Method for fleet management

• US 9,646,290 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2016
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mtct Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Mtct Group LLC
• Inventors: Walton, Mark Adam, Johnson, Eugene Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US15/052,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20160217434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• 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 method for fleet management can be created using a vehicle maintenance tracker for at least one vehicle and performing a vehicle inspection on the at least one vehicle using an inspection device to identify services needed on the vehicle. The vehicle inspection can then be transferred to a mechanic for verification of services needed on the vehicle. The vehicle inspection can provide a verification of services needed to the vehicle maintenance tracker and generate at least one of: vehicle repair information prioritized by importance of services, a schedule for vehicle service prioritized by importance of services needed, and a vehicle return to service date based on a schedule for vehicle service prioritized by importance of services needed.

Claims

1. A method for fleet management for at least one vehicle, the method for fleet management comprising:

a. performing a vehicle inspection on the at least one vehicle using inspection device connected to a network;

b. transferring the vehicle inspection information from the inspection device to a vehicle maintenance tracker, wherein storage associated with the inspection device, the vehicle maintenance tracker, or combination thereof is configured to present a log book for a driver in a format permitted by a governmental entity, wherein the storage comprises document and data storage;

c. transferring the vehicle inspection information to a mechanic for verification of services needed on the at least one vehicle; and

d. providing to the vehicle maintenance tracker from the mechanic at least one of;

i. an acknowledgment;

ii. mechanic inspection information;

iii. vehicle repair information;

iv. a schedule for vehicle service;

v. a vehicle in service date;

vi. a vehicle out of service status; and

vii. a vehicle return to service date based on the schedule for vehicle service.

2. The method for fleet management of claim 1, wherein performing the vehicle inspection further comprises identifying services needed on the at least one vehicle using the vehicle inspection information.

3. The method for fleet management of claim 1, wherein the vehicle repair information is prioritized by importance of services needed on the at least one vehicle, wherein the prioritization is determined by at least one of:

a driver, a mechanic or a predetermined priority order of importance for services needed on the at least one vehicle stored in the administrative data storage.

4. The method for fleet management of claim 1, wherein the schedule for vehicle service is prioritized by importance of services needed on the at least one vehicle.

5. The method for fleet management of claim 1, further comprising forming an accident tracker in the storage and receiving accident information from at least one of:

a driver, the at least one vehicle, or an accident related third party and communicating the accident information to the vehicle maintenance tracker.

6. The method for fleet management of claim 1, further comprising forming a driver fuel usage tracker in the storage and receiving driver fuel usage information from at least one of:

a driver, the at least one vehicle, or a fuel dispensing party; and

communicating the driver fuel usage information to the vehicle maintenance tracker.

7. The method for fleet management of claim 6, further comprising connecting a global positioning system to the driver fuel usage tracker.

8. The method for fleet management of claim 7, wherein the global positioning system is used to validate a driver fuel usage.

9. The method for fleet management of claim 1, forming a vehicle mileage tracker in the storage and receiving vehicle miles traveled information for the at least one vehicle from at least one of:

a driver or the at least one vehicle; and

communicating the vehicle miles traveled information to the vehicle maintenance tracker.

10. The method for fleet management of claim 9, wherein the vehicle miles traveled information further comprises a driver identification.

11. The method for fleet management of claim 9, connecting a global positioning system to the vehicle mileage tracker.

12. The method for fleet management of claim 11, wherein the global positioning system is used to validate a vehicle location.

13. The method for fleet management of claim 12, wherein the vehicle mileage tracker is used to calculate a traveled distance for a jurisdiction, wherein the jurisdiction is a defined geographic area.

14. The method for fleet management of claim 1, forming a driver log book, wherein the driver log book communicates with a vehicle maintenance tracker to track and record a change in a work status of a driver.

15. The method for fleet management of claim 1, further comprising forming document storage for storing documents related to the at least one vehicle.

16. The method for fleet management of claim 1, wherein the vehicle inspection comprises at least one of:

a. a pre-trip, wherein the pre-trip inspection includes at least one of;

a pre-trip time stamp, a pre-trip list of inspection points, a pre-trip stored list of repair requests, a pre-trip alert for needed repairs based on the stored list of repair requests, a pre-trip vehicle out of service date, and a pre-trip alert that the at least one vehicle is repaired and ready for service;

b. a roadside inspection, wherein the roadside inspection includes at least one of;

a roadside time stamp, a roadside list of inspection points, a roadside stored list of repair requests, a roadside alert for needed repairs based on the stored list of repair requests, a roadside vehicle out of service date, and a roadside alert that the at least one vehicle is repaired and ready for service; and

c. a post-trip inspection, wherein the post-trip inspection includes at least one of;

a post-trip time stamp, a post-trip list of inspection points, a post-trip stored list of repair requests, a post-trip alert for needed repairs based on the stored list of repair requests, a post-trip vehicle out of service date, and a post-trip alert that the at least one vehicle is repaired and ready for service.

17. The method for fleet management of claim 1, further comprising providing at least one of:

a. a pre-trip alert for needed repairs;

b. a roadside alert for needed repairs;

c. a post-trip alert for needed repairs;

d. an ad-hoc alert for needed repairs;

e. a pre-trip alert that the at least one vehicle is repaired and ready for service;

f. a roadside alert that the at least one vehicle is repaired and ready for service;

g. a post-trip alert that the at least one vehicle is repaired and ready for service;

h. an ad-hoc trip alert that the at least one vehicle is repaired and ready for service;

i. a vehicle return to service date; and

j. a schedule alert that the schedule for vehicle service will not be met.

18. The method for fleet management of claim 1, further comprising connecting a dispatcher processor to an administrative processor via the network, and a dispatcher data storage, wherein the dispatcher data storage comprises:

a. a vehicle identification for the at least one vehicle or a driver identification; and

b. at least one of;

(i) a pre-trip alert for services needed on the vehicle by vehicle identification and by driver identification;

(ii) a roadside alert for services needed on the vehicle by vehicle identification and by driver identification;

(iii) a post-trip alert for services needed on the vehicle by vehicle identification and by driver identification;

(iv) a pre-trip alert by vehicle identification that the at least one vehicle is ready for service;

(v) a roadside alert by vehicle identification that the at least one vehicle is ready for service;

(vi) a post-trip alert by vehicle identification that the at least one vehicle is ready for service; and

(vii) a projected vehicle return to service date by vehicle identification.

19. The method for fleet management of claim 1, further comprising providing an application program interface allowing a computer program to access fleet management data.

20. The method for fleet management of claim 1, further comprising retrieving, by an accident tracker, accident information from the storage;

and creating an electronic claim summary file for optional sending to management, a safety manager, a mechanic, or combinations thereof and for optional storing in at least one of a plurality of associated data storages.