Fleet data reporting and benchmarking system and method

• US 20060229799A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Utilimarc, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Utilimarc, Inc.
• Inventors: Shaffer, Christopher, Nimmo, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US11/094,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20060229799A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A system and method for standardizing fleet data and for enabling users of the system and method to selectively retrieve and report one participating fleet'"'"'s standardized fleet data values in comparative relation to that of other participating fleets.

Claims

1. A fleet data reporting and benchmarking method, said method comprising:

(a) for a first participant, generating unit specific fleet data values using said first participant'"'"'s fleet management program;

(b) through a user interface, standardizing said first participant'"'"'s generated unit specific fleet data values based upon predetermined criteria;

(c) through said user interface, associating attributes of said first fleet with said first participant'"'"'s standardized fleet data values;

(d) for other fleet participants, generating unit specific fleet data values of each of said other participants fleets using each of said other participants'"'"' respective fleet management programs;

(e) through said user interface, standardizing each of said other participants'"'"' generated unit specific fleet data values based upon said predetermined criteria;

(f) through said user interface, associating attributes of each of said other participants'"'"' fleets with each of said respective other participants'"'"' standardized fleet data values;

(g) through said user interface, executing a benchmarking query defined by certain of said attributes to selectively retrieve certain of said standardized data values of said first participant and said other participants having said certain attributes;

(h) generating a report displaying said certain selectively retrieved standardized data values of said first participant in relation to said standardized data values of said other participants having said certain attributes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined criteria includes a unit classification scheme.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said predetermined criteria includes determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit comprising the fleet.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit includes, determining the fully loaded ownership costs for each unit.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit, further includes determining the fully loaded operating costs for each unit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit, further includes applying a proportional amount of the fleet overhead to each unit.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein determining the fully loaded operating costs for each unit includes determining the fully loaded mechanic labor costs, contract costs, parts costs and fuel costs per unit.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein determining the fully loaded mechanic labor costs for each unit includes identifying the straight hourly wage rate of each mechanic that has serviced the unit, multiplying each mechanic'"'"'s hourly rate by the mechanic'"'"'s time servicing the unit, adding to the product each mechanic'"'"'s overtime pay and incentive pay, and multiplying the sum by the mechanic'"'"'s productivity allocator.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the mechanic'"'"'s productivity allocator is determined by subtracting the mechanic'"'"'s total vacation time, sick time and any other paid time off for the year from a predefined number of available working hours during the year and dividing the difference by said predefined number of available working hours.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said predefined number of available hours is approximately 2080.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the proportional amount of the fleet overhead applied to each unit comprising the fleet is the average required maintenance hours for the unit class divided by the fleet'"'"'s total maintenance hours for all units comprising the fleet, the quotient multiplied by the fleet'"'"'s total overhead.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said attributes include fleet type attributes.

13. The method of claim 2 wherein said attributes include unit class attributes.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said attributes include geographic attributes.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said geographic attributes include state codes where the fleet operates.

16. The method of claim 1 utilizing an application service provider architecture.

17. The method of claim 1 utilizing a Napster-type architecture.

18. The method of claim 1 utilizing a Gnutella-type architecture.

19. A fleet data reporting and benchmarking method, comprising:

(a) for a first participant, generating unit specific fleet data values using said first participant'"'"'s fleet management program;

(b) standardizing said generated unit specific fleet data values of said first participant'"'"'s based upon predetermined criteria;

(c) uploading said standardized fleet data values of said first participant to a central database using a user interface;

(d) uploading attributes relating to said first participant'"'"'s fleet to said central database using said user interface and associating said first participant'"'"'s fleet attributes with said first participant'"'"'s uploaded standardized fleet data values;

(e) for at least one other fleet, generating unit specific fleet data values of said at least one other fleet using said at least one other fleet'"'"'s fleet management program;

(f) standardizing said generated unit specific fleet data values of said at least one other fleet based upon said predetermined criteria;

(g) uploading said standardized fleet data values of said at least one other fleet to said central database using said user interface;

(h) uploading attributes relating to said at least one other fleet to said central database using said user interface and associating said at least one other participant'"'"'s fleet attributes with said at least one other participant'"'"'s uploaded standardized fleet data values;

(i) through said user interface, executing a benchmarking query defined by certain of said attributes to selectively retrieve certain of said standardized data values of said first participant and said at least one other participant having said certain attributes;

(j) generating a report displaying said certain selectively retrieved standardized data values of said first participant in relation to said standardized data values of said at least one other participant having said certain attributes.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said predetermined criteria includes a unit classification scheme.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said predetermined criteria includes determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit comprising the fleet.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit includes, determining the fully loaded ownership costs for each unit.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit, further includes determining the fully loaded operating costs for each unit.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit, further includes applying a proportional amount of the fleet overhead to each unit.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein determining the fully loaded operating costs for each unit includes determining the fully loaded mechanic labor costs, contract costs, parts costs and fuel costs per unit.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein determining the fully loaded mechanic labor costs for each unit includes identifying the straight hourly wage rate of each mechanic that has serviced the unit, multiplying each mechanic'"'"'s hourly rate by the mechanic'"'"'s time servicing the unit, adding to the product each mechanic'"'"'s overtime pay and incentive pay, and multiplying the sum by the mechanic'"'"'s productivity allocator.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the mechanic'"'"'s productivity allocator is determined by subtracting the mechanic'"'"'s total vacation time, sick time and any other paid time off for the year from a predefined number of available working hours during the year and dividing the difference by said predefined number of available working hours.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said predefined number of available hours is approximately 2080.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the proportional amount of the fleet overhead applied to each unit comprising the fleet is the average required maintenance hours for the unit class divided by the fleet'"'"'s total maintenance hours for all units comprising the fleet, the quotient multiplied by the fleet'"'"'s total overhead.

30. The method of claim 19 wherein said attributes include fleet type attributes.

31. The method of claim 20 wherein said attributes include unit class attributes.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said attributes include geographic attributes.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said geographic attributes include state codes where the fleet operates.

34. A fleet data reporting and benchmarking method, comprising:

(a) for a first participant, generating unit specific fleet data values using said first participant'"'"'s fleet management program;

(b) through a user interface standardizing said generated unit specific fleet data values of said first participant'"'"'s based upon predetermined criteria;

(c) storing said standardized fleet data values in a designated file on said first participant'"'"'s computer system;

(d) uploading attributes relating to said first participant'"'"'s fleet to a central index server and associating said uploaded attributes with the file name and path of said designated file;

(e) for at least one other participant, generating unit specific fleet data values of said at least one other participant using said at least one other participant'"'"'s fleet management program;

(f) through said user interface standardizing said generated unit specific fleet data values of said at least one other participant based upon said predetermined criteria;

(g) storing said standardized fleet data values of said at least one other participant on said at least one other participant'"'"'s computer system;

(h) uploading attributes relating to said at least one other fleet to said central index server and associating said uploaded attributes of said at least one other participant'"'"'s fleet with the file name and path of said designated file of said at least one other participant;

(i) through said user interface, executing a benchmarking query defined by certain of said attributes to locate the file name and path of the designated file of said at least one other participant having said certain attributes;

(j) accessing the located designated file to selectively retrieve certain standardized data values of said at least one other participant based on said certain attributes;

(k) generating a report displaying said certain selectively retrieved standardized data values of said located data file in relation to said standardized data values of said first participant.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said predetermined criteria includes a unit classification scheme.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said predetermined criteria includes determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit comprising the fleet.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit includes, determining the fully loaded ownership costs for each unit.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit, further includes determining the fully loaded operating costs for each unit.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit, further includes applying a proportional amount of the fleet overhead to each unit.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein determining the fully loaded operating costs for each unit includes determining the fully loaded mechanic labor costs, contract costs, parts costs and fuel costs per unit.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein determining the fully loaded mechanic labor costs for each unit includes identifying the straight hourly wage rate of each mechanic that has serviced the unit, multiplying each mechanic'"'"'s hourly rate by the mechanic'"'"'s time servicing the unit, adding to the product each mechanic'"'"'s overtime pay and incentive pay, and multiplying the sum by the mechanic'"'"'s productivity allocator.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the mechanic'"'"'s productivity allocator is determined by subtracting the mechanic'"'"'s total vacation time, sick time and any other paid time off for the year from a predefined number of available working hours during the year and dividing the difference by said predefined number of available working hours.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein said predefined number of available hours is approximately 2080.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the proportional amount of the fleet overhead applied to each unit comprising the fleet is the average required maintenance hours for the unit class divided by the fleet'"'"'s total maintenance hours for all units comprising the fleet, the quotient multiplied by the fleet'"'"'s total overhead.

45. The method of claim 34 wherein said attributes include fleet type attributes.

46. The method of claim 35 wherein said attributes include unit class attributes.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein said attributes include geographic attributes.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein said geographic attributes include state codes where the fleet operates.

49. A fleet data reporting and benchmarking method, comprising:

(a) for a first participant, generating unit specific fleet data values using said first participant'"'"'s fleet management program;

(b) through a first user interface standardizing said generated unit specific fleet data values of said first participant'"'"'s based upon predetermined criteria, said user interface having a preprogrammed address for communicating with at least one other participant;

(c) storing said standardized fleet data values in a designated file on said first participant'"'"'s computer system and associating said standardized fleet data values with attributes relating to said first participant'"'"'s fleet with said designated file;

(d) for at least one other participant, generating unit specific fleet data values of said at least one other participant using said at least one other participant'"'"'s fleet management program;

(e) through another user interface standardizing said generated unit specific fleet data values of said at least one other participant based upon said predetermined criteria, said another user interface having a preprogrammed address for communicating with at least another participant;

(f) storing said standardized fleet data values of said at least one other participant in a designated data file on said at least one other participant'"'"'s computer system and associating attributes relating to said at least one other participant'"'"'s fleet with said designate data file;

(g) through said first user interface, said first participant executing a query defined by certain attributes to search the attributes associated with the designated file of said at least one other preprogrammed participant;

(i) accessing the designated file of said at least one other preprogrammed participant if said at least one other preprogrammed participant has said certain attributes, otherwise said at least one other preprogrammed participant communicating and forwarding said query to said at least another preprogrammed participant;

(j) generating a report displaying certain selectively retrieved standardized data values retrieved by said query in relation to said standardized data values of said first participant.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein said predetermined criteria includes a unit classification scheme.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said predetermined criteria includes determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit comprising the fleet.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit includes, determining the fully loaded ownership costs for each unit.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit, further includes determining the fully loaded operating costs for each unit.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein determining the fully loaded annual costs of each unit, further includes applying a proportional amount of the fleet overhead to each unit.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein determining the fully loaded operating costs for each unit includes determining the fully loaded mechanic labor costs, contract costs, parts costs and fuel costs per unit.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein determining the fully loaded mechanic labor costs for each unit includes identifying the straight hourly wage rate of each mechanic that has serviced the unit, multiplying each mechanic'"'"'s hourly rate by the mechanic'"'"'s time servicing the unit, adding to the product each mechanic'"'"'s overtime pay and incentive pay, and multiplying the sum by the mechanic'"'"'s productivity allocator.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein the mechanic'"'"'s productivity allocator is determined by subtracting the mechanic'"'"'s total vacation time, sick time and any other paid time off for the year from a predefined number of available working hours during the year and dividing the difference by said predefined number of available working hours.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein said predefined number of available hours is approximately 2080.

59. The method of claim 58 wherein the proportional amount of the fleet overhead applied to each unit comprising the fleet is the average required maintenance hours for the unit class divided by the fleet'"'"'s total maintenance hours for all units comprising the fleet, the quotient multiplied by the fleet'"'"'s total overhead.

60. The method of claim 49 wherein said attributes include fleet type attributes.

61. The method of claim 50 wherein said attributes include unit class attributes.

62. The method of claim 61 wherein said attributes include geographic attributes.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein said geographic attributes include state codes where the fleet operates.