Van Dingenen Leverages Trimble’s Portfolio of Fleet Management Solutions

After 10 years, Van Dingenen Transport replaced its previous generation CarCube with the latest version of Trimble’s on-board computer. With new features and seamless integration with a variety of back-office applications—such as FleetHours for wages calculation, Tachotime Manager for tacho archiving and Performance Portal for driving style analysis and coaching—the fast-growing organisation is making great strides in a short time. An additional advantage—all the solutions are part of Trimble’s fleet management portfolio. As John van Loon, national transport manager at Van Dingenen, explains: “The software is optimally coordinated.”

Van Dingenen Transport is based in De Brabantse Kempen (the Netherlands). The family business provides transport services for the supply industry from the region to companies based in Brainport Eindhoven. “We also transport trailers to dealers across Europe. We use open trucks with cranes,” said Van Loon. “Another specialty is forklift transport, which we use to deliver seasonal products such as garden pavilions, saunas and turf to gardens throughout the Netherlands and Belgium.”

For many years, the fleet had approximately 30 to 35 vehicles. That number skyrocketed in 2016 when Van Dingenen moved to new premises including a warehouse at the Kempisch Bedrijvenpark in Hapert.

As early as 2011, every truck was equipped with a CarCube for the first time. Van Dingenen already had a track and trace system, but was looking for a fully-fledged on-board computer that could be linked to the transport management system (TMS). Van Loon met Trimble at a trade fair.

In 2019, Van Dingenen decided to replace the on-board computers with the latest CarCube. After ten years, the company wanted to upgrade to the latest version.

Replacement of the on-board computers was quick and easy. In fact, Van Dingenen only had to replace the hardware in the cabin, a matter of loosening and tightening four screws. The existing links with the TANS transport management system could be maintained.

This link gives Van Dingenen the necessary flexibility. The system sends the transport planning to the on-board computers every night, but during the day, that planning is adjusted regularly.

Trimble’s broad product portfolio is a significant advantage for the collaboration. An example, FleetHours, the wages calculation software, contributes to a significant reduction in the administrative burden. Drivers no longer have to manually fill in timesheets, while the office employees spend less time checking and processing the timesheets.

Van Dingenen hopes to achieve the same effect with Tachotime Manager, Trimble’s solution for archiving tachograph data. Van Loon added:

Van Dingenen has begun using Trimble’s Performance Portal, a solution for driving style analysis and driver coaching.

With the next-generation CarCube, Van Dingenen is prepared for future developments such as paperless transport. The tasks on the on-board computer can be transferred to the Trimble Fleet CarryOn™ app for mobile devices, which the drivers can use outside the truck to take photos, scan shipments and sign for receipt.