The latest internet-based advanced cost calculation and transport planning tools from German transportation software developer PTV Group were showcased at this week’s Multimodal 2018 freight and logistics event in Birmingham, UK.
PTV’s cost calculation and trip planning software is designed to help businesses reduce the complexity of route planning, while simultaneously providing total control over costs. The company’s latest cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution enables fleet operators to reduce risk and identify profitable trips, without having to make up-front investment in bespoke software. The easy-to-use intuitive interface can be accessed from any device with internet access. All updates, such as the twice-yearly map updates, are included in the monthly license fee.
The platform’s new functionality, unveiled at Multimodal 2018, integrates contractor profiles in trip planning and management, delivering real-time visibility of all vehicle journeys. Job alerts are emailed to the contractor or preferred recipient, who then downloads the trip details – load, scheduled collection and delivery ETAs, and customer address details – via an app, to any mobile device. The system then makes use of the existing navigation system on the device, and the app automatically updates the PTV live journey management dashboard, so operators have the same complete visibility of trip progress of contractor vehicles as they do for their own.
PTV’s advanced cost calculation and break-even analysis tools allow complex quotations and costs to be calculated in under a minute, with the results based on each operator’s own profile. Reference vehicle profiles for different classes can be customized to suit each fleet, providing exact costs per mile, hour, day and journey, with driver profiles included. The analysis tools help operators understand which routes, deliveries and customers are most profitable, improving decision making in the freight transport business.
Software algorithms from PTV can also calculate complex pan-European routes in seconds. The planning module will produce a total cost for each trip, but operators can also allocate costs at each stop-off point. The company’s route planning software considers all relevant truck attributes, driving time and costs when calculating the most efficient route. It includes permitted road speeds for different truck classes, a database of city and district names, low-emission zones, night-time restrictions and truck parking facilities. PTV’s own dedicated map department refines digital map data from Here and other providers, and includes satellite maps for a 2D view of destination addresses, parking and premises. Bridge and road tolls, congestion and low-emission restrictions are also incorporated and automatically updated.
