"Tools that simplify our daily lives".

Geolocation, transport management, data collection, organization, Mathurin CASTAN, joint managing director of Groupe Castan, explains the versatility of TRUCKONLINE services.

What are the Castan Group's activities?

Mathurin CASTAN: The Castan Group comprises three transport entities in the south of France: TIT, TAF and TZP. TIT's main activity is the long-distance transport of solid bulk goods, with a fleet of high-volume tipper and moving floor semi-trailers. Our catchment area extends from the South-West to the whole of France, with a large part of Northern Italy, and a small part of Spain and Belgium. TAF specializes in bulk transport for public works with 8X4 tippers and TP semi-trailers in the Occitanie region. TZP transports maritime containers, notably from the port of Fos-sur-Mer. We are members of France Benne, a network of bulk transport specialists that includes over 70 hauliers throughout France.

Why did you choose TRUCKONLINE?

MC: 2 or 3 years ago, Groupe Castan needed to equip its new trucks with new models of tachographs. It was in this context that we went to see TRUCKONLINE, to explain to them what we needed. They offered to equip two trucks so that we could judge their equipment in real-life situations. The test was conclusive. We have installed the TruckBox on 100% of our fleet of trucks, as well as on our light vehicles.

Have you installed TruckBox on cars?

MC: Yes, we have around fifteen vehicles at our various sites, available for drivers. It's a way of limiting their waiting time by allowing them to be at home at weekends. Imagine a driver returning from Italy on Friday. He has a new load scheduled for delivery near Nîmes on the following Monday. On his return from Italy, he passes near Nîmes, but cannot deliver. He's not going to come back here to Castres to return on Monday, and he's not going to wait there either. So he heads for the nearest Groupe Castan site, leaves his load in a safe place and takes a car home. He'll make the reverse trip to pick up his truck and deliver. And as this car journey is working time, we have installed the TruckBox and two card readers to take into account the activity of our double-crewed employees.

What's your view of on-board computing?

MC: There's no need to convince us of the usefulness of on-board computing. My father was a pioneer in this field, and I'm convinced of the value of such solutions. Tools such as those from TRUCKONLINE simplify our day-to-day work, managing and organizing our transport operations, tracking goods, human resources, driving and customer relations. We're moving more and more towards dematerialization.

Do your teams accept it in the same way?

MC: These systems have been an integral part of our organization and our way of working for so long that they don't even ask the question. Today, everyone uses digital applications and tools on a daily basis. So it's quite natural to do so in the professional world. It's part of the zeitgeist. It brings so much convenience. Transport is a demanding business with a lot of constraints. So if applications, services or equipment can simplify management, they should be used.

Has geolocation revolutionized transport?

MC: It's become indispensable! Everything is simpler, for drivers, administrative staff and our customers. It saves time and increases productivity. The world of transport is a sector where time has to be rationalized and optimized.

Which services do you use?

MC: We use a lot of them, but a few weeks ago we adopted theE.P Tag, which enables us to locate our trailers. It's extremely useful for our company, which has around 100 trucks and 180 trailers that can be scattered across our various depots. We need to know where to find them. There's also Tim Collect. It's very practical because it automatically and remotely collects legal data data files from vehicles (V1b and V1c) and driver cards (C1b and C1c).

What is your relationship with TRUCKONLINE?

MC: They keep a close eye on us and take our opinions into account. The teams are available and responsive. They have that French SME spirit that appealed to us right from the start, and which helped us choose TRUCKONLINE. We know that when we need to contact them, we won't have to go through a lot of intermediaries. They're easy to get hold of, and that's a very pleasant thing.