Why Invest in Trailer Tracking

Whether you’re shipping food, electronics, tires, or toys, you want your inventory to arrive on time, untouched, and in the same condition it left without breaking any violations. When dealing with a packing crew, shipping team, drivers, and more, the perfect shipment seems increasingly unlikely.

This is where trailer tracking and monitoring comes in.

For many years, technology was mostly restricted to GPS units on trucks. Now, advances in technology have allowed fleet managers to track everything from trailer temperature to load content on their fleets. Instead of relying on paper logs at every location, managers can now see the data for every truck in one easily accessible place.

For more information on the benefits of trailer tracking and monitoring, see our list below.

1. Managing Regulatory Requirements

Shipping regulations are important, especially when dealing with food. These regulations could affect how often drivers have to check the temperature of their cargo or which loads a truck can carry. Some states have rules on trailer length and cargo contents, which requires careful monitoring so that equipment isn’t sent to the wrong locations. Using tracking systems allows for careful monitoring, while in-transit, to avoid getting in trouble.

2. Cargo Protection

According to the FreightWatch 2014 cargo theft report, “90 percent of verified thefts in 2014 occurred when a truck was stationary and unattended. The vast majority of all thefts were theft of truckloads, and 87 percent of thefts with a known location were stolen from unsecured parking areas such as truck stops, public parking and roadsides.” Tracking systems often come with alarm and alert options, along with the ability to track cargo — instead of just trucks and trailers — while in-transit.

3. Cost Saving

For some companies, the benefits of using a tracking system greatly outweigh the costs, making the decision easy. But for others, the choice is less obvious but just as beneficial. The information gained from trailer tracking can improve management and increase productivity. Tracking also prevents misuse of equipment. One company used their monitoring equipment to prevent their customers from misusing their trucks. As the article said, “Fleet managers identified cases where customers were using the company’s trailers to cut down on their own air conditioning costs; empty trailers were backed up to loading docks with the reefer units running. Managers then set up real-time alerts to notify them whenever a reefer was running while the trailer was not under load.” Don’t let this happen to you.

Get the most from your trailers through tracking and monitoring — it’s a decision you won’t regret.

For more information on tracking and monitoring equipment, browse our GPS tracking products or visit our fleet installation services page.