50,000 deliveries without increasing the number of vehicles it uses.
Microlise has fitted the fleet with GPS tracking units, which report the location of each delivery on a frequent basis via GPRS, as well as providing vehicle and driver status and performance information via the van’s CANBus network.
The software delivers real-time updates on fuel consumption, engine revs, speed and odometer readings, which Tesco.com will use to improve fuel consumption, encourage greener driving styles, stop drivers idling at stores, en route or at the customer location and reduce harsh braking and speeding.
The system has point-to-point routeing built in, which calculates the estimated time of arrival based upon the route the van should take to the next customer. Using this information the company is also able to automatically send a text message to the customer as the van approaches its destination, a function that is due to be rolled out more widely following a series of trials.
Dino Papas, fleet manager at Tesco.com, said: “We are now rolling this system out to 1,500 vans across 300 stores and have worked with Microlise to create our own telematics reports, giving us everything we need in one compact document.
“We are making an additional 50,000 deliveries without increasing the number of vehicles on the roads. The Microlise solution also ensures we are in line with regulations and is helping us to cut our fuel consumption dramatically.”
