With the advancement of connectivity and telematic technologies, the way customers care for their powertrain is changing. Vehicle service was often reactive – components were only repaired when they broke. Today, maintenance is predictive, increasing efficiency, maintenance accuracy and fleet performance. Such improvements are not only translating to increased uptime but also significant cost savings.

A look at the trucking industry today

To understand the scale of savings connected vehicles can have on fleets, it’s important to break down what the trucking industry looks like today.

• There are over 3.5 million truck drivers employed in the United States operating over 4 million trucks while moving over 10.5 billion tons of freight each year.^[1]
• The average truck drives over 100,000 miles per year, or 500 miles per day, over 3,000 miles per week). If the driver works full-time, they can expect to spend around 300 days per year on the road.^[2]
• Repair and maintenance costs depend on several factors including fleet type and size. Large fleets typically have their own maintenance facilities, which can translate to lower costs as opposed to using outside providers.
• The average cost of trucking has reached an all-time high, increasing to $90.78 per hour.^[3]

With expenses on the rise in nearly every cost center, increasing operational efficiencies is imperative.

Here are three Cummins Connected Solutions saving customers money

Unplanned downtime and reactive maintenance can lead to added expenses for a fleet, impacting financial performance. Cummins Inc.’s Connected Solutions leverages connected technology to enhance fleet service, operations and efficiency while saving customers money.

#1 Cummins Optimized Diagnostics and Fast Track Repair feature

Traditionally, when a vehicle is brought to a service location, technicians diagnose the issue with a troubleshooting tree. Engine faults all have an associated troubleshooting tree, which defines repair practices and includes steps necessary to complete a repair.

Through Optimized Diagnostics, the steps to resolve an issue are reordered to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the repair event. Cummins uses both public and proprietary data to optimize engine fault codes, dynamically re-ordering troubleshooting steps and driving technicians to the most likely root cause first.

Through the Fast Track Repair (FTR) feature of Optimized Diagnostics, certain repair steps are eliminated altogether for technicians. It removes diagnostic and troubleshooting steps, moving directly to repair for specific fault codes.

In the transportation industry, time is money. Optimized Diagnostics and FTR ensure that customers experience less downtime for a maintenance event, allowing them to continue earning money on the road.

#2 Over-the-Air Programming

Over-the-Air (OTA) programming provides software and parameter updates for a single vehicle or for an entire fleet while vehicles are on the road. Traditional powertrain update methods often required vehicles to be taken to service centers, which means scheduled downtime and disruptions in operations. With OTA capabilities, this work is done remotely. This capability is especially beneficial for businesses where any downtime can result in lost revenue or delays in service delivery.

Software Updates

A customer can calibrate and optimize their engine control modules (ECM) remotely, without having to plug in or visit a service location. This ensures that customers are running the latest Cummins software, and their engine has the latest performance, efficiency and security updates.

Parameter Updates

Parameter updates allow customers to change a selection of engine parameters over-the-air to optimize a vehicle for things like different routes, conditions and duty cycles.

Adjustments to vehicle settings like these can lead to better fuel efficiency. Over time, even small improvements in fuel consumption can result in noticeable savings, especially for fleets that cover significant distances daily. This not only reduces operating costs for the fleet but also aligns with environmental goals by reducing overall fuel consumption.

Ensuring that engine software is up to date is crucial for optimal performance. With the latest calibrations, engines can operate efficiently, potentially leading to fuel savings and extended engine lifespans. By offering this wireless update capability, Cummins embodies our commitment to delivering user-friendly solutions for its customers.

#3 Predictive Service Insights

Predictive Service Insights is a tool that customers can use to optimize their repair plans based on real-time asset-level data. It gives customers access to key insights that enable a proactive intervention as a planned event.

Using data, Predictive Service Insights can identify potential failures for certain components, giving an asset-based recommendation to the customer on when to replace them. This allows customers to proactively manage their finances to account for future, planned repairs. With such foresight, customers also can account for planned downtime when scheduling work, ensuring their business continues running as promised while keeping customers satisfied. 

Cummins Connected Solutions are here to support you       

Connected vehicle technology solutions are no longer a luxury but a necessity for modern fleet operations. By partnering with Cummins to integrate these technologies, customers can not only ensure the optimal health and performance of their vehicles but also realize tangible financial benefits.

In a competitive industry where margins matter, turning to technology for efficiency and cost savings is the way forward. Cummins, with its innovative solutions, is the perfect partner for fleets looking to thrive in a new age of transportation.

Explore Cummins Connected Solutions, from software and mobile applications to digital hardware geared to optimize the performance and reliability of your Cummins-powered equipment.

^[1] https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/06/america-keeps-on-trucking.html#:~:text=More%20than%203.5%20million%20people,occupations%20in%20the%20United%20States.

^[2] https://www.caltrux.org/driver-faqs/#:~:text=A%3A%20Most%20individual%20long%20haul,miles%20behind%20the%20wheel%20annually.

^[3] https://www.rtsinc.com/articles/2023-operational-costs-and-trucking-industry-trends#:~:text=With%20fuel%20included%2C%20the%20cost,an%20average%20total%20of%20%2490.78.