Aquarius tackles compliance for Phoenix Bussing
Sleeper bus operator Phoenix Bussing has been benefiting from remote tachograph downloading and eSign technology from Aquarius IT, following the earlier adoption of the company’s ClockWatcher Elite tachograph analysis system.
Phoenix Bussing has been supplying luxurious sleeper buses for on-tour music artists since 1988, and during that time has successfully grown from the original four converted buses to a fleet of 40+ purpose-built 45ft long double decker buses. 20 of the new 16-, 14- and 8-berth vehicles have come into the fleet in the last couple of years, due to an influx of touring musicians.
Travelling artists have included Lady Gaga, The Killers, One Direction, Kylie, Oasis, Billie Eilish, Muse, Ellie Goulding, Michael Bublé and Paloma Faith, to name just several out of hundreds.
In addition to the huge global logistical operation involved in the music tours, a further important consideration for Andy Gray, transport manager at Phoenix, is maintaining compliance given drivers and buses will sometimes be out for months at a time without returning to base.
In line with the nature of its premium service – the buses are kept in tip top condition and annually fitted out with the latest luxuries and technologies to meet customer demands – Phoenix also very much values the importance of its professional drivers and their role in delivering the ‘best’ customer experience.
That’s why following the successful introduction of Aquarius IT’s ClockWatcher Elite tachograph analysis software in 2012, the firm invested in Aquarius’s leading remote downloading and eSign technology to overcome the logistical issues faced by the travelling drivers, and the transport office in managing long-distance driver and vehicle digital data downloads.
It’s a technological investment that Andy says was, and is still, invaluable.
“Prior to using Aquarius’s remote downloading technology, it was time-consuming chasing drivers for data, especially as they were sometimes out on the road for three weeks and then would have a month off; this made compliance difficult to manage, so we embraced remote downloading for touring vehicles in the UK and Europe. It took the onus off the driver which made them happier too.”
He added: “Being a ‘remote’ operation, eSign has also helped us massively; drivers are able to log into the software via the Aquarius App and see if they have infringements, they can then be debriefed and can digitally sign them from any location.
“They can also see their own calendar, which is useful because it gives them an overview of the hours driven in a week / fortnight and last rest breaks for example.”
As an extension to this, in partnership with Cubo, the Aquarius team has also helped Phoenix integrate Cubo’s telematics software into ClockWatcher Elite. As a remote operation, one way in which this helps Andy and his team for compliance purposes is enabling them to see where missing KMs are live on the map.
“It’s a crazy busy time with music tours at the moment; and by having the confidence in ClockWatcher Elite to manage and report on our compliance data, and having the best support from the entire Aquarius team, it frees our time, and our drivers time, to focus on the job in hand,” confirmed Andy.
