JP Services

JP Services cuts idling times and maintenance costs

For JP Services, an oilfield pipeline service company based in Texas, delivering service excellence to customers is a top priority. However, keeping projects on schedule and on budget means staying up-to-date on the status of drivers and vehicles – which is not an easy feat when job sites are off the main highways or even out of state.

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Industry

Oil & Gas

Problem Solved

Asset Utilization,
Service Verification,
Risk Management,
Operational Efficiency

Challenge

Before telematics, JP Services had several challenges to address, including finding a way to verify the time of arrival at a job site and time of leaving, encouraging safe driving habits in the field, reducing speeding, and getting information on repairs before they turned into bigger issues. Brittany Peter, Fleet and Asset Manager, explains, “We wanted to manage our entire fleet as a whole better, cut back on repairs, and provide our customers with even better service.”

Solution

JP Services implemented a Geotab solution through Geoforce that provides a robust web-based fleet management platform that allows them to see all vehicle and driver information in one place. One of the reports JP Services consults most frequently is the Advanced Detail Exception report, which summarizes which fleet rules have been broken, such as speeding. When rules are broken, notifications can be sent in real-time to alert the driver so behavior is corrected right way. JP Services also relies on the Risk Management report to see how many rules were broken and the total miles driven for a particular time frame. This report is useful for comparing driver performance. Reporting and analyzing the information has become an important part of day-to-day activities. Peter says, “Most of my reports are daily, so I can see what’s going on and then go from there.”

Results

JP Services has cut down on idling and maintenance costs. Tracking idle time and idle to cost percentage has helped raise awareness of excessive idling. Drivers are more conscious of their behavior and look for ways to be more fuel efficient. Previously, they had problems with exhaust filters clogging up, since most of the trucks are diesels. Now that idling is under control, the filter issues have been eliminated. And less time spent for cleaning and repair means more time on the job site. Engine fault code data allows JP Services to detect possible issues in advance. When diagnostic faults are detected, Peter alerts the mechanic right away so they can be attended to quickly. This proactive management helps cut down on potentially costly repairs or vehicle down-time. Peter says, “We can solve the minor issue at the time, before it becomes a major problem.” Telematics has become an extension of their safety program, supporting company policies and training when drivers are in the field. Speeding is controlled with in-vehicle driver feedback via beeper. As a result, JP Services has seen a reduction in maximum speeds.