Guided Navigation Reduces Missed Bins and Associated Extra Costs

Well experienced drivers sharing their knowledge about waste collecting routes, this is one of the main benefits of guided navigation. “After recording, the route is digitally available on the in-cab devices of all other colleagues, including the less experienced ones. With this waste collectors are able to drive routes more efficiently cutting back both on time and work”, says Maurice van den Heuvel, Sales Manager at AMCS. “In addition to this, the quality of the waste collection improves and with that fewer bins are missed. This mitigates the risks of extra costs for an additional collection. At the same time, it reduces customers call-backs which prevents an unnecessary increase in the workload of the call centre.”

Built-in turn-by-turn navigation guides drivers through the route

Collecting waste using guided navigation provides a series of benefits, according to Van den Heuvel. “For instance, less time is required to train new drivers on how to drive a route. The in-cab device provides them with a digital route and with voice-activated turn-by-turn navigation guides them through that route. This in-built functionality informs drivers, for instance, when they enter a dead-end street or take a left turn”, he explains.

“This assures that the driver is fully focused on the road while still being aware of the potential hazards. In addition to that, guided navigation has an in-built function to alert drivers with specific safety warnings such as, ‘slow down, school ahead’ or to avoid certain routes for a specific time to ensure road safety. The route planner or supervisor also has the ability to add extra instructions to call out safety warnings.”

Routes optimised in AMCS Intelligent Optimisation can also be loaded into the guided navigation to further improve the waste collection efficiency, Van den Heuvel clarifies. “Optimising both planning and routes substantially improves operational efficiencies by reducing mileage and waste collection time and with this, cut costs for both vehicles and drivers. Due to this, at the same time, it lowers the environmental impact and contributes to the sustainability of waste collection companies."

Reducing missed bins and associated extra costs for additional lifts

The functionalities mentioned are just a few examples of the possibilities guided navigation provides as a built-in solution of AMCS Mobile Workforce. Functionalities amongst others also include visual and voice-based instructions for turn-by-turn navigation, security warnings and on route activities like the waste collection. Additionally, the AMCS Guided Navigation provides street and instruction editing in maps and live tracking during the execution of the plan.

“With this, the integrated solution contributes to an increase of the route efficiency if drivers follow the optimal route they are presented by the in-cab solution”, Van den Heuvel is mentioning as one of the benefits for waste collection companies. “In addition to that through improved route accuracy also customer service satisfaction increases. Moreover, waste collection companies reduce the number of missed bins which on average can cost as much as €45 per missed bin. Guided navigation also increases flexibility by providing the possibility to deploy more temporary or inexperienced drivers. At the same time, guided navigation limits the time for double-manned training. This is important since driver churn can be up to 20% annually. And last, but not least it significantly improves the public and driver safety.”

For Veolia Germany, a safe working environment for drivers is also important, according to an interview with Malte Zinke, Project Manager Logistics. “Information is no longer only available to the driver as a displayed map and a street list but is also announced through the mobile system as a voice message”, he says in the interview with AMCS. “This is increasing the safety immensely because the driver has both hands on the steering wheel at all times."

AMCS Platform

AMCS Guided Navigation can run both as a standalone solution or also integrated into AMCS Mobile Workforce, one of the six solutions of AMCS Platform. The AMCS Platform offers a fully integrated and end-to-end portfolio of solutions to manage the waste and recycling lifecycle. Solutions include Enterprise Management, Intelligent Optimisation, Mobile Workforce, Vehicle Technology, Digital Engagement and AMCS Analytics. These industry-specific solutions are developed to support the AMCS Platform strategy focussing on driving revenue growth, margin expansion, operational efficiency and sustainability. AMCS lives up to those words with a product and development team of around 200 people, currently investing 20% of overall turnover in product development.