TCA, GRAPEVINE, TX – Vusion, a division of PeopleNet and Trimble, announced the launch of an analytics tool designed to give fleet managers a better view of how their vehicles and drivers are performing mpg-wise. The announcement was made at the Truckload Carriers Association annual convention held here March 23-26.

Vusion's MPG Analytics Dashboard collects information from a variety of sources such as the truck's electronic control module and GPS system, dispatch and fuel purchases. Data from the ECM includes over-speed, over-rpm, idle time and excessive speed, while the GPS can report location information such as temperature and topography.

Load weight and other operational data are gleaned from dispatch. This data is combined with vehicle-specific information (vehicle age, engine size, make and model) and fuel purchases information to produce an integrated picture of mpg performance.

Carl Robinson, Vusion sales and marketing manager, said the analytics tool makes it easier for fleet managers to understand how their trucks are actually doing in terms of fuel efficiency beyond what the trucks ECM may report. That can help them make better spec'ing and buying decisions in addition to identifying drivers or vehicles that need further attention.

The dashboard is designed to give managers a clear picture of each engine, driver and performance factors that affect fuel economy.

The dashboard can summarize results at various operations levels such as the overall fleet, unit, driver manager, driver and vehicle. It features a customizable "heat map" with red and yellow alerts based on groups of trucks and timeframes.