Think of a glossary like your language cheat sheet. No more scratching your head over confusing words; the glossary is your go-to buddy for decoding the language and keeping things crystal clear!
An ETA is the expected time and date when a fleet vehicle is predicted to reach either a specific waypoint or its final destination during a delivery or shipment.
In this context, knowing the ETA for a job is significant because it allows fleet managers to minimise delays which directly lead to losses in both time and money, the two fundamental pillars of fleet efficiency.
Further still, accessing ETAs also means fleet managers can inform clients of delivery times so that they can anticipate arrival. Such reporting is vital in that it improves the level of customer satisfaction a business or company receives.
Within the fleet management sector, there is the constant goal of maximising and maintaining operational efficiency. Estimated time of arrival, often referred to by its acronym ETA, is a tremendously important metric regarding this pursuit.
What is the Formula for Estimated Time of Arrival?
In the most basic sense, the ETA for a delivery can be calculated using the formula of: ETA = Remaining Distance/Average Speed. In essence, the formula calculates the estimated amount of time required to cover the remaining distance based on the average speed achieved so far in the journey.
However, there is an issue with this simple formula. Namely, the formula assumes a constant average speed throughout the entire journey, something which isn’t likely to be the case in a real-world scenario.
How to Improve Efficiency with Accurate Estimated Times of Arrival
On the back of the last point, to get a more accurate ETA, a fleet manager must take into account several factors such as:
Current vehicle location - the real-time position of a vehicle, as determined by GPS tracking.
Route and traffic conditions - the particular route chosen and existing traffic conditions like road closures, accidents, and other events which impact driving time.
Weather conditions - Extreme weather conditions including snow, storms, heavy rain, and high winds.
Vehicle speed and historical data - how long a certain journey took previously, alongside the current speed of a vehicle.
Driving behaviour - e.g. the speed and braking patterns of specific drivers.
By factoring in all of these details, fleet managers can thereby adjust ETA calculations and provide more accurate estimations. Likewise, this information affords fleet managers with the ability to optimise routes, make informed decisions about scheduling, and so increase their fleet’s overall operational efficiency.
Fleet Tracking and Routing Solutions from MICHELIN Connected Fleet
The crux of the matter is that, if a fleet manager hopes to reliably give customers accurate ETAs, then they must be equipped with the right tools. Specifically, they need to have a fleet management solution which at once tracks the progress of their drivers in real-time, allows for the creation of a statistical database, and permits them to communicate effectively.
For this reason, we at MICHELIN Connected Fleet have developed such solutions for the transport and logistics industry. Our solutions integrate instrumental hardware with cloud-based software so that fleet managers can streamline their responsibilities. If you’re interested in providing more accurate ETAs to your organisation’s clients, then be sure to contact us for details on how we can help you achieve all the inherent benefits today.
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