Trailer Trackers: Making shipping better
Trailer trackers are a powerful way to control your fleet and cargo.
GPS trailer trackers have been around for a while, but decreases in prices have made them easier to afford. Also, new advances in tracking software mean that most users can see the location of their trailers and trucks on a map with all the stats they can handle instantly.
For the fleet manager, trailer trackers can allow them to see the stats and data to let them manage their entire fleet like never before.
Below are some of the ways that trailer trackers are changing how over-the-road shipping is done:
Increased fuel and delivery efficiency
Efficiency can be increased by seeing where loads can be consolidated, split, and transferred. While most fleet managers have done a great job with this already, being able to see where every truck is at any moment makes it even easier to find those places where load transfers or changes in direction could make everything more efficient.
New tracking technology can help, too. The latest tracking technology can use artificial intelligence (AI) to find those places where minor changes can have a big impact. Fleet managers can see a list of suggestions based on the AI’s programming and what it’s learned to make shipments travel more quickly and decrease fuel consumption.
Theft protection
Missing trailers and products can cost a shipping company a lot of money. Even if the insurance company pays the initial bill, it will cost the company in the long run.
Using asset trackers, trackers on the goods themselves can reduce theft by making it easy to see when the item has varied from its planned route. In fact, tracking software can notify managers when something is off the highways and roads it was originally planned for.
When asset audits are done, they can be simple. The software will show exactly where the asset is at any given time.
Trailer Maintenance
Using a GPS trailer tracker, fleet managers can see every mile that a trailer has traveled. Knowing exactly when a trailer needs maintenance is much easier. The software can be programmed to notify the fleet manager when the trailer has hit a certain number of miles over the road. Maintenance can be automated even further by sending that notification right to the maintenance team and the drivers to let them know that the trailer is ready for a little work.
Better Incident Responses
In the old days, using cell phones, the driver needed to give estimates where they were when the truck broke down. Now, with GPS tracking on the trailers and the trucks, a response team can see the exact location right on their screen.
If a truck stops in a “strange” place, like on the side of a highway where there’s no rest area, the AI software can notify the fleet manager. This can allow for an instant response or just a call to the driver so incident assistance can be made proactive, instead of reactive.
Reduction of Insurance Costs
Many insurance companies will offer discounts if a trailer tracker is in every shipment. Those discounts will increase if asset trackers are included as well. Being able to see where everything is and recover stolen goods quickly is at the heart of the insurance company’s best-case scenario.
Using trackers, police, the shipping company, and the insurance company can see exactly where the trailer is, where the asset is, and, with the right trackers, everything about the conditions, from moisture to temperature to movement. Assets can be recovered quickly and costs can be reduced. The more assets that are recovered, the fewer incidents the insurance company needs to pay out on.
Less Manual Paperwork
The driver’s logbook includes miles, time, and more. Using a trailer tracker, all the paperwork can be generated with the push of a button. All the time and mileage tracking that used to take hours can be done instantly by software that tracks and reports everything you need to know. It’s so precise, it can even give you information like average speed, maximum speed, any times over legal limits for drivers, and much more.
The reduced time on paperwork means more time driving, working with employees, and selling your services. It’s simply faster and easier this way.
More than Location
Trailer trackers can provide a lot more information than just location.
The temperature inside the reefers is vital. Using a trailer tracker, you can prove to a client that their shipment wasn’t time-temp abused.
Moisture and humidity can ruin foods, electronics, and more. Being able to see when and if moisture gets on the inside of a trailer allows you to respond quickly.
Open doors on trailers are discouraged until the trailer reaches its final destination. Using a trailer tracker, you can be notified every time the doors are opened. If the trailer is not at its final destination, you know you have a problem.
A Simple Solution to an Old Problem
A trailer tracker in each trailer solves many age-old problems that fleet managers have had. You have access to independent information instantly about the condition and location of your fleet, your cargo, and your drivers.
Are you using trailer trackers in your shipping business? Is it meeting your needs for information and useability?
Here are some more suggestions from Global Trade Magazine: 101 Trailer Tracking Tips From the Experts.