The Scotsman gets real-time tracking

Scotland’s oldest daily newspaper The Scotsman is using real-time satellite tracking to ensure more than 100,000 papers are delivered on time each day.

The publisher has also cut costs since the installation location-based technology in its fleet of delivery vehicles to track deliveries using GPS satellite positioning.

The technology is delivering measurable cost savings by reducing unauthorised use of company vehicles, enhanced vehicle service records and improved customer service.

‘By monitoring vehicle activity both during the working day and out of hours we have reduced our total mileage giving us an estimated saving of over £10,000 per annum,’ transport and distribution manager Rob Kelly said.

‘The vehicle based reports also enable us to schedule our vehicle servicing with increased intelligence reducing unplanned maintenance and vehicle down time.’

The Scotsman Publications Ltd (TPSL) publishes and distributes The Scotsman and The Evening News from its headquarters at Holyrood, Edinburgh to more than 1000 newsagents and retail outlets

Utilising GPS satellite positioning, high speed mobile communications and online street mapping, fleet managers get live web-based access to vehicle movements.

The system also provides an ‘out-of-hours’ alert system that transmits notification of any vehicle movement during non-working hours by email or text message.

In addition to detailed tracking information, managers can also use the Masternaut system to create detailed delivery schedules for each vehicle. By mapping the location of all newsagents, it automatically calculates the optimum route.

This includes taking into account any restrictions such as vehicle capacity, delivery deadlines and other ad hoc requirements.

‘Before Masternaut the first we knew of problems with daily deliveries was a call from the retail outlets,’ said Kelly. ‘Now we can be pro-active with our customer service.

‘If a vehicle is unavoidably delayed, we can use the schedule information and vehicle position to monitor the planned itinerary against the actual. We can then contact only the outlets affected and provide them with a revised delivery time.

‘This saves us time, as we only make the calls we need to and it improves our relationship with the retailers.’

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