Waste Managers Extend Digital Working Project After Trial Success

19 January 2018 by Daryl Tunningley

Following successful trials of hand-held Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), Fareham-based independent waste management group CSG has said it now plans to roll out the technology project across its entire operational fleet.

The PDAs are installed with bespoke software to meet the company’s exact requirements. The system substantially reduces administrative overheads by minimising paperwork and improves the overall operational efficiency of the fleet.

The first phase of the project, encompassing the company’s large fleet of sewage collection tankers which maintain around 60,000 off-mains drainage systems, has been “a huge success,” says CSG IT Manager Dan Gailer. It will now be extended to include CSG’s hazardous waste haulage fleet.

“Their introduction has been made practical because of improvements in the mobile communication networks. We’ve been very pleasantly surprised by how quickly our drivers have got to grips with the new technology,” said Mr Gailer.

The devices incorporate GPS tracking, camera, messaging and time and attendance recording functions which, as well as transmitting accurate job information back to the company’s central computer systems, also sends electronic collection tickets to customers by email as soon as the job is completed.

Customers are also able to log into the system to obtain copy tickets and details of the work that has been carried out.

In operation, once a driver has carried out daily vehicle checks, the work schedule for that day is downloaded; avoiding the need to visit a depot to collect paperwork. When each job is completed, the driver uses the PDA to transmit completed job information, adding any relevant notes or photographs at the same time.

The system removes the reliance on cumbersome paperwork, streamlines record keeping and improves real time communications between drivers on the road and their operational headquarters as well as reducing the company’s carbon emissions.

Consignment notes and waste transfer notes will all be digitalised under the new system, allowing depot staff more time to prepare to receive incoming waste loads at CSG’s treatment centres.

In the event of an accident, or other incident, the system guides the driver through recording all necessary information. And built-in GPS can tell CSG exactly where the driver is located if assistance is required.

“The first phase of electronic working has been hugely successful and we now plan to extend the programme by developing the system for use in our extensive fleet carrying out hazardous industrial waste haulage operations,” said Mr Gailer.

“This will mean installing PDAs in a further 50 vehicles which we hope to complete by the end of January.”