Point and Click Comes to Fleet

Fleet management is hardly an easy task, especially when it comes to ensuring that all vehicles are in proper working order. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a website similar to eBay, but only dedicated to replacement parts for those vehicles? Well, thanks to Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), that is now a viable solution.

Earlier this week, DTNA announced that it had launched PinnacleTruckParts.com, which is the first e-commerce site devoted to replacement parts. According to a company statement, the online platform facilitates transactions between customers and DTNA’s parts and service network.

DTNA e-commerce project manager Pam Perez explained in the release that the organization is “committed to providing the most innovative tools to improve the ease of doing business.” The Pinnacle Truck Parts platform will do exactly that because it offers customers a fast, reliable and simple solution for ordering parts, Perez said.

“This platform is the first in the industry to provide this depth of functionality,” Perez said in the release. “By utilizing the state-of-the-art cross-reference parts database on PinnacleTruckParts.com, customers will save time and money throughout the parts procurement process.”

DNTA reported that the e-commerce platform has an inventory system of over 100,000 SKUs, and after purchase, customers will have the option to immediately print a single invoice for the purchase of all of their parts.

While the initial Pinnacle Truck Parts rollout started at the end of June, it is expected to be completed by February 2015.

This is not the only innovation DNTA has rolled out this year. Just a few weeks ago the company announced that it had reached the objectives of its SuperTruck program one year ahead of schedule. According to a Trucking Info article, the program is a five-year research and development initiative focused on improving freight efficiency, reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of Class 8 trucks.

Fleet’s Future And E-Commerce

E-commerce is not a new aspect of fleet management, but it is definitely becoming a more important part of the big picture. Last month, PYMNTS.com discussed the evolving world of fleet management, and how organizations need to keep themselves updated on the latest technology in order to remain profitable.

For example, one industry executive predicts that by 2020, the top 200 third-party logistics companies in the U.S. will have plummeted to about 50. However, technology is going to be a benefit for fleet management, according to the executive. E-commerce can help 3PLs become more agile, and having an online shopping cart will give their customers more options.