Průzkum společnosti NAVTEQ o úsporách nákladů na benzín [ENG]

NAVTEQ Press Centre
Nathalie Dunoir
Tel. : 01 47 49 14 00
Email: ste.bleuciel@wanadoo.fr
Sceaux, March 2005

NAVTEQ  Investigates How Route Optimization Can Help  Save On Fuel Costs.
Four NAVTEQ Customers Share Their Perspectives on How Route Optimization Solutions Are Creating Real Cost Savings for Businesses. 

NAVTEQ (NYSE: NVT), a leading global provider of digital maps for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions, has been looking at how to cope with the spiralling fuel prices that are the consequence of the ongoing oil crisis.

The rising price of oil is forcing businesses to be even more proactive in creating tools that enable them to lower their fuel spending - hence the growing interest in everything to do with resource optimisation and the management of vehicle fleets. GeoConcept, Magellan Ingénierie, Metod Localisation and PTV, four companies that specialise in fleet management and logistics and use NAVTEQ maps, have devoted serious attention to the subject.

All service companies are faced with the following dilemma: how to fully satisfy their customers while keeping costs in check. The situation is all the more acute if their activity requires them to cover great distances.  Says Eric Lanzi, Chairman and CEO of GeoConcept: “A good depiction of the terrain, intelligent handling of geographical data and advanced optimisation tools enable savings and a better quality of service. GeoConcept Dispatcher and GeoConcept Tracking reduce the mileage that has to be covered on journeys, as the nearest operative will automatically be selected. These two solutions cut distances covered by 30% on average compared with journeys planned using conventional methods. The saving in fuel does not affect the level of service offered as waiting times are considerably shorter for the customer”.

Cyril Stern, Managing Director of PTV ONLINE, comments: ”Our customers, such as Butagaz (gas bottle deliveries) and CERP Lorraine (pharmaceutical distributor), believe that installing our route optimisation software, ptv Intertour, has enabled them to cut their transport costs by 8% to 15%. These savings are all the more crucial with fuel prices constantly rising. It goes without saying that, by installing route optimisation software such as ptv Intertour, or even using GPS navigation such as map&guide fleet navigator, PTV ONLINE customers can reduce the miles they have to cover and the fuel they consume”.

Magellan Ingenierie uses NAVTEQ maps for its TourSolver scheduling, itinerary and route optimisation solution: journey times and delivery sequences are refined, making the drivers’ and fleet managers’ task easier. TourSolver now contains road data with which classic bottlenecks can be anticipated when planning routes. It is now possible to calculate the order of routes, making full allowance for the local road network, so companies can precisely sequence their major delivery operations. Benoît Quévy, President of Magellan Ingenierie, stresses that “the road detail incorporated in route-planning software helps to programme itineraries more efficiently. Reducing the number of resources used to an absolute minimum, or having more reliable destination addresses, are some of the factors at play in the fuel consumption debate. We are seeing an average gain of at least 15% in logistical costs (mileage, fleet size etc.) This is a vital economy factor and enables a return on investment within a matter of weeks.”

Joël Hutin, Chairman and CEO of Metod Localisation, says: “The purpose of these tools is to reduce per-mile fuel consumption. For several years now, our company has offered an Internet positioning and vehicle scheduling control service: vehicle tracking, route map display, journey analysis and company data available in real time, simply by secure access to our server. This service has just been enhanced with the addition of an interfaced logic controller, from which consumption data and the driver’s driving profile can be read.”

Therefore, when fuel bills run to millions of euros each year, even the slightest rise in the oil price, no matter how miniscule, can have a considerable impact on companies. In most cases, diesel oil accounts for 21% on average of a haulage company’s operating costs - which is why the issue is such a hot topic in the business world.

About NAVTEQ
NAVTEQ is a leading provider of comprehensive digital map information for automotive navigation systems, mobile navigation devices and Internet-based mapping applications, government and business solutions.  NAVTEQ creates the digital maps and map content that power navigation and location-based services solutions around the world. The Chicagobased company was founded in 1985 and has approximately 1,500 employees located in over 100 offices in 20 countries.  Its European headquarters are in Veldhoven, Netherlands. For more information, visit www.navteq.com. 
NAVTEQ is a trademark in the U.S. and other countries. © 2004 NAVTEQ. All rights reserved. 

This document may include certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the  Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts and statements identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "seeks", "estimates" or words of similar meaning. These statements are based on our current beliefs or expectations and are inherently subject to various risks and uncertainties, including those set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in NAVTEQ's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, as amended, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory factors.  NAVTEQ does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.