Onboard computer technology has now adapted to the needs of a variety of haulers, and it will be up to you to determine what is the best balance of features versus cost, time and difficulty to implement.

By Steven Fenzl

Onboard computer technology has been developing in the waste industry for the last 20 years. We have seen most of the major evolution and adoption of the technology within the last six years. The leading providers of this technology began with server-based solutions and gradually migrated over to cloud-based software as a service (SAAS) solutions. The hardware was, and still is, a focal point for many providers, offering a rugged military grade onboard computer that fully integrates with truck cameras, video equipment and radio frequency identification (RFID) systems.

We have seen solutions evolve with a variety of companies, including most of the route management software companies providing a SAAS solution that is more software-focused then hardware-focused. These solutions use a tablet and the data is fully integrated with the hauler’s route management system. The route management system (RMS) onboard computer service does not offer many of the features that some of the independent onboard systems have, but they usually provide better data integration.

As onboard computer technology has evolved, the question arises: “Is Simple Better?” With any technology offering there are usually trade-offs for one software versus another. We will review some of the challenges with onboard computer technology and software as well as some of the most recent trends to help determine if a more complex solution would be better than a simpler one.

Challenges
There are many challenges with the purchase, implementation and management of onboard computer technology. Here are a few to consider:
• Change Management: The biggest challenge is how a hauler needs to change the way they are managing their business after implementing onboard technology. Transitioning from paper route sheets to electronic route sheets is possible but may be difficult at first. Changing how productivity and service verification is tracked will require effort and different employee skill sets. Implementing any technology solution will force change within the operation, and this culture shift needs be considered before purchasing any onboard computer solution.
• Data Integration: Haulers have a significant amount invested with existing route management software and are often limited to purchasing an onboard computer system from their existing software provider to ensure seamless data integration. Many of the independent onboard computer companies have application programming interfaces (API) for a variety of RMS software systems, but not all. Data from the onboard system may not transfer correctly, and route information may not always be accurate. Is data integration really necessary? Some systems can operate as a stand-alone software without full integration, and this may be a viable option for some haulers.
• Cost: The costs for onboard computer systems vary widely. They can range from $100s to $1000s per truck, or they can be purchased on a SAAS model with monthly fees ranging from <$100 to $100s per truck per month. Systems with military grade hardware that include camera and RFID equipment are often cost-prohibitive for most haulers. The excessive hardware and implementation costs have created a need for low-cost phone application software that is not hardware-dependent.
• Ancillary Services: Today, most onboard computer systems do not address daily service requirements a hauler may have, which are outside of basic collection. All haulers have the need to deliver and remove containers, but the use of an onboard computer system, focused primarily on collection, may not provide the needed features to manage these tasks. Haulers may need to track route auditors or other employees that are working in the field, and those features are not present in many of the available technology solutions.
• Data Analysis and Management: The more complex an onboard computer system is, the greater number of data points will have to be collected, analyzed and managed. The amount of data a system collects is often overwhelming, and the data is not used. Most haulers struggle to translate the data collected into actionable change that brings about business improvements.

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Left: Rouditor Task Detail Entry Screen.
Middle: Rouditor Service Verification Web Page.
Right: Rouditor Task Detail Screen. Images courtesy of Can Do!

Recent Trends
When it comes to technology and equipment in the waste industry, operators struggle with the comparison between simple lower-cost solutions versus complex, costlier solutions. Hauling operations are demanding and present daily challenges that make it difficult for haulers to spend the time learning and implementing technology.

There is a place for robust, complex onboard computer solutions that provide camera and video integration. However, there is a large segment of the waste industry market that is looking for a low-cost, simple solution that provides key features.

Two important features of any onboard computer software are photographic service verification and GPS coordinates tagging (aka geo codes). Providing customers both with proof of service and understanding where and what your drivers do each day are increasingly important features for any technology solution.

These simpler solutions are not hardware-dependent; they run as a phone application or on a tablet. The trend for the past few years is for technology companies to offer simple, low-cost phone application solutions that have limited features, but solve important problems for waste haulers. These simpler solutions address the needs of both standard commercial and residential services and sub-segments of the market including roll-off service and container delivery service.

A simple solution addresses some of the challenges mentioned. A hauler will still need to change several of their standard business processes with a simple solution, but the number of changes and the time to implement a simple solution are often easier than spending months mapping out new procedures and preparing for implementation.

Whereas many simple software solutions have data integration, there are several products that require no data integration. These products can provide meaningful data back to the hauler with basic reporting. If a hauler wants seamless data flow between the onboard computer and RMS software, then a more complex system would be a better choice.

A simple system will have little-to-no implementation cost and will have low monthly cost to operate. If a hauler can narrow down two or three main data points that they want from a system, and they do not require the features of a more complex system, then the cost savings will be worth the sacrifice in features and systems integration. Small haulers may not have the budget for an expensive onboard computer system and could benefit from just having a key feature like photographic service verification for a low cost.

With the variety of simple onboard computer systems on the market, a hauler may want to start with one line of business, such as roll-off or container delivery, and try a low-cost, simple solution before expanding to the collection side of the business. A complex solution may not allow a hauler to experiment with different lines of business, or it may not even provide a solution for some of their services. A simple solution that provides basic task management may be a perfect way to try this type of technology.

Simple solutions often provide basic reporting compared to a complex system that provides numerous reports, dashboards and multiple data points that need to be reviewed. A simple solution typically only focuses on a few key data points for a hauler to review and manage. If a hauler does not have the staff or time to view and manage data from an onboard computer system, then a simple system may provide enough important data to make profitable business improvements.

Adapting to Your Needs
So, is a simple onboard computer system a better solution than an expensive complex system? If you are looking for a full-featured system that is completely integrated with your RMS software and can record video, read RFID tags, integrate with your truck’s computer then the answer may be “no”. For many haulers who do not have the budget, staff, or need for fully-integrated features, then the answer to the question above may be “yes”.
Onboard computer technology has now adapted to the needs of a variety of haulers, and it will be up to you to determine what is the best balance of features versus cost, time and difficulty to implement. Haulers should spend the effort to identify what critical features they need and compare them to the cost and time to implement an onboard computer system. There are now a variety of systems from which to choose, and you may find that Simple is Best.

Steven Fenzl is President of Can Do! (Orange, CA) and Rouditor, LLC. Rouditor is a phone application and Web-based task management software designed for the waste industry. Rouditor provides photographic service verification and GPS data for tasks performed by drivers, auditors and employees. Can Do! is a leading provider of container management services in the U.S. and uses Rouditor to capture service information for every work order performed. For more information, visit www.cdsrvs.com.

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