Subscribe to the Free Print Edition!
Celebrating 25 Years

GCN Home > 07/24/06 issue

USPS gets a lift

RFID system designed for safety reporting delivers a bonus: asset management

By Rob Thormeyer

When the Postal Service launched an initiative to better maintain safety records for its industrial vehicles, the goal was modest—reduce the agency’s reporting burden.

Well over a year later, though, the Powered Industrial Vehicle Management System has produced a significant number of benefits, not only automating the reporting process but improving safety and helping USPS better manage its industrial fleet.

“This really helps facilitate the safer environment, the mechanics and the documentation,” said Victoria Stephen, manager of the material handling deployment within the USPS’ Engineering division.

USPS started the program essentially as a pilot in January 2005, when it signed a $3.6 million contract with I.D. Systems of Hackensack, N.J., to implement a wireless asset management system at 10 bulk mailing and distribution facilities across the country. The service has since installed the system in 56 facilities.

The system consists of small vehicle-asset communicators installed on each industrial vehicle—such as forklifts and pallet movers—at the facility. Users must log into the communicator before starting the vehicle, ensuring that only certified operators can use the machine.

This data—which includes the user’s identification and qualifications—is sent via radio frequency identification to several “gateways” located throughout a mailing facility and stored in a central Microsoft SQL Server database, said Greg Smith, I.D. Systems vice president of marketing and corporate communications.

Smith said the Transportation Security Administration has used the technology as well.

The database runs on I.D. System’s automated remote distribution collection software, largely written in C++, Smith said.

The database stores records on both the driver and the vehicle, including Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements and maintenance logs. The safety information is delivered to OSHA electronically through the agency’s e-Checklist.

Even more benefits

“We just eliminated the paper trail and have gone to an automated process,” said Carl Smith, PIVMS senior program manager.

But the wireless system has borne greater fruit than imagined, as it started giving USPS a much clearer picture of its industrial fleet.

Before USPS implemented the system, it had no real idea how many industrial vehicles it owned or leased, where they were or what condition they were in, Stephen said.

More news on related topics: Business Process Management, Knowledge Management, Management, Authentication / Identity Management



GCN Popup