What Exactly Is Trailer Tracking, and Why Do You Require It? Fleet-Eye

GPS Trailer Tracking provides an instant overview of your trailer fleet, can reduce theft and unauthorised use, and can increase asset utilisation.

• Trailer tracking devices are battery-powered and work in all weather conditions.
• For fleets entering Canada or Mexico, most devices work internationally.
• Because of real-time tracking, dispatchers know exactly where their trailers are at all times.

Why should you track your assets?

Your trailers and the cargo they transport are among your company's most valuable assets. Knowing where they are at any given time is critical to running an efficient operation. That is exactly what a trailer tracking system can do.

Trailer tracking systems, whether for a small fleet or a fleet with thousands of trailers, can instantly provide location and other critical data using GPS technology. Depending on your requirements, the data can be transmitted in real time or at predetermined intervals.

What exactly are trailer tracking systems, and how do they operate?

Trailer fleets are expanding. As of 2019, there are approximately seven million trailers scattered across North America, with that number expected to grow by approximately 7% over the next five years.

Commercial Trailer Tracking Systems Typically Include Two Elements

• The first is a battery or solar-powered device that is attached to the trailer and emits a GPS tracking signal that communicates with the backend via a cell modem. This enables the user to determine the location of the trailer at any given time.

• The second component of the system is the receiving software, which can graphically translate the signal from the Trailer Tracker onto a map, displaying the exact location, whether the trailer is stationary or moving, and, in some cases, whether or not it is tethered to a vehicle.

Fleet managers recognise the value of providing real-time visibility of their trailers, whether in the yard or on the road. The use of trailer tracker hardware and software can not only make their job easier, but it can also improve the bottom line of the company.

Why is asset tracking important?

Asset tracking is done to improve the use and security of valuable items, in this case, your trailer fleet and the valuable cargo they transport. Many companies also require routine physical audits to ensure that their finance departments can verify the existence of all assets listed on their balance sheets. Companies that fail to properly track assets may lose large sums of money on an annual basis.

Trailer theft and cargo theft cost corporate victims a lot of money. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NCIB) estimates that equipment losses exceeded $500 million in 2017.

Modernization of trailer tracking

It wasn't long ago that trailer fleets were manually counted. Employees would have to go out into the fleet yard and manually record the trailer number, location, and any cargo that was onboard. This meant less time for asset utilisation, and thus less time on the road making money for the company.

When trailers were on the road, manual counting became more difficult and frequently necessitated phone or radio calls to provide a general location. If a trailer went missing, it could take days for the company to figure out if it was in transit or even stolen.

Electronic trailer tracking systems have changed everything.

What options are there for trailer tracking?

Many factors come into play when deciding on a trailer tracking system, and the majority of them affect cost. For example, if real-time tracking isn't critical for your fleet, a battery-powered system that sends back location reports hourly, or even less frequently, may be a cost-effective option.

Premium solutions, on the other hand, are solar or battery-powered and report in real time if real-time reporting is critical.

The many different trailer tracking device options available depend on the brand you choose and may include:

• A system that is cloud-based
• Real-time tracking, every few minutes, or once a day
• Devices that are completely weatherproof
• Battery-powered trackers
• Trackers that can be recharged and are tethered
• Movement-based
• Options for low-cost monitoring
• Determine cargo changes
• Google Maps integration
• Alerts for movement and geofencing
• Internal antenna for hidden installation to prevent tampering
• Over-the-air firmware updates and programming
• The 4G network will be available in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
• Can withstand any weather condition
• Integration of APIs with your systems
• Wireless carriers' certification to ensure dependability
• Motion sensing and reporting accelerometer
• Views from the past for retroactive tracking
• Compatibility with iOS and Android
• External power with backup battery
• Solar-powered
• Geofencing

A geofence is an invisible barrier that is created by using GPS coordinates in a specific area. Predetermined geofences can be set up around your trailer storage areas or other venues so that if a trailer leaves the specified area, an electronic alert is sent to the dispatch office.

This is extremely beneficial in reducing loss due to theft because most trailer trackers transmit in real-time, informing the dispatcher that a trailer is not where it should be. That information can be used to assist in the recovery of the asset.

When a trailer sits idle, it is not delivering cargo or earning money for your fleet. Trailer tracking technology notifies you when your trailer has been unloaded, when the door has been opened, and the load capacity.

These features enable you to notify your drivers when their trailer is ready to depart. As a result, more efficient and intelligent strategies that better utilise driver time are developed. This can increase profits while also reducing the amount of time spent debating whether the trailer is actually ready to roll.

More advantages of trailer tracking

A dependable trailer tracking system can provide numerous advantages to any size fleet. Most importantly, depending on the device used, it can provide critical information to trailer operators on a variety of fronts, including trailer status, location, door activity, history, and a slew of other options.

Trailer tracking systems use the data returned to the dispatcher to provide dependable and secure services to shippers of everything from construction materials to perishable commodities.

Why is asset tracking important?

Trailer (and cargo) management is an essential component of your business's supply chain operations. Lost or delayed cargo equals lost dollars. Management can have a better and clearer picture of where everything is and where it is going by integrating your trailer tracking and management system into your entire enterprise systems.

Trailer tracking can also help to avoid mix-ups that can occur when drivers pick up the wrong trailer. This not only avoids embarrassment when the incorrect trailer is delivered to the customer, but it can also save you money on retrieving the correct trailer and repeating the route.

These are not the only advantages of using a trailer tracking system. Other advantages may include:

Lower insurance rates as a result of assisting in trailer theft recovery

Ease of system installation and configuration on both ends (at the trailer itself and at the dispatch office)

Most systems have battery life ranging from two to five years; some systems have solar-rechargeable batteries that provide virtually unlimited life.

The best trailer tracking systems are ruggedized and sealed, which means they can withstand even the harshest weather and road conditions without the need for service, maintenance, or replacement.

Software upgrades can be performed over-the-air and do not require the device to be removed.

The use of assets is optimised. If fleet operators know exactly where their trailers are, they can take on more new business.

• Boost asset and cargo security.
• Keep an eye out for unauthorised trailer use.
• Increase tractor and driver productivity.
• View a detailed list of the trailers in your yard.
• Improve customer service by providing up-to-date information.
• Companies that track trailers

Several other companies, in addition to Automotive, offer trailer tracking equipment and services. Some cater to their local markets, while others operate on a national scale.

When evaluating providers, look for one that meets your specific requirements. You and your colleagues will need to ask important questions about what equipment and services you will require and which ones aren't as critical.

If your fleet is strictly local, for example, you may not need to pay for a system that is designed to work across North America.

If you have a large fleet that covers a large geographical area, on the other hand, you may want a trailer tracking system that can handle a large number of vehicles and a larger monitoring zone.

Other important factors to consider:

• How frequently do you require reports? Every few minutes, every hour, in real time?
• In what conditions will the device be used?
• What will be the location of the device?
• What software features are you looking for?

Do you value having a centralised platform for tracking both your vehicles and trailers?

The most important thing to remember is to work with a company that has a proven track record of success.

Many of the benefits we discussed earlier, such as the ability to geofence, real-time alerts, continuous operation via solar-powered batteries or drawing power from the trailer itself, and fully ruggedized construction designed for trucking stresses and outdoor use in various types of weather, are provided by Automotive's Asset Gateway.

• The most effective trailer tracking devices
• The best tracking devices include the following features:
• Continuous real-time location tracking
• Detection of theft
• Installation is simple.
• Battery life is extended.
• Solar-power
• Capability for instant reporting
• Serviceability over the air
• Certification by the FCC and wireless carriers
• Cloud-based software
• Connect to mapping systems like Google Maps or other products.
• Capability to view historical data