Untitled - Ministerstwo Rozwoju Regionalnego

transport modes, infrastructure and organization. It is impossible to ensure constant
development without the proper use of vehicles, road networks and fuel
resources, accompanied by simultaneous reduction of costs.
At the current stage of socio-economic development, effective use of road
transport, improvement of its forms, creation of more and more advanced transport
systems and constant upgrading of transport fleets is a process which can
not be avoided. Modern telematics and ICT systems present a chance for reaching
this goal and are gradually becoming vital tools in modern logistics. Telematics
systems allow the permanent monitoring of vehicles and cargo, as well as
controlling the parameters of drivers' performance and sending the recorded
data through telecommunication channels to a processing centre. ICT systems
allow recorded data to be processed to make them useful for more effective
management of the company, its human and technical resources, as well as
greater control over cargo flow and minimization of the risk of misplacement or
loss of cargo.
Numerous cutting-edge management support systems appear on the modern
European market owing to the constant development of the IT sector and
increased availability of GPS (Global Positioning System) applications. Data
gathered with these tools support management processes, increasing the effectiveness
and competitive edge of road transport companies. The collected information
not only allows the creation and development of data bases for route optimization,
lower costs and more efficient fleet control, which significantly shortens
transit time and strengthens management capability, but also increases the
security and safety of drivers, vehicles and cargo.
Telematics gives transport the capability of using technologies and methods
of remote access to vehicles or cargo through a wireless network. Being one of
logistics' executive tools, telematics not only helps to support management but
also to increase efficiency and competitiveness. This instrument improves transport
safety and supports traffic flow control, as well as development of databases
in companies, organizations and institutions. Thanks to telematics elements
(ICT networks, traffic control systems, electronic location of vehicles and
cargo, electronic exchange of documents) vehicle routes can be optimised,
which greatly shortens shipping time. Telematics technologies employed for
tracking vehicles and cargo are of particular importance in transport of hazardous
materials, especially following the events of 11 September, 2001.
The development of telematics systems and their growing use in transport
allows for increased mobility of shipping, widening the offer of service providers,
increasing their competitiveness and activating regional economies. It is
thought that competition between commercial vehicle producers for new buyers
will be an important development factor in telematics. This assessment is
based on the forecast that growing numbers of new vehicles will be equipped
with interfaces for telematics and fleet management systems.
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