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How Metro Transit of King County, Washington is Reducing Pollution, Protecting the Environment and Leveraging FuelFocus™ Technology in the Process
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Fleet Management Systems (FMS)
- Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
Applicable Industries
- Cities & Municipalities
- Transportation
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Maintenance
Use Cases
- Energy Management System
- Fleet Management
Services
- Software Design & Engineering Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
King County Metro Transit, located in Washington State, is committed to environmentally healthy and energy-wise transportation. The agency has been using AssetWorks FleetFocus™ fleet management software to manage its fleet since the late 90s. However, in 2005, Metro Transit decided it was time to gain even more control over its fuel and fluid usage to prevent waste, theft and the possibility of running out of fuel while en route. They needed a state of the art automated system that accurately tracked fuel and fluids in real-time to look for anomalies and source problems before they cost the agency money.
About The Customer
King County, located on the Puget Sound in Washington State, covers 2,134 square miles and is nearly twice as large as the average county in the U.S. With more than 1.8 million people, including the residents of Seattle, it ranks as the 13th most populous county in the nation. The area boasts many points of interest, from the original Starbucks and Microsoft’s headquarters to the Space Needle and the Experience Music Project. However, it is the beautiful, lush terrain with glimpses of Mount Rainier and countless waterways linking forested islands that truly captivate visitors and residents alike. With so much precious land to cherish and protect, it’s no wonder that King County residents have nurtured a culture of environmentalism. This ecological way of thinking has influenced the area’s public transportation system as well. King County Metro Transit was named the winner of the prestigious national Clean Air Excellence Award for 2005 presented by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The Solution
Metro Transit implemented FuelFocus, the AssetWorks automated fuel and fluid management system, to create even more efficiency and effectiveness within the transit agency. The system helped Metro Transit capture data that allowed it to immediately identify and fix oil leaks, eliminate fueling discrepancies and shrinkage, and assess MPG averages to gauge whether or not vehicles needed maintenance. The fuel and fluid data was automatically collected and integrated into one database where all of the fleet management information resided. Slow practices like hand entered data onto cumbersome paper forms were eliminated. Staff could run accurate reports at any time to make sure that all of the day’s in-use vehicles were fueled prior to transporting passengers. A prime example of this use is their “3 A.M. Report.” This early morning, daily report helps keep vehicles from running out of fuel, a scenario that could have dangerous consequences if not tracked properly.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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