Fleet Driver Step Tracking for Stop Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fleet management systems fail to account for the efficiency of fleet vehicle drivers at stop locations, leading to inefficiencies in route assignments and increased time spent at stops, which can impact the overall schedule and performance.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that track and analyze the number of steps taken by fleet vehicle drivers at stop locations using analytics functions, determining driver-specific metrics and optimizing routes based on these metrics to improve efficiency, including the use of communication devices and network operations systems to provide reports and adjust driver profiles for better route planning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fleet management systems track vehicle route time and location, then vehicle and route performance can be compared, but driver efficiency at stop locations cannot be measured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pedometer device as an intermediary component that specifically measures driver steps at stop locations. This mediator bridges the gap between existing vehicle tracking systems and the need for driver efficiency measurement, allowing step count data to be collected and integrated into the fleet management system without requiring complete system redesign
Solution Approach 2:
The fleet management system is enhanced to serve multiple functions: it continues to track vehicle location and route time while simultaneously measuring driver efficiency through step counting. The system processes both vehicle performance data and driver activity data, enabling comprehensive performance evaluation across different dimensions
2Productivity
If driver activity at stop locations is not measured, then system complexity remains low, but route assignment efficiency cannot be optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by measuring driver steps at stop locations and using this information to evaluate and optimize route assignments. The collected step data provides feedback on driver efficiency, which is then used to improve future route planning and assignment decisions, creating a continuous improvement cycle
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of driver efficiency data from historical stop location information to determine optimal route assignments before drivers execute them. By analyzing past driver performance patterns at various stop locations, the system can pre-determine efficient routes and assign them in advance
3Measurement precision
If general route tracking is implemented, then vehicle performance can be monitored, but granular driver behavior analysis is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the driver's journey into distinct components: vehicle travel time and driver activity time at stop locations. By using pedometers to specifically measure steps taken at stops, the system separates driver behavior measurement from general vehicle tracking, enabling granular analysis of driver efficiency independent of vehicle performance metrics
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to optimizing vehicle driver performance and route travel. Specifically, tracking an activity level, such as a number of steps of a fleet vehicle driver may enable a fleet management system to increase both an efficiency of a particular fleet vehicle driver and an overall efficiency of the entire fleet. As such, the present disclosure provides for the determination of inefficiencies in a fleet vehicle driver stop location, and optimizes the routes for each fleet vehicle in a fleet management system based on the tracked information.