Los Angeles County ISD is the county’s Internal Services Department. The county’s ISD was created in the 1980s to service other departments. They now provide services, such as purchasing, contracting, facilities management, information technology, and ancillary support services for various county departments. Offering these services in one location allows LA County ISD to enhance operational efficiency across the county and deliver the necessary services to County residents.
About LA County ISD Fleet Services
The LA County ISD fleet department manages approximately 20,000 county vehicles, providing fleet management solutions from purchasing, maintenance, and fueling. These services include:
Purchasing vehicles that meet the County policy and standards.
DMV Services to acquire plates, titles, renewed tags, and smog inspections to meet requirements.
Warranty Services for certain manufacturers.
Maintenance to keep your vehicles running safely and efficiently.
Fueling at three County fueling locations.
Reporting to examine how their fleet is being managed.
One individual in fleet services is Mike Bishop, who has been part of the department as a Contract Program Manager for over two decades. Over those two decades, Mike has analyzed and managed the fleet department activities with the help of AssetWorks software.
"[FleetFocus] has streamlined many of our processes and made data management intuitive.”
Importance of Software Functionality
In 2005, LA County ISD was looking for a fleet management solution to replace its existing solution. Bishop was not involved in the bid review process but understood why the department decided to invest in AssetWorks, because of the software’s functionality.
Since then, LA County ISD has been utilizing AssetWorks fleet management and it has been a game-changer for their operations. “We have not fully integrated it ‘from cradle to grave,’ the potential it offers is immense. We’ve faced challenges getting all departments on board due to budget concerns that effect the staffing levels necessary to efficiently pursue implementation of the many powerful modules in the system but [FleetFocus] has streamlined many of our processes and made data management intuitive,” said Bishop.
Bishop emphasized one of the standout features is how seamlessly FleetFocus captures the entire workflow, from vehicle procurement to maintenance and disposal. LA County ISD no longer needs to worry about backdating PR dates or missing crucial information since the fleet software automatically understands their needs and pain points, allowing them to create workflows that efficiently collect the necessary data. By identifying key points in our workflow, LA County ISD can generate insightful reports that inform decision-making. This proactive approach extends to their shop floor workflows, where they can forecast preventive maintenance and standard jobs.
Besides the functionality, one of the other reasons LA County ISD has stayed with AssetWorks all these years is because they can integrate multiple management systems, including AssetWorks FuelFocus.
Minimizing Fuel Theft
AssetWorks FuelFocus has helped LA County ISD to combat fuel theft and streamline its operations. “FuelFocus was a response to auditing requirements and fuel theft. With more dispensers and a need for automation, we turned to AssetWorks,” said Bishop. What started as a quest for accountability evolved into a comprehensive approach to security and efficiency.
FuelFocus not only facilitates real-time monitoring of fuel levels and transactions but also integrates with vehicle tracking systems, offering a comprehensive solution to do the following:
- Receive real-time monitoring of fuel levels and transactions to immediately detect discrepancies.
- Have secure access controls and user authentication to restrict unauthorized access to fueling.
- Get alerted for unusual fueling patterns or unexpected fuel losses.
- Analyze historical data to identify trends and patterns indicative of fuel theft so they can take preventative measures.
- Utilize the reporting capabilities to document fuel usage and discrepancies for accountability.
"[FuelFocus] has been so successful that we need to increase our investment in the system to further reduce fuel theft in the future. Especially with the new AssetWorks solutions, specifically telematics.”
The integration of FuelFocus with their FleetFocus solution not only addressed LA County ISD’s immediate concerns but also revealed insights into their operational needs. From enhancing CCTV surveillance to exploring telematics solutions, AssetWorks has continually provided innovative tools to safeguard its resources.
By analyzing fuel usage data and leveraging CCTV footage, LA County ISD has been able to know when fuel malpractice occurs and hold accountable those responsible. LA County ISD has had so much success with FuelFocus that Bishop says they are looking to further invest in refining its security measures. “It actually has been so successful that we need to increase our investment in the system to further reduce fuel theft in the future. Especially with the new AssetWorks solutions, specifically telematics,” said Bishop.
The Impact of Telematics on Maintenance
Currently, LA County ISD has telematics scattered upon their vehicles, but Bishop hopes to implement telematics into all vehicles to gain more insight. “The AssetWorks GPS solution is the most robust one I have seen,” stated Bishop. Even though they do not currently have AssetWorks GPS in their fleet department, Bishop is eager to implement additional vehicle tracking into their vehicles to not only cut more costs but to ensure transparency and accountability across departments.
Bishop explained there are instances where the use of vehicles could be improved. Some departments push their vehicles to the limit, neglecting pre-trip inspections and wearing them down prematurely. Telematics would help them focus on usage monitoring. With AssetWorks GPS, LA County ISD could gain access to a dashboard that allows for a comparison of driving habits among operators and regulates vehicle inspections. This will ensure the county’s vehicles remain in optimal condition, reducing the risk of mechanical failures and accidents on the road as well as empower identification of the most viable replacement candidates for our electrification efforts.
AssetWorks GPS can provide LA County ISD with the tools to complete pre-trip inspections, but also real-time data and insights to improve maintenance practices in several ways:
- Remote Diagnostics – Monitor the health of vehicles remotely, detecting issues before they escalate into major problems.
- Predictive Maintenance – Analyze data such as performance, mileage, and historical maintenance records, to predict when parts are likely to fail.
- Optimized Routing – Track vehicles’ routes, speeds, and idle times, identifying inefficient driving behaviors that can increase wear and tear on vehicles.
- Usage-Based Maintenance – AssetWorks GPS data enables fleet managers to implement usage-based maintenance programs.
- Integration with FleetFocus – AssetWorks GPS can integrate with maintenance management software, streamlining the process of scheduling and tracking maintenance tasks.
AssetWorks GPS could allow LA County ISD to implement proactive, data-driven maintenance strategies that optimize vehicle performance. “Consider this scenario: five vehicles are in your fleet, four are operating smoothly but one is showing anomalies. Telematics would help us understand the needs of each vehicle and its operator,” said Bishop. The insights from AssetWorks GPS could guide LA County ISD toward even more informed decision-making- by delving into the human side of fleet management.
"Consider this scenario: five vehicles are in your fleet, four are operating smoothly but one is showing anomalies. Telematics would help us understand the needs of each vehicle and its operator.”
Improving Workflows with EDGE
One of the biggest challenges LA County ISD struggles with is the workflow on the shop floor due to their reliance on outdated paper processes, with no clear system for recording arrivals. Thankfully, come June 2024, LA County ISD will officially have AssetWorks’ mobile fleet management software, EDGE, in its workshop to help overcome this barrier.
The paper write up process led to vehicles in the parking lot waiting to be worked on without documented arrival times, causing confusion and customer complaints about delays. “Analytics painted one picture, but customer feedback told another story. We needed a solution that could bridge this gap and provide concrete evidence of our operational efficiency,” said Bishop.
EDGE seamlessly integrates with LA County ISD’s existing AssetWorks solutions, FleetFocus and FuelFocus, requiring minimal implementation effort. By simply being able to start the clock upon vehicle arrival, ISD will be able to capture crucial data points and address workload imbalances in real time.
One feature Bishop specifically mentioned they are excited about is being able to upload photos to enhance communication and documentation. Technicians can capture images of vehicle issues or completed work directly within the app, providing visual evidence for diagnostics and repair verification. This feature improves collaboration between technicians and managers by ensuring clear and accurate reporting of vehicle conditions and maintenance activities.
We are excited to see how AssetWorks solutions evolve to further support the management of the tens of thousands of vehicles in LA County.
