Industrial vehicle fleet management system

Abstract

Embodiments consistent with the invention are an apparatus for and method of generating data on current utilization of powered industrial vehicles, generating preferred routing assignments for powered industrial drivers, and presenting preferred routing assignments for powered industrial vehicle drivers.

1 . A method of generating data on current utilization of powered industrial vehicles comprising: 
 recording the driver, time, and location, of the start of any motion of a powered industrial vehicle;    recording the time and location of a subsequent stop of the powered industrial vehicle;    recording the instantaneous speed of or total distance traveled by the powered industrial vehicle between the recorded start and stop locations;    recording the path driven by the powered industrial vehicle between pick-up and drop-off locations.    recording an identifier of any pallet or container that is being picked up at a start location and whether the pallet or container is carrying a load;    recording the identifier of any pallet or container that is being dropped off at a stop location;    measuring the preferred minimum distance between all expected pick-up or drop-off locations; and    storing the above recorded data in a database for tabular or graphical presentation for use in calculating desired utilization indicators by powered industrial vehicle and driver.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where the data is recorded manually by the driver.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , where the data is recorded manually by another person riding with or observing the driver and stored electronically on memory aboard the powered industrial vehicle and is downloaded at the end of the shift into the database.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , where the data is automatically recorded and stored electronically on memory aboard the powered industrial vehicle and is downloaded at the end of the shift into the database.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , where the data is automatically recorded and stored electronically on memory aboard the powered industrial vehicle and is transmitted frequently during the shift to a shift supervisor's computer.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , where the data is automatically recorded and stored electronically on memory aboard the powered industrial vehicle and is transmitted frequently during the shift to the database.  
     
     
         7 . A method of calculating desired utilization indicators by vehicle and driver, using data generated according to any of claims  1  through  6  comprising: 
 determining time in motion divided by time in shift for each driver;    determining time transporting a pallet or container between expected pick-up and drop-off locations divided by time in shift for each driver;    determining time transporting a loaded pallet or container between expected pick-up and drop-off locations divided by time in shift for each driver;    determining the number of pallets or containers picked-up and dropped-off per shift by driver;    determining the numbers of loaded pallets or containers picked-up or dropped-off per shift by driver; and determining the distance driven between a pick-up and a drop-off location in excess of the preferred minimum distance by driver.    
     
     
         8 . A method of generating preferred routing assignments for powered industrial vehicle drivers, comprising: 
 establishing an average time to safely drive a powered industrial vehicle on each of a preferred minimum distance between all expected pick-up and drop-off locations;    developing statistics on the time each mail processing station requires to process an incoming pallet or container as well as generate an outgoing pallet or container;    estimating the amount of incoming mail based on the number of pallets and containers on incoming trucks;    using the average time, developed statistics, and estimated incoming mail to simulate the work flow of the incoming mail;    determining the number and timing of loaded pallets and containers to be removed from and delivered to each mail processing station and the number and timing of empty pallets and containers to be removed from and delivered to each mail processing station;    calculating a minimum number of powered industrial vehicles that is needed to timely distribute and process the mail through the mail processing facility;    generating assignments for each of the minimum number of powered industrial vehicles, including expected pathways and time schedules.    
     
     
         9 . A method of presenting preferred routing assignments for powered industrial vehicle drivers, comprising: 
 generating assignments for each of the minimum number of powered industrial vehicles, including expected pathways and time schedules according to the method of  claim 8;  and    transmitting an assignment to each the minimum number of powered industrial vehicles for graphical display to the driver.    
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for optimizing usage of a powered industrial vehicle, said apparatus comprising: 
 a transmitter on said vehicle transmitting data therefrom;    at least one load sensor operatively coupled to said transmitter, said load sensor being on said vehicle and generating data from which the presence of a pallet or container being transported by said vehicle can be determined;    a receiver disposed to receive transmissions of data from said transmitter from which the location of said vehicle and the presence of a pallet or container being transported can be determined;    a computer programmed to determine the optimal path of said vehicle and generate data commands;    a transmitter operatively coupled to said computer to transmit said data commands to said vehicle; and    a display disposed to display said commands in a form readable by a human operator of said vehicle.    
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one sensor operatively coupled to said transmitter, said sensor generating data from which the number of pallets being transported can be determined.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one sensor operatively coupled to said transmitter, said sensor generating data from which the number of containers being transported can be determined.