Top tech to track your fleet

Internet-based applications, specially designed devices
YouTrack and WebFleet keep you continuously informed by using big data.
Augetto Graig
YouTrack has been a growing Namibian undertaking since 2013, and by 2018, it had cemented its partnership with WebFleet to bring solutions to local customers who need to know, minute by minute, exactly what, when and how their automobiles are driven.

Last week, an exclusive presentation of the latest technological advancements energising this niche market of remote fleet management was in the spotlight at a glamorous client get-together at the Droombos Camelthorn Garden just outside the capital.

YouTrack founder Driaan Esterhuysen shared the company's success story, from humble beginnings operating out of a garage to currently servicing clients from all over the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

“About eight years ago, we recognised that we needed something else; we needed a more innovative product, the market needs more. So we started searching and found the product, Webfleet. We introduced it to all our clients and it is something that they accepted with great pleasure because it is something that is innovative, the company is innovative, and some of our first customers using Webfleet are still here today,” he said.



Top-of-the-range products

Elaborating on the latest product offering that YouTrack makes available from WebFleet, Justin Mason, sales director for Africa and the Middle East, introduced the Pro M, a rugged and secure multitasking unit that strongly resembles a cellphone in terms of design, among other features. With a Pro M in their pocket, Bridgestone Mobility Solutions enables fleet and vehicle owners to control workflow, dispatching, navigation and a host of other functions from wherever they are.

The Link 350 upgraded trailer device provides insights into trailer tracking, integrating existing systems to deliver information on everything from axle weight, GPS, and tyre pressures. The Driver I device to monitor your drivers and WebFleet Cold Chain to provide live feeds from your refrigerated fleet were also introduced to the audience. Mason was particularly encouraging about the OptiDrive 360 from WebFleet, which allows for control over driver behaviour and has also seen some upgrades in recent months.



Partnership support

Marcelo Godinho, vice president for sales and customer success in emerging markets with Bridgestone, was also on hand to make the unlikely connection between the tyre giant and the data Goliath seem obvious.

“WebFleet celebrates this year 25 years of our business,” said Godinho. “It comes from 1999, when the data factory in Germany was created. From there, it moved and was acquired by TomTom Telematics, and back in 2018, it was acquired by Bridgestone to be part of an extended family.”

He said WebFleet is focused on innovation for mobility.

“We are expanding, we are investing and we are looking for what we can do more, how we can bring more value, and specifically where our customers are. You are wondering: why Bridgestone, why WebFleet, and where do they go together? Fleet management is where you manage your vehicles and your transportation, and tyres are a very important part of that. What we will be doing is also being able to manage your tyres inside of that system,” he explained.

He added: “We are not here just to sell and make volumes, we are really here to make value – value for our customers, value for our partners, that is how we grow, and all that is based on data. WebFleet fleet management system is really data-based. We look at your data to see how we can improve, what you need more of, an how to make your operations more efficient, safer and more sustainable,” he said.

Comments

Namibian Sun 2024-10-23

No comments have been left on this article

Please login to leave a comment

Premier League: Nottingham Forest 1 vs 0 Crystal Palace | Liverpool 2 vs 1 Chelsea | Wolves 1 vs 2 Manchester City LaLiga: Valencia 2 vs 3 Las Palmas | Barcelona 5 vs 1 Sevilla | Villarreal 1 vs 1 Getafe | Atletico Madrid 3 vs 1 Leganés | Mallorca 1 vs 0 Rayo Vallecano SerieA: Hellas Verona 0 vs 3 Monza | AS Roma 0 vs 1 Inter Milan | Cagliari 3 vs 2 Torino | Venezia 0 vs 2 Atalanta | Lecce 0 vs 6 Fiorentina | Empoli 0 vs 1 Napoli European Championships Qualifying: Queens Park Rangers 1 vs 1 Coventry City | Stoke City 2 vs 2 Bristol City | Sheffield Wednesday 0 vs 0 Swansea City | Preston North End 2 vs 2 Norwich City | Oxford United 1 vs 1 Derby County | Leeds United 2 vs 1 Watford | Cardiff City 2 vs 0 Portsmouth | Hull City 0 vs 1 Sunderland English Championship: Queens Park Rangers 1 vs 1 Coventry City | Stoke City 2 vs 2 Bristol City | Sheffield Wednesday 0 vs 0 Swansea City | Preston North End 2 vs 2 Norwich City | Oxford United 1 vs 1 Derby County | Leeds United 2 vs 1 Watford | Cardiff City 2 vs 0 Portsmouth | Hull City 0 vs 1 Sunderland #N/A Currency: GBP to NAD 22.95 | EUR to NAD 19.17 | CNY to NAD 2.49 | USD to NAD 17.78 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.29 | EGP to NAD 0.36 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.66 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.11 | RUB to NAD 0.18 | INR to NAD 0.21 | USD to DZD 133.25 | USD to AOA 909.05 | USD to BWP 13.35 | USD to EGP 48.71 | USD to KES 129.18 | USD to NGN 1639.34 | USD to ZAR 17.78 | USD to ZMW 26.5 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1858.99 Down -0.43% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 14118.36 Up +0.23% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 30414.05 Down -0.04% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 718.00/OZ DOWN -0.0104 | Copper US$ 4.31/lb DOWN -0.0135 | Zinc US$ 3 164.50/T DOWN -0.18% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 75.30/BBP DOWN -0.0063 | Platinum US$ 1 018.55/OZ DOWN -0.0106 #N/A