Unlocking Efficiency and Security: The Advantages of GPS Tracking for Trailer Management

Efficient trailer management is crucial for logistics and transportation companies to ensure timely deliveries, reduce operational costs, maximize utilization and enhance security. In this digital age, GPS tracking technology has emerged as a game-changer for trailer management. By providing real-time location data, improved asset utilization, and enhanced security measures, GPS tracking not only streamlines operations but also maximizes efficiency. In this article, we explore the significant benefits that GPS tracking brings to trailer management.

Why Your Trailers Need GPS Tracking

GPS tracking for trailers

Real-Time Trailer Visibility and Tracking

Maintaining real-time visibility of trailers is essential for logistics companies. GPS tracking systems enable businesses to monitor the location and movement of trailers in real-time. This visibility allows logistics managers to efficiently track trailer availability, plan loading and unloading operations, and optimize resource allocation. By having a comprehensive overview of trailer locations, companies can reduce trailer search times, minimize delays, dispatch the right trailer and improve operational efficiency.

 

Real-World Example: Global Logistics Solutions implemented GPS tracking devices on their trailer fleet. With real-time visibility, they reduced the time spent searching for trailers by 40%. This streamlined their operations, improved trailer utilization, and enabled faster response times to customer demands.

Enhanced Security and Theft Prevention

Theft and unauthorized use of trailers can result in significant financial losses for logistics companies. GPS tracking technology provides an effective solution to enhance trailer security. By continuously monitoring trailer locations and sending real-time alerts in case of unauthorized movements or tampering, GPS tracking systems enable companies to respond swiftly to potential theft situations. This not only acts as a deterrent but also facilitates faster recovery of stolen trailers, minimizing financial impact and maintaining customer trust.

 

Real-World Example: SecureLogistics implemented GPS tracking devices with geofencing capabilities on their trailers. In one instance, an alert was triggered when a trailer deviated from its designated route. The tracking system allowed the company to quickly locate the trailer and work with law enforcement to recover it. This proactive security measure prevented a significant financial loss and ensured the smooth continuation of their operations.

Efficient Maintenance and Utilization

Optimizing trailer maintenance and utilization is key to minimizing downtime and maximizing profitability. GPS tracking systems provide valuable insights into trailer usage, mileage, and maintenance needs. Companies can schedule preventive maintenance based on actual usage data rather than relying on arbitrary time-based schedules. By proactively addressing maintenance requirements, logistics companies can reduce costly breakdowns, extend the lifespan of trailers, and ensure optimal trailer availability.

 

Real-World Example: OptiFreight, a leading logistics company, implemented GPS tracking with maintenance monitoring features on their trailer fleet. By analyzing usage patterns and proactively scheduling maintenance, they reduced breakdowns by 30% and extended the average lifespan of their trailers by 20%. This resulted in significant cost savings and improved operational efficiency

GPS Trailer Tracking

Conclusion

GPS tracking technology offers substantial benefits to trailer management in the logistics industry. From real-time trailer visibility and tracking to enhanced security and efficient maintenance, GPS tracking systems empower logistics companies to optimize their operations, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction. By embracing this innovative technology, logistics companies can stay ahead of the competition, ensure timely deliveries, and create a secure and efficient trailer management process.

Is Trailer Tracking Right for My Business?

Have you considered using a GPS tracker for trailers? Trusted by businesses nationwide, Ascent Fleet Services asset tracking solution provides complete fleet visibility over your powered and non-powered assets alike, which gives your organization the peace of mind when trailers are left at job sites, distribution centers or anywhere.

Benefits of Tracking Your Trailers:

Gain Security & Assurance:

Know when a GPS trailer is disconnected from a truck, where the trailer is at, at any given time. Also, get insights if a door was left open, current temperatures, movement history, mileage and more.

Achieve Greater ROI:

Account for all your assets and identify trailers that are being underutilized to maximize the revenue on each piece of equipment.

Rapidly Respond to Theft:

Create and receive real time notifications when unauthorized movement of your trailer occurs or leaves a job site with a geofenced/Landmarked boundary. You can then see which trailer it was and call law enforcement if it is indeed unauthorized use.

Billing:

If you rent equipment out to customers based on mileage or have restrictions of crossing state lines, having trailer tracking can help! It will track mileage, days used and if they went to unauthorized locations or other job sites.

Maintenance:

Tracking all your trailer’s mileage individually can be time consuming. Keep track of your trailer’s mileage and use the robust preventative maintenance solution to schedule repairs, routine checkups or inspections easily. You can add notes to keep a comprehensive list of all maintenance logged for a specific trailer.

Complete Visibility into Real Time Operations:

Use our GPS trailer tracking device to see your equipment in real time, live on google maps across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Operators can use the Ascent Fleet Services’ solution to create different trailer groups, attribute descriptions and more. This is great to monitor trailer utilization. How much more productive would your team be if you can see all your assets?

Reporting:

Use the reporting suite to glean more actionable data from your GPS tracking device installed on your trailer fleet. The reporting suite can also show start/stop times, upcoming maintenance, inactive days, temperature history, real time, route history, last location, alert history and more!

Reduce Customer Calls and Improve Customer Service:

Provide accurate ETAs with live location to customers without having to make a dozen calls and save hours of guesswork for your operations staff.

Monitor Refrigerated Trailer Temperatures:

We know that shipping food products can be quite expensive if they are spoiled in transit. This can cost your organization upwards of $10,000+ depending on the goods being shipped. If the temperature raises too much in the trailer, it can spoil the cargo. At Ascent Fleet Services, we offer a wired solution with a temperature monitoring device that sends real time temperature data to fleet operations. If your temperature drops below a certain threshold you can alert the driver and fleet operations to make sure the problem is quickly rectified.  With real-time GPS trailer tracking and temperature monitoring available to you, you can receive real time actionable data to make sure you are on top of your shipments.

Types of Trailer Tracking Devices:

Solar Tracking GPS

Reporting:

Use the reporting suite to glean more actionable data from your GPS tracking device installed on your trailer fleet. The reporting suite can also show start/stop times, upcoming maintenance, inactive days, temperature history, real time, route history, last location, alert history and more!

Reduce Customer Calls and Improve Customer Service:

Provide accurate ETAs with live location to customers without having to make a dozen calls and save hours of guesswork for your operations staff.

Monitor Refrigerated Trailer Temperatures:

We know that shipping food products can be quite expensive if they are spoiled in transit. This can cost your organization upwards of $10,000+ depending on the goods being shipped. If the temperature raises too much in the trailer, it can spoil the cargo. At Ascent Fleet Services, we offer a wired solution with a temperature monitoring device that sends real time temperature data to fleet operations. If your temperature drops below a certain threshold you can alert the driver and fleet operations to make sure the problem is quickly rectified.  With real-time GPS trailer tracking and temperature monitoring available to you, you can receive real time actionable data to make sure you are on top of your shipments.

There are several options to choose from when selecting the right trailer tracker for your trailers. Depending on what benefits you are trying to achieve from the above list, your Fleet Consultant at Ascent Fleet Services will walk you through our sales process to determine which of these devices’ best suits your specific use case and go from there. Each GPS tracking device has its own use cases. Here are the main trailer tracking device types and how they work:

Solar Powered:

Mainly used for non-powered trailers. This solar powered trailer tracker is pretty versatile without the need for constant power. These rugged devices can be securely attached to the roof, the sides of the trailer or anywhere the sun hits. The rechargeable battery allows you to see location, mileage and real time movement. Movement is typically set at 15-minute updates and location pings throughout the day.

 

Hard Wired:

This is a more robust GPS device that can be wired directly into constant power, use several inputs to monitor other items such as temperature monitoring, door movement and more. This is recommended for a trailer that is permanently attached to a truck or to constant power or to be used with any heavy equipment.

 

Powered Asset Tracker
Hardwired powered asset tracker

Battery powered:

Other options include location only satellite trackers mainly meant for trailers or equipment in very remote locations without cell signal. Battery life depends on update rate.

Satellite battery powered GPS

Conclusion:

There are many ways to use a GPS tracking platform to track the trailers in your fleet. Depending on your use case, your Fleet Consultant will provide you with the right solution to best and most cost effectively solve your trailers tracking issues. From tracking maintenance to making sure your money makers are always on the road, tracking trailers is more necessary than ever.

One question to ask yourself is if you can always see your trailers, how would you best maximize the revenue in each one?

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