Assessment of Vehicle Tracking System in Dangote Cement Transport Obajana, Nigeria

Abstract

The Dangote Cement Transport (DCT), Obajana has over 5,000 trucks used for the distribution of cement products from Obajana to all its retail outlets across the country. But due to incessant cases of traffic rules violation, theft and losses of company vehicles and goods, illegal use of the vehicles by drivers, late return of vehicles sent for delivery among others. DCT in November 2014 engaged NOVA Track Technological services for the real-time tracking of all her trucks. Five years after there exist controversies as to whether or not the tracking system has achieved its objectives. This study assesses the effectiveness of vehicle tracking system in DCT Obajana-Nigeria. Data were collected on the number of accidents and diversions between 2010- 2014 (pre-VTS adoption) to 2015-2019 (post-VTS adoption) from documentary records of the operation control room of the company. The data were analyzed using descriptive (Mean, standard deviation) and inferential (Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation) statistics, while the hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. Findings show that the relationship of accident recorded by the Company trucks before and after introduction of the tracking was a linearly weak negative with correlation coefficient of -0.24 and a non-significant value of 0.45. Furthermore, deviation from assigned routes before and after the introduction of VTS also has weak correlation in all the northern routes studied (Kebbi (0.393), Kano (-0.176), Kaduna (-0.004), Katsina (-0.167) and Adamawa (0.341). The study concluded that the adoption of the tracking system has not come with the expected reduction accidents and deviations off assigned routes. It was recommended that DCT drivers should be re-oriented about the benefits of the tracking system after which strict rules with severe punishment should be instituted .