ATS EUROMASTER ROLLS-OUT FLEET INSPECTION TOOL
14 May 2013
ATS Euromaster is introducing an updated electronic fleet inspection device which will radically improve speed and accuracy when recording the condition and wear of approximately 250,000 tyres monthly, for its van and truck fleet customers.
ATS Euromaster is the first company within the Euromaster Group to roll-out the FleetSure tool which comprises a handheld PDA, an electronic tread depth gauge, accurate to within 0.1mm, and an electronic tyre pressure gauge.
FleetSure uses Bluetooth technology to send precise readings from the two gauges to the handheld device, removing almost any possibility of inaccuracy and enabling faster and more precise fleet inspections. Previously tread depth readings were taken using a standard tread depth gauge before manually inputting the readings into an electronic handheld device.
This new technology brings multiple benefits given the number of inspections which take place during hours where daylight is limited or in adverse weather conditions, which can make manually recording accurate readings a challenge. Once synched with the PDA, data is sent via a 3G connection to ATS Euromaster’s servers, automatically notifying the local ATS Euromaster centre and the customer immediately of the inspection details and any remedial service work required.
David Bull, Service Quality Manager – Group Operations at ATS Euromaster, says: “When you consider our experienced fleet inspectors check the tyres on more than 50,000 vehicles and trailers each month, a tool which allows us to speed up the process, whilst improving accuracy, is a fantastic resource to be investing in.”
The tool will also allow ATS Euromaster to produce detailed tyre pressure reports, something which has previously only been available as a separate service offering to the customer, at an extra cost. By having the facility to incorporate the process into its routine fleet inspections, ATS Euromaster expects significantly more fleets to opt for the service – particularly given the positive impact which addressing under- and over-inflation can have on tyre safety, performance, longevity and fuel economy.
Bull explains: “Fleet managers and operators will be able to take a more holistic view of their fleet’s overall tyre condition because our reporting with FleetSure will be much more detailed, and will help to make their job easier.”
Reporting features will include the percentage of different tyre brands on a given fleet, the percentage of new tyres in service versus remoulds, how many tyres have been regrooved and how many will need replacing imminently, allowing fleets to accurately budget for tyre replacement.
“By combining our tyre expertise with the latest technology we will deliver tangible benefits for customers and make their tyre management simpler and more effective – particularly for those with multi-sited operations or where the fleet manager isn’t regularly seeing the entire vehicle parc,” says Bull.
After a successful pilot which commenced in March 2013, ATS Euromaster’s team of 40 dedicated fleet inspectors have begun using the tool, manufactured by TyreCheck, in earnest from May. This team inspects more than 340 commercial vehicle fleets every month, visiting approximately 2,500 locations nationwide.
ends
About ATS Euromaster
Birmingham-based ATS Euromaster Ltd is part of the Euromaster Group, which operates in 17 European countries with 11,271 employees in more than 2,000 service centres. Established in Great Britain since 1964, ATS Euromaster has more than 350 centres (a mixture of retail, comprehensive and truck locations), approximately 900 mobile service vans and employs in excess of 2,600 people, providing coverage nationwide. It is the largest comprehensive tyre distributor supplying tyres for everything from cars and vans to trucks, coaches, forklifts, farm machinery and construction plant. ATS Euromaster was the first national tyre expert to be accredited by both SAFEContractor and the Contractors Health and Safety Scheme (CHAS), and also holds the Silver Award for Occupational Health & Safety from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. The company’s technicians are amongst the most highly trained in the fast-fit industry, offering a comprehensive range of products and services including tyres, wheels, fleet inspections, nitrogen inflation, brakes, batteries, shock absorbers, oil, exhausts, fault diagnostics, air-conditioning servicing, scheduled maintenance servicing and MOT testing. Further information is available from www.atseuromaster.co.uk
Note to editor: For press information please contact Faye McBride or James Keeler on 020 8647 4467.
ATS/426/13
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