Gough Transport Solutions has launched the new Wabco Optilink system, enabling drivers and fleet managers to easily access the vast amount of data available through the Wabco trailer electronic braking system.
Since business visionary Peter Drucker coined the phrase, ‘what gets measured, gets managed’, the commercial road transport industry – among countless other business spheres – has taken the motto to heart. Multiple methods of data collection in commercial vehicle are providing new opportunities for fleet managers to make improvements to their operations, however the sheer volume of data can make it difficult to know what to analyse. The WABCO Trailer Electronic Braking System’s (TEBS) Operating Data Recorder (ODR), is capable of tracking and recording data for over 600 trips, for example. As such, fleet managers at head offices are privy to a virtual inundation of useful data, says Nick Hope, National Key Account Manager – Braking at Gough Transport Solutions (GTS).
“The ODR is an essential tool for fleet managers and drivers. It collects data such as distance, speed, axle load and different types of braking events, such as brake pressures, prevented rollovers and pad wear monitoring,” Nick says. “The data can then be extracted as a report, giving fleets accurate and detailed information to use for both short and long term analyses.”
Now, mobile control of trailer features is on hand with the new OptiLink mobile application. “Totally customisable to suit whichever TEBS features have been specified on the vehicle, the OptiLink provides the data that operators need, right at their fingertips through a smartphone application,” Nick says. As well as reports for analysis at the office, the system can also provide real time feedback to drivers in an easily digestible format through OptiLink, says Nick. “OptiLink allows truck drivers and fleet operators to monitor and control up to 18 trailer functions wirelessly from an Android smartphone,” he explains. “From just one interface, users can complete pre-ride check lists, access vital trailer information and receive automated alerts.” According to Nick, it also provides critical real-time trailer data through a modern, easy to use interface that helps enhance driver operations. For example, Nick says drivers can use the OptiLink interface as the Tail Guard indicator for trailers that have the system fitted. TailGuard detects small, large, static and moving objects in the blind spot behind the trailer, and displays the closing distance with a traffic light-inspired colour scheme that also provides details on where the object is located in relation to the trailer. The ability to view the feedback in real time from inside the cab helps improve safety for both the vehicle and the driver,
Nick says, particularly on job sites where exiting the cab is prohibited. “In some logging and construction operations, the driver is not allowed out of the cab. In these cases, they can use the OptiLink on their smartphone to monitoring axle loads, or to monitor the tipping angle through the Tilt Alert,” Nick says.
The streamlined system provides an easy way to sort through the inundation of data in order to find the required information when it is needed. “OptiLink provides a simple way to view important real-time data both for instant use on the job, or for analysis back at head office. Using data properly can make a real difference to safety and the bottom line.”
Fast Fact
The WABCO OptiLink is currently available only on Android smartphones, however it is scheduled for release on iPhones towards the end of 2017, explains Nick Hope, National Key Account Manager – Braking at Gough Transport Solutions (GTS).
