There aren’t enough ambulances to service the Gauteng population, according a 2017 media report.
International guidelines recommend that there is at least one ambulance per 10 000 people in the population. This equates to 1 340 ambulances for Gauteng’s population of 13,4-million people, but there were only 893 at the time.
This means that available vehicles need to become much more efficient, particularly in light of the rising number of road accidents in South Africa.
Fleet management systems can help emergency services to maximise their fleets, save lives and bring down operational costs in obvious and unexpected ways:
* Speed – Fleet management systems allow you to dispatch the right vehicle to the right location, quickly because they find the closest vehicle by time, and not just distance, by factoring in real-time traffic data. This boosts reliability as drivers can avoid hold-ups on long and short journeys, and because the system can integrate with other software providers such as asset management software, control rooms will be able to see the entire fleet and make sure the right equipment is in the right place, on time.
* Communication – The system also makes communication with drivers easy, so you can provide them with detailed instructions directly to their devices, further eliminating the need for them to be on their phones. You receive real-time updates on progress, helping to better manage the situation and expectations.
* Cost – Not only does the system provide the tools to help run a faster and safer fleet, it also allows you to monitor and control your costs by saving on fuel and maintenance-related issues through maintenance schedules.
* Reporting – Orders Workflow reports track when an order was dispatched, received, started, as well as when the vehicle arrived and departed. All these workflow steps are geocoded and time-stamped, making any insurance claims process much more efficient.
* Human resource management – Most new medics need to work a certain number of hours to qualify for an Advanced Life Paramedic Support Course. Personal navigation devices (PND) easily identify which first responder is on duty, and in which vehicle, so their working hours are more closely managed. Working times can also be used to monitor overtime and manage fatigue.
* Integration – A platform with an open application programming interface (API) can integrate easily with other systems, eliminating double capturing. For instance, it communicates directly to computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system so dispatchers don’t have to retype orders.
Fleet management systems are constantly evolving in response to the unique needs and conditions of various environments. Systems such as TomTom Telematics’ Webfleet help owners to optimise their fleets, provide real-time information about the location of vehicles and let managers communicate directly with drivers.