Housing organisation selects Cybit to provide fleet and asset management solution

  • Ashfield Homes deploys Internet-based Fleetstar-Online solution in 46 fleet vehicles to help meet its service level agreements
  • Two-way handsfree voice communications capability assists in fulfilling its Duty-of-Care to employees

Cybit, the UK’s leading online telematics service provider, has announced that Ashfield Homes Ltd – an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) – has installed Cybit’s Fleetstar-Online fleet and asset management solution in 46 vehicles of its service fleet. Cybit’s comprehensive fleet management system will enable Ashfield Homes to monitor its fleet operations, achieve productivity improvements, ensure that it provides lone worker support to its employees, and achieve a rapid return on its investment (ROI). This contract follows Cybit’s recent success in the housing sector, with contracts from EMCOR Drake & Scull, Sunderland Housing, Wyre Forest Valley and Windsor Housing.

Ashfield Homes manages Ashfield District Council's rented housing stock of over 7,500 properties. The deployment of Fleetstar-Online will provide the company with detailed information about the routes taken between sites, details of individual vehicle arrival and departure times, and help Ashfield Homes to fulfil its service level requirements.

According to Steve Haywood, Director of Technical Services at Ashfield Homes: “With Fleetstar-Online we’re able to use the latest technology to deliver significant benefits for our tenants, our drivers and the organisation as a whole. Working with Cybit, we’ve been able to address key business issues such as ROI, reporting and HR matters – in addition to improving performance by optimising vehicle utilisation.

“We’re providing lone worker support for drivers by installing a two-way, hands-free voice communications link that gives them immediate GSM access to their operator, and also allows access to incoming calls,” he continued. “This close contact helps us to respond quickly to emergency repair requests, and also helps us to provide a better service to our tenants, as we can re-route technicians to respond to service calls, let tenants know exactly where engineers are, and ensure that we deliver on our performance targets.”

“Effective telematics solutions are as much about people and processes as they are about technology and, with Fleetstar-Online, Ashfield Homes has selected a fleet and asset management solution that will provide a valuable data source for the whole organisation,” added John Wisdom, Cybit’s Sales and Marketing Director. “Working with Ashfield Homes, we’ll be helping them to integrate their people, processes and technology and unlock real value from their mobile assets.”

Fleetstar-Online is Cybit’s scalable Internet-based, modular telematics solution that features real time vehicle tracking, exception reporting, replay mode, customised reports, mileage information, SMS messaging and live traffic information. Fleet vehicles are fitted with a small electronic in-vehicle-unit (IVU) which is tracked by GPS in real-time and data transmitted to Cybit’s online control centre. The system also allows two-way, hands-free voice communications, giving drivers immediate GSM access to their fleet operator and allowing them to receive incoming calls. It provides companies with a cost-effective ASP-based fleet management solution, which offers users anytime, anywhere access to the system via a standard web browser. Fleetstar-Online also features added value solutions support, with fully integrated Smartnav satellite navigation and RAC Trackstar Plus stolen vehicle recovery system functionality.

About Ashfield Homes:
Established in April 2002, Ashfield Homes is a wholly owned, not for profit Housing Company, run by a Board of Non Executive Directors. The company has full freedom and independence to make operational decisions on the management of Ashfield District Council's housing stock. The company directly employs around 200 people. The Council still continues to own the homes, but in order to qualify for the additional government funding, they have set up Ashfield Homes to provide management and maintenance services to tenants. Tenants retain their security of tenure and continue to pay rent to the Council. The Council, in consultation with Ashfield Homes, sets the rents for the properties, and determines the allocation policy. Additional information is available at www.ashfieldhomes.co.uk

About Cybit:

Cybit is a leading Internet-based Telematics Service Provider (TSP) and supplier of fleet and asset management solutions to the business-to-business sector. Cybit’s solutions portfolio includes vehicle tracking and management, lone worker support and car pool management. Hundreds of companies across a wide range of industries already use Cybit’s online solutions to improve the management and control of their fixed and mobile assets. Additional information is available at www.cybit.co.uk

Contact information:
Andy Gray
IBA - PR for Cybit
Tel: 01780 721 433
Email: agray@iba-europe.com

Sophie Geering
Marketing Manager, Cybit
Tel: 01480 389100
Email: sgeering@cybit.co.uk