Case Studies

Taihei Kogyo’s mobile management system guides garbage truck drivers on a map, sends unscheduled pickups over the cell network and reports results automatically, running on a rugged Contec BOX computer in each truck.

Overview

Engineering company Taihei Kogyo Corporation delivered a mobile management system to a garbage collection business. Collection requests are registered on a map, and the system centrally manages everything from customer records to collection history.

Challenge

Drivers stayed after their routes to write daily reports, adding hours and cost. Schedules had to absorb unplanned pickups and help trucks that fell behind, new drivers needed route guidance, and customer data had to stay safe if an onboard computer was stolen.

Solution

A Contec BOX computer in each truck shows the day’s schedule and route on a map, with destination details, parking spots and customer notes, and receives extra pickup orders over the cell network. The management center supplies the route, so new drivers work as effectively as experienced ones. When a truck falls behind, other vehicles see a support route. Data is kept at the center, so a stolen computer exposes nothing.

The computer offers strong vibration resistance, a wide operating temperature range, CompactFlash storage with no moving parts and front-panel interfaces for easy maintenance.

Results

Work status and results are reported automatically from the truck, so drivers no longer write reports after hours, and the business has substantially lower costs.

Contec products used

• BOX Computer IPC-BX800 series

Originally published by Contec Co., Ltd. at contec.com.