Doug Drysdale is someone who understands the importance of strategic vehicle monitoring. As Chevron's official Distributed Centre of Focus Fleet Optimisation coordinator in Africa and Pakistan, Drysdale is part of the Chevron team that has established a sustainable working relationship with fleet management tracking specialist, Ctrack.

One of the largest integrated energy companies in the world, Chevron conducts business activities in approximately 180 countries. "My role is to identify best practice across the 22 countries making up our region, as do my four counterparts in other continents around the globe," says Drysdale. "We have developed a standard global best practice that we can adapt in driving towards 'Operational Excellence'. In this role, I report directly to our parent company, which is based in California." Chevron's Operational Excellence Management System was recently recognised as being aligned with world-class standards. The company is engaged in every aspect of the oil and natural gas industries, including exploration and production; refining, marketing and transportation; chemicals manufacturing and sales; and power generation.

Chevron Marketing Logistics - Africa-Pakistan (known as AFPK), has a fleet of proprietary (own) bulk road tankers as well as a hired tanker fleet and operates out of some 106 terminals. "We have a fleet of 120 prime movers in South Africa, with multiple mixed own and hire fleets across Africa and Pakistan," continues Drysdale. "Our Africa Pakistan Logistics business unit employs some 1,200 personnel in that division alone. All of the vehicles in our fleet are fitted with Ctrack system and we are currently upgrading to Ctrack's Solo. Similarly, we pioneered Ctrack in Pakistan and Cambodia in the early days of selecting Ctrack as our service provider."

Bruce Richards, Ctrack group marketing director, says that Chevron is a valued client: "Our strong relationship with Chevron is a prime example of the numerous successful partnerships that we have achieved over the years. Our vision is to provide best-in-class flexible fleet management solutions that deliver measurable business benefits to vehicle fleet operators across the globe."

According to Drysdale, the Ctrack system was chosen from a plethora of suppliers that had flooded the market. "One of the key factors to the early selection was the underwriting of Ctrack by a GSM network. Since those early days, the world of global procurement sourcing has transformed into an independent assessor of solution providers - and Chevron generates their own best practice specification and standards. We are pleased to say that the offshore evaluation similarly directed our purchasing towards Ctrack.

"We also specify the parameters that our appointed hauliers must comply with in terms of compulsory fitment of onboard computers by the end of 2006. We issue the specification, without stating the make, with Ctrack being fully compliant in ensuring that the haulier can produce the same type of reports."

Recent successes in the AFPK regions have come in the form of the standardisation of internal safety standards throughout the organisation and the introduction of behavioural management programmes to achieve a safety culture.

"One of the key management tools identified going forward has been the Ctrack Ctrack Solo System, which features the generation of 'GYR' (green, yellow, red) reports," continues Drysdale. "These green, yellow and red classifications of driving behaviour make for easier, hands-on management of drivers and will be used additionally to recognise sound, safe driving practices. As a solution provider, colour coded reports are built up from three main parameters of harsh braking, speeding and over-revving.

"The harsh braking (or decelerations) count for 50% of the score, with speeding 35% and over-revving 15%. I would strongly recommend that a greater focus by all transport managers be made on harsh braking, and that stringent parameters are set upfront, for herein lie the real safe driving gains as well as the maintenance benefits," advises Drysdale. He further asserts that most transport companies are quick to discipline, but monitoring systems such as Ctrack's Ctrack also enable operators to recognise and reward good driving practice.

"The present pioneering work being done across our region with Ctrack, our partner of choice, has elicited a mixed reaction from staff members. However, once the technology is understood, they quickly embrace the benefits that the system offers, while the training provided by Ctrack is central to the ongoing successful attainment of buy-in from staff. "Ctrack is a solid partner which has grown with us in our rapidly changing global requirements. Its commitment, expertise and professionalism keep us going as business partners," comments Drysdale.

Ctrack systems have made a significant impact on the running of operations and the AFPK regions have embraced the fleet management aspects of the Ctrack system, as well as further defined requirements that the Solo product range meets on bulk road tankers. A particularly important aspect, in Drysdale's view, has been the increase in safety. "We once traced a hijacked tanker to a destination where an unlawful delivery was being made to a third party site. Thanks to the effectiveness of the Ctrack tracking system, we were able to recover the vehicle and pump out the product. The technology has therefore made police investigations and prosecutions much easier.

"We are currently in the process of testing vehicle monitoring for all the company cars in our region as part of our safety focus. This will represent a major expansion of our present onboard monitoring activity. Our belief is that every employee has the right to go home safely and we are continually looking at systems, tools and processes to ensure safe operations for our employees and our contractors," concludes Drysdale.

Doug Drysdale is someone who understands the importance of strategic vehicle monitoring. As Chevron's official Distributed Centre of Focus Fleet Optimisation coordinator in Africa and Pakistan, Drysdale is part of the Chevron team that has established a sustainable working relationship with fleet management tracking specialist, Ctrack.

One of the largest integrated energy companies in the world, Chevron conducts business activities in approximately 180 countries. "My role is to identify best practice across the 22 countries making up our region, as do my four counterparts in other continents around the globe," says Drysdale. "We have developed a standard global best practice that we can adapt in driving towards 'Operational Excellence'. In this role, I report directly to our parent company, which is based in California." Chevron's Operational Excellence Management System was recently recognised as being aligned with world-class standards. The company is engaged in every aspect of the oil and natural gas industries, including exploration and production; refining, marketing and transportation; chemicals manufacturing and sales; and power generation.

Chevron Marketing Logistics - Africa-Pakistan (known as AFPK), has a fleet of proprietary (own) bulk road tankers as well as a hired tanker fleet and operates out of some 106 terminals. "We have a fleet of 120 prime movers in South Africa, with multiple mixed own and hire fleets across Africa and Pakistan," continues Drysdale. "Our Africa Pakistan Logistics business unit employs some 1,200 personnel in that division alone. All of the vehicles in our fleet are fitted with Ctrack system and we are currently upgrading to Ctrack's Solo. Similarly, we pioneered Ctrack in Pakistan and Cambodia in the early days of selecting Ctrack as our service provider."

Bruce Richards, Ctrack group marketing director, says that Chevron is a valued client: "Our strong relationship with Chevron is a prime example of the numerous successful partnerships that we have achieved over the years. Our vision is to provide best-in-class flexible fleet management solutions that deliver measurable business benefits to vehicle fleet operators across the globe."

According to Drysdale, the Ctrack system was chosen from a plethora of suppliers that had flooded the market. "One of the key factors to the early selection was the underwriting of Ctrack by a GSM network. Since those early days, the world of global procurement sourcing has transformed into an independent assessor of solution providers - and Chevron generates their own best practice specification and standards. We are pleased to say that the offshore evaluation similarly directed our purchasing towards Ctrack.

"We also specify the parameters that our appointed hauliers must comply with in terms of compulsory fitment of onboard computers by the end of 2006. We issue the specification, without stating the make, with Ctrack being fully compliant in ensuring that the haulier can produce the same type of reports."

Recent successes in the AFPK regions have come in the form of the standardisation of internal safety standards throughout the organisation and the introduction of behavioural management programmes to achieve a safety culture.

"One of the key management tools identified going forward has been the Ctrack Ctrack Solo System, which features the generation of 'GYR' (green, yellow, red) reports," continues Drysdale. "These green, yellow and red classifications of driving behaviour make for easier, hands-on management of drivers and will be used additionally to recognise sound, safe driving practices. As a solution provider, colour coded reports are built up from three main parameters of harsh braking, speeding and over-revving.

"The harsh braking (or decelerations) count for 50% of the score, with speeding 35% and over-revving 15%. I would strongly recommend that a greater focus by all transport managers be made on harsh braking, and that stringent parameters are set upfront, for herein lie the real safe driving gains as well as the maintenance benefits," advises Drysdale. He further asserts that most transport companies are quick to discipline, but monitoring systems such as Ctrack's Ctrack also enable operators to recognise and reward good driving practice.

"The present pioneering work being done across our region with Ctrack, our partner of choice, has elicited a mixed reaction from staff members. However, once the technology is understood, they quickly embrace the benefits that the system offers, while the training provided by Ctrack is central to the ongoing successful attainment of buy-in from staff. "Ctrack is a solid partner which has grown with us in our rapidly changing global requirements. Its commitment, expertise and professionalism keep us going as business partners," comments Drysdale.

Ctrack systems have made a significant impact on the running of operations and the AFPK regions have embraced the fleet management aspects of the Ctrack system, as well as further defined requirements that the Solo product range meets on bulk road tankers. A particularly important aspect, in Drysdale's view, has been the increase in safety. "We once traced a hijacked tanker to a destination where an unlawful delivery was being made to a third party site. Thanks to the effectiveness of the Ctrack tracking system, we were able to recover the vehicle and pump out the product. The technology has therefore made police investigations and prosecutions much easier.

"We are currently in the process of testing vehicle monitoring for all the company cars in our region as part of our safety focus. This will represent a major expansion of our present onboard monitoring activity. Our belief is that every employee has the right to go home safely and we are continually looking at systems, tools and processes to ensure safe operations for our employees and our contractors," concludes Drysdale.