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The elements outlined on this site may inspire questions about how these programs work in day-to-day operations. With that in mind, featured below are answers to frequent queries designed to provide additional information on the Saucon TDS system. Q: Will the system track idle time and trigger the appropriate alert? Q: Is the system able to determine if the engine is actually running vs. ignition on, engine not running? Q: Besides looking in the Web portal, are there any other ways you can get an alert? Q: How does the Stop Report trigger the client's name on it? Q: Is there a way to see the average amount of time we are spending at a client? Q: Is text messaging an option with this system? Q: Some client stops can't accept a certain size vehicle due to docking size limitations, etc. Is there a way to handle this within the Saucon TDS system? Q: Does the Route Optimization application use a truck only once per day? Q: Is there a way to determine how often we are using our trucks? That is, how often they are at the depot vs. how often they are on the road? Q: Some of our routes start before midnight and end the next morning. Does Route Optimization accomodate this? Q: What happens if a client stop has a time where it cannot accept deliveries? Q: How will I know if a driver deviates from the planned route that optimization produces? Q: What sort of return on investment can I expect on the system? Q: I understand that there are Federal dollars available to fund Intercity Bus Security Improvements. How do I access these funds? Q: Will the system track idle time and trigger the appropriate alert? A: YES. (Back to Top)
Q: Is the system able to determine if the engine is actually running vs. ignition on, engine not running? A: YES; It has an alert that separates true idle time from ignition key on, but engine not running. (Back to Top)
Q: Besides looking in the Web portal, are there any other ways you can get an alert? A: YES; Alert notifications can be sent to pagers, e-mails, and cell phones. This is a standard option in the application. (Back to Top)
Q: How does the Stop Report trigger the client's name on it? A: This is based on geocoded address. A radius is created around that point, and when the system detects that the truck is turned off within that radius, or not moving within that radius for > 10 minutes, the appropriate client name displays on the Stop Report. (Back to Top)
Q: Is there a way to see the average amount of time we are spending at a client? A: YES; The user can generate a report that will show the scheduled time and average time spent at a client over a user-selected time frame. (Back to Top)
Q: Is text messaging an option with this system? A: YES; Saucon TDS has an optional display device that can send and receive text messages from the Web portal. (Back to Top)
Q: Some client stops can't accept a certain size vehicle due to docking size limitations, etc. Is there a way to handle this within the Saucon TDS system? A: YES; There is an "excluded classes" field for each client stop where you may designate what asset classes cannot be selected for this client stop. (Back to Top)
Q: Does the Route Optimization application use a truck only once per day? A: NO; The algorithm within route optimization will try to use the same vehicle multilpe times per day. The table also has a Turnaround Time field so that the truck is not reused again without the ability to service/unload/clean it. (Back to Top)
Q: Is there a way to determine how often we are using our trucks? That is, how often they are at the depot vs. how often they are on the road? A: YES; The Asset Utilization Report shows a percentage of the time the truck is outside the dispatch zone vs. time inside the dispatch zone. The system is able to determine how efficiently the fleet is being used. (Back to Top)
Q: Some of our routes start before midnight and end the next morning. Does Route Optimization accomodate this? A: YES; There is a checkbox that will allow a user to set a time as the night before. (Back to Top)
Q: What happens if a client stop has a time where it cannot accept deliveries? A: The customer file has a field called "No Deliveries Between:" which will take care of this problem. When the route is produced, the system will check any restrictions accordingly. (Back to Top)
Q: How will I know if a driver deviates from the planned route that optimization produces? A: You can check the Stop Report from that day which will show the actual stops in order. Remember, Route Optimization is "planned" activity, and GPS is "actual" activity. (Back to Top)
Q: What sort of return on investment can I expect on the system? A: Every application is different, however, the following may be useful: With today's fuel prices, a reduction of idle time alone could pay for the system within 12 months. Generally, we have found that vehicles idle on, on average, 4 hours per day. Most of this time is discretionary on the part of the operator. A reduction of 50% (which is a very conservative goal) will equate to an annual savings of $2500 per vehicle - which more than offsets the initial capital investment and the monthly subscription fee. After that, the savings are mostly "bottom line". Other benefits, such as on-time performance, reduced maintenance, reduced overhead, and improved customer service will vary with each client. (Back to Top)
Q: I understand that there are Federal dollars available to fund Intercity Bus Security Improvements. How do I access these funds? A: Saucon Technologies has partnered with a consulting firm which has expertise in filing the grant applications and expediting the grant process. Since the inception of the grant program, Saucon's clients have received in excess of $3 million of these funds. (Back to Top)
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