YMCA In the Pool Fast Lane with Argus Tracking
Van bookings were a time-consuming task for Mandy Fastier from Christchurch’s YMCA - until Argus Tracking installed pool booking software.
“Managing fleet bookings was a real pain,” says Mandy Fastier of YMCA Christchurch. “I used to do it all manually myself. Now van users can self-manage their own bookings.”
Any staff members wanting to book a mini-van from the small YMCA Christchurch fleet must log into Argus Tracking’s pool booking software system to secure a vehicle. “It’s definitely saved me time,” says Fastier, who wears multiple hats as executive assistant to CEO Josie Ogden-Schroeder.
“We used to own our own vans until about a year ago when we went into a new era of leasing vehicles,” recalls Fastier. “I went to a fleet management course where a speaker from Argus Tracking did an amazing presentation. Wow! I thought. That could work for us!”
“An Argus Tracking representative came down from Auckland, and he went out his way to give us a very good deal because the YMCA is a not-for-profit organisation. We had specific needs and he figured out solutions.
“The lease vans arrived with the tracking devices already installed. After some fine-tuning, the system is working very well. My Argus Tracking go-to person is great at sorting things out. If she can’t solve something on the spot, she gets in the technician.”
Fastier especially likes to keep an eye on speed when precious passengers are on board. “Our vans are on the open road quite a lot, driving between the city and our camp on Banks Peninsula, or taking students on trips to Central Otago or elsewhere in the South Island. Often they are towing trailers on the open road, so it’s very important to monitor driver speed and behaviour. The roads around here are a challenge for anyone after the earthquakes.”
Pool Booking Solution
The busy Christchurch YMCA has found that the tracking devices have many unexpected benefits. “It’s useful for me to know when a group is about to arrive back,” says Fastier. “I even get an alert if someone has left a van door open and the battery is running down. I can pre-empt a flat battery and a van going nowhere with a whole lot of kids inside.”
Time saved by the pool booking software has given Fastier deeper insight into fleet management. “Argus Tracking is also good for reporting and analysis,” she continues. “I can see how often a van is being used or not being used, how many kilometres a particular van has been driven, and which departments are using the vans most. Argus Tracking gives YMCA Christchurch end-of-month information we’ve never had before and we’ve never been more efficient.”
