Total Environmental Restoration Solutions (TERS) provides environmental consulting and restoration services for facilities impacted by microbial, fire, and water damage. The company is based in Nanuet, N.Y., and recently served those impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

The Fleet: TERS operates a fleet of seven units.

The Challenge: Gary Shaked, President and Owner of TERS, sought a way to improve time management through more efficient dispatching and oversight of his drivers' activities. Shaked was already familiar with the benefits of GPS from his experience as a soldier in the Israel army, which used GPS to control vehicle location. "When you have a storm it's a similar situation," Shaked said. "Every minute you get hundreds of calls, and the GPS gives you more control. More control for an emergency manager means more efficiency and more money."

The Solution: TERS implemented a telematics solution that allows the company to view the position of the vehicles, their travel speed, and any traffic issues.

The Results: Soon after deploying the system, Shaked noticed measurable business results. With more transparency into the vehicles' whereabouts, he could accept more jobs that he previously would have turned away. "If I know that I'm capable of taking the work — that I'm going to make it to the job site in time — I can commit myself to doing that job," he explained.

Now, Shaked can dispatch vehicles closest to the next call without wasting time. Previously, identifying a driver's location required a series of phone calls. "I can't remember how many times we'd have to call our drivers and say, 'Where are you now?'" Shaked recalled. "Now we require less interaction on the phone because we already know their location. It relieves pressure on my office workers."

TERS' telematics solution has also helped modify staff driving behaviors. Traffic violations are nearly nonexistent now compared to an average of two tickets per month before implementation. Employees are more accountable for their actions, including when and where they stop.

The company has two offices, one of which is managed remotely by Shaked. The company's telematics solution allows him to see when an employee starts the vehicle in the morning. He can also determine whether a driver is being honest about traffic tie-ups. Knowing this, employees are less likely to take breaks in the morning. They're also more punctual and efficient, Shaked said. "There were a lot of issues with check-in times, equipment loading, and stopping in the morning for coffee," he added. "Now that they know I'm watching, they've stopped."

TERS plans to deploy the solution to its freezer trailer as well, so Shaked can track the whereabouts of the trailer and monitor any maintenance issues, such as battery failure.