In today’s cut-throat business environment, companies are investigating ways to become more competitive and streamline their respective business operations.

MapStudio recognises these tough economic conditions and, together with Aspire Solutions, they have developed a new Street-by-Street Navigator web application for effective fleet and logistics management. “Businesses need to watch costs and plan their movements and distribution networks very carefully to remain competitive in the market, and what better way to manage this than with the new Street-by-Street Navigator”, explains Lois O’Brien, MD of MapStudio.

The new Street-by-Street Navigator is a web-based application that allows users to plan and plot routes on an easy-to-use map interface, whilst calculating user data such as distances and fuel costs, amongst others. The process of capturing location-based data and assigning X and Y coordinates has also been made simple, and the system contains a rich database of over 60,000 points of interest, making it one of the most comprehensive geo-spatial applications in South Africa.

“For any company that moves people or goods around, transport is a major part of their costs,” says Mike Steyn of Aspire Solutions, the company supplying the spatial software development for the project. “If you can calculate your fuel usage and costs for each journey at the same time as you’re planning the route, you can budget and price your services more accurately,” he says.

Users of the previous Street-by-Street Navigator CD product will be pleased to learn that a number of enhancements have been made, including an entirely new look and feel, the use of multiple ‘via’ points and sequencing, and the added advantage of always having access to up-to-date MapStudio data.

Now that the system is a web application, this means there are no more hassles with missing discs or misplaced registration codes. “The new features will enhance the user experience greatly. In this digital world it is still hugely beneficial to be able to print out one’s route and transfer this information to ground staff. Street-by-Street Navigator fulfils this vital need,” says John Loubser, Digital Project Manager.

Street-by-Street Navigator is the perfect digital solution for fleet, logistics, transport, security and courier companies – in fact, any transport company wanting to manage its fuel costs more effectively. It’s also ideal for managing sales representatives and their respective call cycles and routes.

The software is available for an annual licence fee of R950, and purchases can be made for up to 50 multiple users on a single licence, at an additional cost.

Street-by-Street Navigator is due to launch in December 2011.