MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Wallenstein Feed & Supply says it has shown a savings of 15 minutes per driver, per day, since rolling out Shaw Tracking’s Automated Hours of Service application five months ago. In addition, Wallenstein reports savings of five to six hours per month in administrative time with the elimination of paper logs.

“Automated Hours of Service through Shaw Tracking has increased our drivers’ awareness on the safety aspects of fatigue and the necessity of proper rest periods,” said Rob Hall, transport manager for Wallenstein.

Wallenstein, an independent feed manufacturer in Ontario, runs 39 trucks with 60 full-time and part-time drivers. The company has also implemented Critical Event Reporting and Geofencing through Shaw Tracking’s hardware Mobile Computing Platform, MCP100. Wallenstein has been taking advantage of the platform’s text-to-speech application to address driver distraction laws as load information is delivered by audio, as well as the GPS tracking system which, the company says, was able to direct a stranded driver’s coordinates to another truck this past winter.

“Shaw Tracking and Wallenstein are working together to continue to leverage and integrate new technologies driving to increase safety, compliance and their bottom line,” said Mike Ham, vice-president of Shaw Tracking.

The Shaw Tracking Critical Event Reporting service is an automatic vehicle monitor designed to enable safety and fleet managers to proactively manage the behaviour of drivers in real time. Since adapting the Critical Event Reporting service, Wallenstein officials say they have seen a dramatic decrease in hard braking. During the first month of use, the system showed 27 hard brakes, and after a driver training meeting the following month showed 12 hard brakes, a reduction of over 50%.

Shaw Tracking’s Geofencing application is an enhanced service for customers and business partners that notifies them of arrival and departure. If there are any health issues in certain areas with carrying feed, Wallenstein uses the application to Geofence that area to verify whether there are – or were at a previous time – any trucks within that area, officials said.