At Jan Zijderhand Expeditie B.V., people don't tinker with things that aren't loose. Founded in 1961, the company served its customers for decades without a live tracking system, and that went fine until a few years ago. From 2019, Zijderhand started tracking its drivers in real-time via an application in the TMS system. But that solution faltered too often and thus proved inadequate. Consequently, Zijderhand opted for DKV LIVE, DKV Mobility’s digital portal for fleet and fuel management.

Zijderhand mainly transports steel freight in the Netherlands, Belgium and parts of Germany. As CEO, Corstian Kraal has been at the steering wheel of the company for about a year and a half. The cooperation with DKV Mobility goes back many years, according to Kraal: "they arrange Belgian and German tolls for us, and they have been doing that for a long time."

Temperatures and speeds

When DKV Mobility visited about a year and a half ago for a demonstration of DKV LIVE, a digital software assistant for the truck cabin, Kraal was quickly convinced. "I found it interesting, it was immediately clear that the device can do all sorts of things. The other system we used for tracking worked via smartphone, DKV LIVE brought the solutions into one device." The digital assistant reads the vehicle data (if required), enables live tracking and fleet managers can use it to read out the tachograph and more.

"Other options we need sporadically," Kraal points out. "Speeds, engine temperatures and rev numbers: I know I can check all this data if I want to. It is nice to know that the option is there."

Look out of the window

Live tracking is - and remains - the main reason why Zijderhand works with DKV Mobility. "It happens regularly, of course," says Kraal, "that customers call us to ask where their freight is. It has happened – just at that moment - we see by looking at DKV LIVE that the freight has just arrived on site." Kraal adds laughing: "Then we would say: Just look out of the window! Here it is!"

Zijderhand operates 25 of its own trucks and 10 regular charters. Some of their trucks run for regular customers. Kraal: "One customer with two trucks asked me if they could directly access DKV LIVE's

digital cockpit (the central customer account). I looked into that, and it was possible. So from now on, this customer can also see for themselves in real-time where the trucks are."

The cooperation between Zijderhand and DKV Mobility is not one of intensive contact, and that is actually a good thing. "If things are going well, we don’t need to call our contact," Kraal states. "We just email regularly.” “At Zijderhand,” Kraal says, “we say: if it works, don't touch it. So if I don't speak to our dedicated contact at DKV Mobility that's good news. And as for DKV LIVE I have no worries, it works."