An innovative vehicle tracking and job management system for utilities companies has been introduced to the UK by Mobexx. The Mentor Streets Enterprise mobile resource management solution has already made its mark in the demanding US market. American Electric Power - one of the largest US power companies that has a fleet of 4,500 service vehicles - is using the system to improve worker safety and reaction time, reduce the time taken to rectify power cuts and reduce fleet fuel usage.

The fully integrated and real-time system provides total fleet management giving vehicle location and it also is able to differentiate between vehicle types on dispatchers' maps. It also gives in-vehicle directional prompts and generates vehicle data reports to assist with job allocation, assigning appropriate crews to specific tasks.

The system integrates the key areas of vehicle tracking, mobile computing, telematics, event management and reporting. This provides a comprehensive solution with real-time information being communicated between engineers and the despatch office via the Mentor BBX standalone vehicle-mounted tracking and data collection device. The system delivers instant job updates and keeps managers informed of job progress.



Information transmitted by the BBX units and captured by software is displayed as vehicle icons on the dispatch office onscreen maps. Using the maps, vehicle movements can be tracked in real time and appropriate engineers located in the event of an emergency. The system can also be used to record vehicle speed and last known position to monitor driver behaviour.

"Mentor Streets Enterprise is ideal for utilities companies. The system helps customer services departments to respond to customer queries quickly and in detail as all the essential information is provided at their fingertips. Emergency response is also much improved because dispatchers can locate the nearest and appropriate engineers to deal with the incident. Fuel savings are a great benefit of the system as it provides greater control and accuracy for fleet management and reduces road miles. The reporting functionality also provides detailed management reporting," says Mark Dale-Lace, Director, Mobexx.