Into the Clouds:
Based in South Daytona, Florida, Advanced Directional Drilling Solutions Inc (ADDS) is a full-service underground construction company that has been providing directional drilling and overhead/underground utility services since 2017. Being a business that primarily operates in remote locations, ADDS does not always return equipment and assets to a physical yard location, which makes it a challenge for management to know exactly where their assets are at all times. ADDS co-owner, Benjamin Ekey, knew his company needed greater visibility and control in order to operate more efficiently and so he began looking for a solution that would enable them to easily track and monitor their assets as well as the usage of their trucks and heavy equipment. ADDS explored multiple solutions and ultimately decided to implement CloudHawk’s GPS tracking solution for their trucks and equipment. One main factor that attracted ADDS to select CloudHawk was that there was no requirement to sign any long-term contracts, unlike alternative solutions. In terms of getting up and running, Ekey was pleased with the “seamless” process, saying, it “was a pretty easy set-up, to be honest.”
Since having CloudHawk’s GPS tracking devices installed on their assets, ADDS has been able to track and monitor the location of all trucks and important equipment in the CloudHawk cloud-based portal. With near real-time updates and all assets visible on one screen, coordinating the use and scheduling of equipment has become easier and ADDS has been able to mitigate risk from loss and unauthorized equipment use. Using the map interface in the CloudHawk portal, ADDS can quickly set geo-fencing parameters that trigger an automatic alert when trucks and equipment enter or leave a job site. Additionally, Benjamin Ekey explained that they have had instances where employees have used equipment for personal reasons, but now that the equipment is being tracked, they can more easily prevent unauthorized use.
ADDS also uses CloudHawk GPS trackers to help locate teams and have visibility of their crew. This allows them to detect if a team member is running late for a job and get ahead of the issue by notifying customers. One additional way CloudHawk has been a game-changer for ADDS is in cases where they’ve been on services for disaster recovery following hurricanes. In these situations, it is common for communications to be down and crew members to be unreachable via cellphone. With CloudHawk, ADDS can check the location of crew members’ trucks, confirm if they are at the job site, and keep customers informed in real-time.
CloudHawk has also helped ADDS ensure that their drivers are driving safely. By easily setting up alerts for excessive speeding, ADDS is able to deal with these issues right away, prevent unsafe situations and maintain a positive company image. As Benjamin Ekey explained, “our managers review the data from Cloudhawk's speeding reports on a regular basis and go over these reports with drivers if a problem is detected.” The increased visibility has helped ADDS improved safety across job sites.
From managing a fleet of 175 trucks, Benjamin Ekey knows what a huge cost it can be for a company when drivers leave their trucks idling. Using CloudHawk, ADDS managers review idling time reports weekly, sometimes daily, as a cost-saving measure. He explained that a lot of their equipment is maintained based on the number of hours that they run. If a piece of equipment is running for an extended period of time, it increases the company’s costs. Benjamin also expressed, “if the crew can lower equipment idling time to no longer than 15 minutes, it decreases maintenance costs, fuel costs, wear-and-tear for the equipment and overall provides the company with huge savings from an ROI standpoint”.
CloudHawk’s GPS tracking solutions have helped ADDS gain full visibility and control over their important assets. For a company that operates in remote and sometimes harsh environments, being able to track trucks and equipment in real-time has helped them operate more efficiently, reduce costs, and increase employee and equipment safety.