Last month Qualcomm introduced its equipment management system, GlobalTRACS, to the equipment rental industry at the American Rental Association convention and trade show in Anaheim, Calif. Developed with input from a consortium of rental dealers and OEMs, GlobalTRACS delivers information through Qualcomm's own Web-based software, or via industry-leading back-office systems including RentalMan and Wynne Systems.
What's different about GlobalTRACS, according to Tim Lewis, senior director, construction equipment operations for Qualcomm, is that the system was truly designed to meet the needs of OEMs and rental fleets. Lewis recently heard from a rental person in regard to equipment management systems who said, “You're the first guy to ask me what I want rather than tell me what I need.”
Like other equipment management systems, GlobalTRACS communicates key business information from the equipment back to the rental store. For instance, equipment engine hours; global positioning system location and mapping of equipment; alarm/alert notification; and equipment operation and location history can all be remotely monitored and recorded simultaneously.
“In this challenging economic climate, effective equipment management is crucial to equipment rental and contractor fleets for maintaining a competitive advantage,” said Lewis. “The GlobalTRACS system provides equipment fleet managers with a comprehensive solution that enables superior customer service, while helping to reduce operating costs.”
The system offers value to equipment rental fleets and contractors by reducing maintenance costs, increasing billing and job costing accuracy, improving customer service, and reducing equipment theft and misuse. Users can take advantage of the automatic GPS vehicle positioning by setting virtual security fences, or geo-fences, around a job site to monitor their equipment.
The GlobalTRACS hardware is a dual-mode, dual-band terminal, designed to be rugged enough to stand up to the harshest weather conditions and extremes of the jobsite. The device measures 6.5 by 7 by 1.5 inches and is intended to be an OEM factory install, though after factory-installation is also an option on all equipment makes and models.
The system is supported by Qualcomm's Network Management Center, which processes more than 7 million data messages daily. The center, located in San Diego, is fully redundant with a second facility located in Las Vegas. The customer support staff is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to ensure message delivery.
Other benefits of the system include reduced equipment maintenance cost, minimized equipment downtime, minimized rental billing disputes due to accurate usage information, accelerated rental billing cycles resulting from daily engine hour updates, and improved credit and risk management due to equipment location monitoring.
GlobalTRACS also integrates to Qualcomm's OmniTRACS mobile communications system, which helps users manage their equipment, and service and delivery truck fleets from a single integrated system. The OmniTRACS system ensures efficient and reliable driver communications, while allowing users to provide their customers with accurate updates on deliveries, and fast response times to service calls.
Some notable rental businesses already on board with the GlobalTRACS system include United Rentals, Hertz, Sunbelt and Sunstate. A list of the OEMs on board includes Komatsu, Ingersoll-Rand, JLG and Terex.
The GlobalTRACS system will be available commercially in the second calendar quarter of 2003 directly from Qualcomm. Additional distribution channels will be added in the future. The system retails for $895 per hardware unit and the standard monthly service price is $25 for daily equipment status updates, including all airtime charges. Additional service plans are also available, the company said.
