Glossary of Trucking Software

Trucking software requires particular knowledge of certain acronyms and keywords in order to use the software efficiently. Such terms may involve anything from fleet maintenance to vehicle management, and are vital for operation of your trucking software. The following are some of the less common acronyms and keywords that are important to be acquainted with for the proper utilization of fleet maintenance, vehicle management, and other important management issues for your fleet.

• EPACT - EPACT, or the Energy Policy Act, was instated during 1992, and identifies the minimum requirements by the federal government for the use or purchase of any vehicle that uses alternative fuel methods. This act is important to know in your trucking software for various vehicle management and fleet maintenance issues.


• FADS - FADS, or Fuel Automated Dispensing System, is a system developed for fleet fueling on-site. This system is vital for inventory control within your trucking software, and acts as theft prevention as well.


• GVWR - GVWR, or Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, is important for vehicle management and tracking purposes. This is the maximum loaded weight of the vehicle, and includes the driver with passengers, payload, and curb weight. Measured in pounds, the GVWR is determined by the manufacturer and printed on the label of certification.


• LCC - The LCC, or the Life Cycle Costing, is the complete cost of a certain vehicle. Thus, all costs of the vehicle are including, such as, vehicle management, fleet maintenance, fueling, etc. LCC is used for comparing the overall performance against its expense.


• MIS - MIS, or Management Information System, may be part of your trucking software which will track a variety of different data for breakdown. The MIS is essential for vehicle management.


• VE - VE, or Vehicle Equivalent, is a calculation that predicts the total number of labor hours needed for maintenance on each unit within a fleet. This is calculated by determining the number of hours required for the base unit, and number of hours for every category in the fleet.


• Some other Important Terms Include:


• VMRS - Vehicle Maintenance Reporting System


• ATA - American Trucking Association


• TMC - Technology & Maintenance Council


• RMFMA - Rocky Mountain Fleet Managers Association


• Zonar - Handheld device for doing Driver Pre/Post-trips - up-loadable to RTA


• RTA - Ron Turley Associates


• VMRS Codes - standard codes used to describe repairs to vehicles


• IQ - Report Writer tool used for the NON-sql users


• PM - Preventative Maintenance inspection


• ROI - Return on Investment


• MPG - Miles per Gallon


• CPM - Cost per Mile


• KPI - Key Performance Indicators


• Paperless Shop- module designed to track 100% of technician time in shop