Tachodisc

Freight Industry Times  - Summer 2008 issue

Anne McDougall, Director at Tachodisc, questions if the services offered by an analysis bureau are being de-valued as a result of the introduction of software packages to process digital data.

By necessity, the introduction of digi-tachs has led to operators investing in software to enable digital data to be stored in its original format and to be viewed and analysed. However, there is a growing misconception that this software can now do everything that a bureau would have been ‘traditionally’ employed to do.

Where the problem really occurs is when the software is being used with analogue charts. The process to download digital data is relatively simple, as the smart card is unique to the driver and all the information is automatically processed into the software. However, when an operator wants to use the same software for analogue charts, the information is not so easily transferred. You can simply scan the charts into the software, but there is still an element of manual entry required, for instance centre field information, trace anomalies and discrepancies that are apparent to an experienced eye.

Although the software can calculate drivers’ hours law , what the software cannot do is carry out visual checks to identify other problem areas that may constitute non compliance, such as centrefield or mode errors and faults with the various traces that could be of a serious nature. This is where the expertise of an analysis bureau will continue to play a significant part in a company’s business in terms of compliance management.

Once a fleet is fully digital the bureau will continue to play an essential role in providing the operator with a fully managed service, potentially identifying non compliance areas which may be overlooked in house.

Therefore it is a big misconception that this new software, for all of its benefits, can do everything for you at the ‘touch of a button’ as it certainly cannot replace human expertise, whatever you may have been told or sold.

To illustrate this point further, Anne has created this simple comparison table, click here. It is based on Tachodisc’s full range of solutions, to demonstrate the differences and to help operators identify which software solution will suit them best.

TAC068

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