RCS Streamlines Operations - Reduces Speeding and Reduces Operational Cost with Fleetstar-Online

RCS Logistics is a leading distribution, transport and warehousing company based in Northamptonshire. Their fleet (in excess of 50 vehicles) provides same-day courier services; full load transport and single pallet delivery from their Corby based Head Office throughout the UK and Europe.  As a member of the Pallet Force Network and entering into partnership with PalletFORCE, RCS Logistics works in conjunction with other partners to ensure efficiency and fleet utilisation.
As well as offering a fully racked warehousing space of approximately 330,000 square feet, RCS Logistics also holds bonded licensing for the delivery of produce incurring import charges.

Client Challenge
RCS Logistics operate a range of vehicles from one-ton vans to 44-tonne HGVs as well as a variety of trailers.  The competitive nature of the market in which RCS operates means to win and retain businesses RCS need to provide customers with accurate ETA’s, up-to-date vehicle location information and a dynamic and responsive delivery solution.

Vehicle productivity is a key area for consideration in streamlining fleet operations and the RCS Traffic Team wanted solution that could provide total visibility of all vehicles, locations, routes and allocated jobs to manage planned vs actual performance.

As well as managing the day-to-day operational processes and procedures, RCS wanted a mechanism to monitor and implement long-term cost control programmes and provide their managers with tools to better manage resources in order to sustain a competitive advantage
 
Cybit Fleetstar Solution
RCS Logistics selected Cybit’s online vehicle tracking and telematics solution to provide clear visibility of all vehicles across the UK, enhance day-to-day allocation of deliveries as well as provide information which would assist in future strategic decision making.

Cybit’s Fleetstar-Online web-based application was selected to fulfill these existing requirements as well as providing a scalable solution that can grow with the company. Key areas that drove the decision included such features as:

• Web-Based, 24hr Secure Access, Intuitive Use for staff
• Robust Implementation Plans &  Life of Contract Support
• Vehicle Tracking Technology that can Expand with Future Use
• Layers of Management Reporting

Darren Beaty, Operations Director for RCS Logistics explains the motivation behind installing Fleetstar-Online, “We had been looking at ways to leverage our competitive advantage in the haulage and distribution market and recognised telematics as an ideal tool to achieve this.  We knew that by enhancing the visibility of vehicle movements and giving our central Traffic Team access to this data we could provide our customers with accurate delivery information and on a more strategic level develop our existing operational procedures.”

Fleetstar has allowed RCS Logistics’ Traffic Team to better distribute workloads to drivers across the UK and to streamline co-ordination of reactive jobs that are logged each day.

“In addition to giving all our administration staff access to the system, we also have Fleetstar-Online running throughout the day on a large screen in our control centre.  At a glance any of our Traffic Team can clearly see live vehicle locations and monitor delivery progress - this information can then be confidently communicated to our customers”.

Fleetstar Delivers Results
“We have always been aware of the cost implications of inefficient usage of vehicles, for instance those which are left idling for considerable amounts of time.  Fleetstar-Online has given us the ability to flag up occasions where, for example our drivers have left vehicles running while at depots and allows us develop company polices with the aim to reduce these instances”.

“Likewise, speeding has also been a key area for consideration for RCS - we take the Duty of Care to all our employees very seriously.  Fleetstar-Online reporting functionality enables us to adhere to the stringent Health and Safety legislation through monitoring driver speeds and we have seen a 70% reduction in instances of speeding since Fleetstar’s implementation”, continues Mr Beaty. 

Having installed Fleetstar-Online in 2005 RCS Logistics has seen significant cost reductions in a number of areas throughout the business. 

Integrating Fleetstar reports, for example Summary, Detailed and Graphical Timesheets, with existing pay-roll processes has resulted in more accurate verification of driver timesheets for working hours and thousands of pounds saved, as well as reductions on vehicle insurance premiums.

A Successful Implementation
RCS Logistics consulted drivers at each stage of the Fleetstar implementation process; communicating reasons for the action to install a fleet management solution and the benefits that they would see as a direct result of implementation – recognition of legitimate over-time, enhanced focus on the Health and Safety and a company wide competitive advantage

“We wanted to make sure that our drivers understood why we had taken the decision to install vehicle tracking.  They could see how they would directly benefit from the implementation in terms of optimised job allocation and enhances to the Duty of Care of our team.  Our customers also see the advantages of Fleetstar – shorter response times to jobs as well as more information on delivery progress means that our customers have the reassurance that we will deliver.  Fleetstar has now become an integral part of RCS Logistics operations”.