Chevin Fleet > Case Studies > Leveraging Technology for Efficient Fleet Management: A Case Study of DC Water

Leveraging Technology for Efficient Fleet Management: A Case Study of DC Water

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Fleet Management Systems (FMS)
Sensors - Utility Meters

Applicable Industries

Equipment & Machinery

Applicable Functions

Maintenance
Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Intelligent Urban Water Supply Management
Water Utility Management

Services

System Integration

About The Customer

DC Water is a water and sewer utility company that serves the residents of Washington DC and surrounding jurisdictions such as Maryland and Virginia. The company operates the world's largest wastewater processing plant and manages a fleet of around 635 vehicles, along with an additional 1,300 pieces of general assets. The company is committed to working smarter, not harder, and is always looking for ways to integrate innovations into its systems to better serve the public. DC Water is also in a position of public trust and is dedicated to ensuring the safety of the public and its workers.

The Challenge

DC Water, a water and sewer utility company, operates the world's largest wastewater processing plant and manages a fleet of around 635 vehicles, along with an additional 1,300 pieces of general assets. The company faces numerous challenges in managing such a large and diverse fleet. These challenges include dealing with five different unions with distinct collective bargaining agreements, managing older infrastructure, and customizing the fleet to fit the business operations. The company also strives to ensure that the right vehicles are on the road on time, the right tools are in the right hands, and that all technicians and operators are aligned with the organization's objectives. The integration of technology is crucial to overcoming these challenges, but changing the mindsets of the users to see technology as a tool for efficiency and effectiveness is equally important.

The Solution

DC Water has embraced the use of telematics and onboard technology to manage its fleet more efficiently. The company has created a testbed for several products to determine how they can be best integrated into their systems. The goal is to find solutions that are business savvy, adaptable, scalable, and provide real-time reporting for monitoring KPIs. The company also focuses on exception management and understanding its pain points to effectively use the data from these systems. Prioritizing the types of data that are important to the business, such as water main breaks and other critical points of failure or success, is a key part of this strategy. DC Water also scores its vendors based on their responsiveness to the needs of the organization and their ability to bring new ideas and innovations. The company is also exploring mobility applications and sensors for quicker and safer operations.

Operational Impact

The integration of technology into DC Water's operations has led to numerous qualitative benefits. The use of telematics and onboard technology has allowed for real-time reporting and monitoring of KPIs, leading to more informed decision-making. The company has also been able to prioritize the types of data that are important to its business, leading to more effective management of critical points of failure or success. Scoring vendors based on their performance has helped the company work smarter and ensure that its vendors are responsive to its needs. The exploration of mobility applications and sensors is expected to lead to quicker and safer operations. Overall, the use of technology has helped DC Water manage its large and diverse fleet more efficiently and effectively.