In today’s fast-paced world, having the ability to communicate quickly and easily is important. This is especially true in beverage warehouse and distribution operations where time is money and using telematics to track the location, movement, status and behavior of beverage vehicles can help get the most bang for the buck.

Not all that long ago, fleet software defined a relatively narrow range of products that primarily were designed to track maintenance schedules and the related costs of vehicle operation/ownership.

As with any other form of technology, telematics solutions are always changing. From new devices to new software solutions, telematics suppliers are innovating to offer more effective and efficient solutions. Marco Encinas, product manager for Teletrac and Navman Wireless, Garden Grove, Calif., gives Beverage Industry insights to new innovations in telematics devices. 

From smartphones and tablets to electric cars, technology only seems to have made life easier, and several technological innovations have done just that for the beverage industry as well.

 Zebra Technologies Corp., Lincolnshire, Ill.,launched Mobility DNA today. Mobility DNA is a set of enterprise mobility software solutions that drives greater efficiencies and productivity for businesses, mobile workers and channel partners, the company says. Zebra also announced two new touch computers that expand the industry’s broadest portfolio of enterprise-class Android mobile computers. 

At the beginning of a new year, it’s customary to look forward and imagine the future. In keeping with that tradition, let’s fast-forward five years into the future to look at the challenges and opportunities that managers will face with their 2020 fleets.

Nordson Corp. announced the global release of its new ProBlue Liberty, an integrated tankless melter and multi-hose fill system that allows packagers to reduce waste, char, downtime and energy consumption on their production lines, the company says.

Because of GPS devices, drivers nowadays are used to being instructed to “turn right in 500 yards” or — for those a little more navigationally challenged — “make a legal U-turn when possible.” Beverage distributors are equipped with these advantages as well, but the latest telematics solutions offer some added perks to help drive efficiency, safety and more.

Not much is certain in today’s world, but two things can be counted on as winter releases its icy grip on Louisville, Ky.

With fuel prices hovering near the $4 a gallon range, drivers across the industry are looking for ways to cut costs and boost vehicle efficiency. Some fleet managers have turned to telematics to help monitor fleet performance and reduce overall vehicle costs.