Optrak Distribution Software Limited (www.optrak.com) today announced that Lisburn Fuels, a leading regional distributor of fuel oils to a domestic, industrial and agricultural customer base is live on Optrak’s vehicle routing software.  The distributor has seen an immediate improvement in efficiency leading to a 20% increase in its delivery capacity without changing the fleet.

Steven Frazer, Managing Director of Lisburn Fuels commented, “We were attracted to Optrak’s vehicle routing software as it has unique functionality for dealing with compartments.  We gave Optrak two days of our operational data and the results clearly showed a strong business case for the investment even though we have a relatively small fleet.  After using the software for some months the results have been impressive with a 20% increase in our delivery capacity, whilst minimising our fleet running costs and the impact that we have on the environment, all of which are central to the company’s long term performance.”

Since going live, Lisburn Fuels has been using Optrak to plan daily routes and loading schedules.  It takes just minutes; even though it is taking into account weight and volume limits of each vehicle and compartment.  The time that is saved by routing with Optrak can now be spent on other customer service activity.

Once routes have been finalised, a customised trip manifest report is printed for each driver.  Optrak produces a loading report so that drivers have a clear visual summary of the products that need to be loaded into each compartment.  The transport office also uses an Optrak report showing volume utilisation per vehicle and this helps identify which drivers could potentially do urgent deliveries.

Steven Frazer explains, “Optrak gives us a more global view of deliveries for the next few days.  We can now see clearly what can-go orders can be added to the must-go deliveries.  It is more convenient and cost effective to fulfil can-go orders as early as possible as it offers greater flexibility, we are making maximum use of our resources and it is better from a customer service point of view.  It has enabled us to minimise how much additional fuel is carried but will not be delivered which in turn cuts our distribution costs and reduces the impact that we have on the environment.”

Other benefits for Lisburn Fuels include:

• Minimised paperwork in the transport office
• Improved efficiency and flexibility throughout the supply chain
• Better management information and reporting
• Easier access to important data to answer customer queries

Steven Frazer is enthusiastic about the investment in Optrak, adding, “Many routing systems were designed for larger fleets but Optrak was able to scale down to meet the needs of a smaller operation.  The software’s flexibility and design enable it to adapt to the specific requirements of the fuel industry and closely match our requirements.  It has delivered real benefits to us and has become integral to maintaining our service levels which is an important differentiator.  Additionally the investment has proven to be extremely cost effective when compared to the benefits that we have achieved, and we have seen a rapid return on our investment.”

Tim Pigden, Managing Director of Optrak commented, “Lisburn Fuels is a good example of a smaller fleet operator successfully using vehicle routing software to achieve benefits previously thought only to be accessible by larger companies.  By taking proactive steps to minimise its carbon footprint, Lisburn Fuels has reinforced its green credentials.”