Recording and reviewing check calls

In TMW Operations, a check call is a record that lists a resource’s location at an exact date/time during a specified event. For example, the following information could be included in a check call record:

  • At 2:00 p.m. on June 14th 20XX,

  • Driver Matt Jones,

  • Was in Cleveland, Ohio.

  • The check call event was a Voice Call.

    Note: When selecting an event for a check call, you can choose from a list of common events that are preprogrammed into the feature. Or, as needed, you can easily set up additional check call event types in the CheckCallEvent label.

You can access check call information in two places:

  • The Check Calls window.

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    To access the Check Calls window, select Operations > Checkcalls.

  • The Check Calls tab, located within the Trip Folder.

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Check call data can be used for trip planning and to calculate the remaining travel time to a stop for an estimated time of arrival (ETA).

The system retains a log of all check calls. These check call records can be retrieved in the Check Calls window either by resource or by trip.

A check call may be recorded in one of two ways:

  • When a resource checks in, the dispatcher can record the call manually.

  • If your company uses TMW’s TotalMail interface with your mobile communications system, check calls are recorded automatically each time a GPS (global positioning system) sighting is received.

    Note: For more information, refer to your TotalMail documentation.

Understanding the layout of the Check Calls window

The Check Calls window allows you to perform all the tasks related to check calls from a single location.

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A

Lookup Mode pane

Use this pane to specify the mode by which you look up or record check calls. Options are:

  • By Trip

  • By Asset

Notes:

  1. The default option is controlled by the [Dispatch]CheckCallMode setting in your TTS50.

  2. For more information, see Specifying the default lookup mode.

B

Lookup pane

Make entries in this pane to specify the resource or order associated with the check call.

When retrieving check calls, you can specify the time period during which you want to view check calls.

C

In Route To pane

When the trip associated with the check call has a dispatch status of Started, ETA information for the trip is displayed in this pane (read-only). Information is displayed in these fields:

  • Location
    City, state, and company ID for the next unactualized stop on the trip

  • ETA
    Arrival date/time scheduled for the next unactualized stop on the trip

  • New ETA
    Updated estimated time of arrival to the next unactualized stop on the trip. This is calculated based on the distance between the last actualized stop or the check call location, whichever is later, and the next unactualized stop.

  • Miles From
    Number of miles between either the last actualized stop or the last check call, whichever is later, and the next unactualized stop

  • Min From
    Number of minutes between the last actualized stop or the last check call, whichever is later, and the next unactualized stop

For more information, see Computing the next stop’s ETA from a driver check call.

D

Check call sub tab section

Displays check call records. The layout of this section is determined by the asset type selected in the Look up pane section. For more information, see Check calls - Sub tabs.

Check calls - Command buttons

Use the command buttons in the toolbar to quickly accomplish tasks.

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Open

Display check call records for the specified resource

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Save

Save your entries/changes

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Close

Close the window

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Set Driver Domicile

Specify that the currently selected check call on the Call Entry tab represents the driver’s home location

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Update Leg

Currently not functional

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Add

Add a new check call record

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Delete

Delete a selected row

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About

Display the About window

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Exit Application

Close TMW Operations

Check calls - Sub tabs

In the Check Calls window, two sub tabs are shown. They allow you to view and add check calls for drivers, tractors, trailers, and carriers, and to record at-home history for your drivers.

Call Entry tab

The Call Entry tab allows you to view and manually record check calls attached to:

  • Orders
    When By Trip is selected in the Lookup Mode section.

  • Drivers, tractors, or trailers
    When By Asset is selected in the Lookup Mode section.

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Home History tab

The Home History tab allows you to view and manually record the times your driver is at home. You can configure your system to work with TotalMail, so that your driver’s at home history is automatically entered into the system.

The date a driver was last near home is also provided in the Last Home column in the Planning Worksheet’s Drivers grid.

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For more information on viewing and recording a driver’s home history, see Recording and viewing a driver’s home history.

Carrier section

The Carrier section automatically displays when you select Carrier in the Lookup section of the Check Calls screen. In the Carrier section, you can view and manually record check calls for carriers.

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The Carrier Type portion of the Carrier section is currently not functional.

Setting up the Check Calls window

Two setup options allow you to modify the Check Calls window based on the way you usually use the window. You can set defaults for:

  • Lookup mode

  • Event type

Specifying the default lookup mode

You have the option of searching check calls by trip (order number) or by asset (driver, tractor, trailer, or carrier). You use the [Dispatch]CheckCallMode setting in your TTS50 to determine which option is selected by default.

If you have the default value CheckCallMode=Asset, the By Asset radio button is selected by default:

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If you have the default value CheckCallMode=Order, the By Trip radio button is selected by default:

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Specifying the default event type

First available in TMW Operations: Version 2018.1

By default, the system assigns the Track Point (TRP) event type to new check calls. In the CheckCallEventDefault General Info Table setting, you can specify that the system use a different default event.

Values for the Event field are defined in the CheckCallEvent label in the label file.

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Creating, editing, and deleting check calls in the Check Call window

You can record, edit, and delete check call events for resources and orders. Order-based check calls can be accessed in the Check Calls window and the Trip Folder’s Check Calls tab. Resource-based check calls are accessed only in the Check Calls window.

For information on creating, editing, or deleting check calls in the Trip Folder’s Check Calls tab, see Working with check calls in the Trip Folder on the Check Calls tab in the Trip Folder.

To create, edit, or delete check calls in the Check Calls window, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Operations > Checkcalls.

  2. In the Lookup Mode pane, select the lookup mode:

    • By Trip
      Select this option to record a check call for an order.

    • By Asset
      Select this option to record a check call for an asset.

    Note: Use the [Dispatch]CheckCallMode setting to set a default option.

  3. In the Lookup pane, do one of the following:

    • If you are using the By Trip mode, enter the order number.

    • If you are using the By Asset mode, do the following:

      1. In the first field, select Driver, Tractor, Trailer, or Carrier.

      2. In the second field, enter the resource’s ID.

      3. If you are retrieving existing check call records, you can limit the retrieval to a specific date range by entering the beginning date in the From field and the ending date in the To field.

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  4. Click image4 Open.
    The system displays the assigned check calls.

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  5. Do one of the following:

  6. Click image22 Save.

  7. Click image6 Close to exit the window.

Add a check call

  1. Click image21 Add.

  2. Make entries in the following fields:

    Field Definition

    Event

    Select the appropriate event type from the drop-down list that appears when you click in this field. These options are created in the CheckCallEvent label.

    Date

    Enter the date and time when contact was made.

    Note: This field defaults to the current date and time.

    City Name

    Enter the names of the city and state/province where the resource was located at the time contact was made.

    Note: As soon as you make an entry in this field, the City, LatitudeSeconds, and LongitudeSeconds fields are automatically filled with the zip code and latitude/longitude coordinates for that city and state/province.

    Comment

    Enter a free-form message regarding the check call.

Modify a check call

Scroll to a record you wish to modify and make the necessary changes.

Fields that are grayed-out are read-only.

Delete a check call

  1. Click in any field on a check call’s record.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • Click image10 Delete.

    • Right-click on a record and select Remove Check Call(s).
      The system displays a confirmation message.To complete the deletion, click Yes.

Setting a driver’s at home location

You set a driver’s domicile, or home location, in the Check Calls window. You can quickly tell whether or not a driver’s home location has been set. If it has not been set, the system displays a message under the In Route To pane.

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Follow these steps to set a driver’s home location:

  1. Go to Operations > Checkcalls.

  2. In the Lookup Mode pane, select By Asset.

  3. In the Lookup pane, make the following entries:

    1. In the first field, select Driver.

    2. In the second field, enter the driver’s ID.

  4. Press ENTER or click image4 Open.
    The system displays the assigned check calls.

  5. Do one of the following:

    • If an existing check call entry is the driver’s domicile location, select that row.

    • If none of the existing check call entries are the driver’s domicile location, create a new check call with his home location.

  6. Click image24 Set Driver Domicile.
    The system displays a confirmation message.

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  7. Click Yes.
    The system displays a message similar to the following:

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  8. Click OK.

  9. Click image22 Save.

Recording and viewing a driver’s home history

You view and record a driver’s home history on the Home History tab. Each row represents a time when the driver was home.

Recording a driver’s home history

To add entries for a driver’s home history, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Operations > Checkcalls.

  2. In the Lookup Mode pane, select By Asset.

  3. In the Lookup pane, make the following entries:

    1. In the first field, select Driver.

    2. In the second field, enter the driver’s ID.

  4. Press ENTER or click image4 Open.

  5. Select the Home History tab.

  6. Click image:RecordingCheckCalls/image21.pngAdd.
    The system inserts a new row.

  7. Make entries in the following fields:

    Field Definition

    Driver ID

    Read-only field that displays the driver’s ID

    Tractor ID

    If you have associated a tractor with the driver in the driver’s profile, the tractor ID is displayed in this field

    Start Date

    Enter the date and time when the driver began his time at home.

    End Date

    Enter the date and time when the driver ended his time at home.

  8. Click image22 Save.

Viewing a driver’s home history

To view a driver’s home history, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Operations > Checkcalls.

  2. In the Lookup Mode pane, select By Asset.

  3. In the Lookup pane, make the following entries:

    1. In the first field, select Driver.

    2. In the second field, enter the driver’s ID.

    3. In the From and To fields enter the dates for which you want to view home history.

  4. Press ENTER or click image4 Open.

  5. Select the Home History tab to view the data.

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Computing the next stop’s ETA from a driver check call

When a driver calls in his current location, the dispatcher can enter this data in the Check Calls window. The system will compute the distance and the estimated time to arrival (ETA) at the next scheduled stop.

To use this feature:

  1. Go to Operations > Checkcalls. The Check Calls window displays.

  2. In the Lookup pane, select the driver (or tractor).

    Note: The asset must have a status of On the Road, meaning that its current trip has started.

  3. With the Call Entry tab in view, click image21 Add.
    The system displays this information:

    • Current date/time in the Date field

    • Track Point in the Event field

    As needed, you can modify these fields. You can also add a note in the Comments field.

  4. Enter the driver’s location at the time of the call in the City Name field.

  5. Click image22 Save.
    The system pulls information from your mileage interface to calculate the number of minutes and miles needed to travel from the check call location to the next unactualized stop on the trip. It displays the ETA information in the In Route To pane.

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    Field Definition

    Location

    Location of the next unactualized stop on the trip

    ETA

    Date/time scheduled for the arrival at the next unactualized stop

    New ETA

    Date/time calculated for the arrival at the stop based on the last check call

    Miles From

    Estimated distance (in miles) from the location of the last check call to the location of the next unactualized stop

    Min From

    Estimated travel time (in minutes) from the location of the last check call to the location of the next unactualized stop

    In our example, there is a Track Point event recorded in Dayton, OH (indicated in the City Name column, on the Call Entry tab). The next unactualized stop is in Cincinnati, OH (indicated in the Location field, inside the In Route To pane). The mileage interface associated with the system has calculated a distance of 52 miles, and based on that distance, has calculated a travel time of 58 minutes.

Use the [MileageType]CheckCalls setting in your TTS50 setting to specify the mileage interface used for calculating the ETA from a check call location. The specified mileage interface must support latitude and longitude lookups.

Setting up custom check call events

The CheckCallEvent label allows you to define check call events that are relevant to the way your company wants to use check calls.

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For example, some clients may use events such as a Reefer Temperature Check, Door Open, Door Closed, etc. You may want to log such special events as check calls, either manually or through TotalMail.

Initially, the CheckCallEvent label will be populated with all the TMWSuite event codes as maintained in System Administration. However, check call event types need not be limited to only the system’s event codes. In fact, check call events are treated as separate entities from dispatch events even though they may have the same name and meaning.

Check call events appear as options in the CheckCallEvent field of the Call Entry tab of the Check Calls window:

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  1. TotalMail can be set up to automatically translate incoming trailer-event messages into the corresponding check call events in the CheckCallEvent label.

  2. By default, most system event codes appear as label options here. However, system events are separate entities from check call events. Modifying one does not affect the other. The new events you create for check calls will not be available as event codes that you can apply to stops in the Trip Folder.

  3. A check mark in the Retired checkbox indicates that this item will not appear in drop-down lists. If desired, you can reactivate the item by clearing the checkbox.

    For user convenience, you may wish to limit the drop-down event options in the Check Calls window’s Call Entry tab to only the ones you really need for check calls. The advantage in retiring an option instead of deleting it is that you can easily reactivate it if desired.