WHITEPAPER: Bridge the divide: connect the full business enterprise

Commercial and private fleets use a variety of software systems to manage equipment assets, from scheduling preventive maintenance and repairs to tracking parts inventory and accounting for life cycle costs. 

In many instances, some — and perhaps all — of the transactions and information in maintenance systems are not connected to the full business enterprise. Instead, a divide exists that often places maintenance in conflict with the other areas of the organization, limiting success of entire company. 

The organizational structures and IT systems of transportation companies traditionally have been geared for operations and the order-to-cash cycle of loads. This operational focus often leads companies to funnel IT investments and more so system connectivity to technology such as transportation management software (TMS) and leave fleet maintenance software, teams and outcomes siloed on an island and disconnected from the fleet. 

Incorrect and missing information, guesswork and inefficiencies of double data entry are some of the many outcomes of fleet maintenance systems being on an island. These divisions and other disconnects contribute to excess costs, downtime and safety violations, among other relevant challenges. 

This guide describes seven Bridges to move fleet maintenance off the island and bridge the divide, connecting the full enterprise to a broader ecosystem of linked services and applications.