Challenge:
Portable toilets are essential for agricultural operations, particularly during busy peak periods such as harvest season, when farmers and contractors regularly work round-the-clock in rural and remote areas. Latta Hire faced the challenge of effectively tracking these portable units, as farmers frequently relocated them on the farm or between fields. This made it increasingly difficult for the business to pinpoint the assets for servicing or collection. The result of physically searching for each individual unit proved hugely time-consuming and costly, significantly affecting the business’s operational efficiency and ultimately its bottom line. Latta Hire initially trialed an alternative telematics solution but quickly discovered it did not meet their expectations in terms of product functionality or the level of service required. To create better efficiencies across the business, improve fuel consumption, and lower costs, a new solution was needed.
Installing a sophisticated telematics solution across the fleet has revolutionised the way we run the farming side of the business. We had no visibility of our assets at any given time but are now able to access the location of every unit and vehicle at a glance, which has made a huge difference, both in terms of fuel and time savings. It has also enabled us to bring new farming contracts on board.
Solution:
Teletrac Navman worked closely with Latta Hire’s Transport and Operations Manager, Colin Francis, to tailor the perfect solution for the organisation. This included the Qtanium 100 self-powered asset tracker installed into every portable toilet unit to determine its location, as well as the M-NAV 800 messaging device fitted into each vehicle to facilitate fleet tracking and two-way messaging. Used in combination with the award-winning DIRECTOR platform, an advanced fleet tracking system, fleet managers now have access to real-time data in one easy-to-use interface. This platform provides a diverse range of information, from the location of individual vehicles to monitoring fuel usage and driver performance. It can significantly cut fuel costs through more effective route planning, optimise vehicle use, increase business productivity, improve driver behaviour, and potentially reduce insurance premiums. For added flexibility, Latta Hire also installed the DIRECTOR Mobile app, which replicates the functionality of the DIRECTOR platform, offering multiple users immediate and easy access to key information via smart devices.
Results:
The implementation of the DIRECTOR platform and associated telematics solutions has led to remarkable improvements in Latta Hire’s operational efficiency. The key outcomes include:
- Enhanced Asset Tracking: The ability to access the location of every portable toilet unit and vehicle at a glance has transformed Latta Hire’s operations, allowing for quicker service and collection processes.
- Significant Time and Fuel Savings: With improved visibility of assets, Latta Hire has achieved a ten-fold increase in fleet efficiency, resulting in substantial reductions in both time spent searching for units and fuel consumption.
- Improved Customer Service and Business Growth: The enhanced tracking capabilities have allowed Latta Hire to elevate its customer service levels, which has led to the acquisition of new farming contracts and strengthened relationships with existing clients.
About Latta Hire:
Primarily serving the farming community in the East of England for more than a decade, Latta Hire is a renowned portable toilet rental business, managing 500 portable units alongside a small fleet of commercial vehicles.