Phillips Connect Technologies (PCT) announced the launch and demonstrated the capabilities of its TrailerNet, ChassisNet, and ContainerNet transportation technology platforms during a press conference held in conjunction with ATA’s Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) 2019 Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition.
“What we have here is a brand new product category,” said Rob Phillips, president and chief operating officer, Phillips Industries.
Phillips Connect Technologies’ trailer telematics solutions address many of the major challenges facing transportation providers and will bring transformational improvements. “I can tell you from my fleet experience that unexpected downtime, CSA violations, logistical inefficiencies, and component failures all negatively impact a fleet,” explained Gerry Mead, executive director of innovation. “The question I ask is, ‘What problem does this solve for me as a fleet?’ We’re providing a single connection to go back to a single point to make it easy for the fleet to digest the data and take action on it.”
Each of the platform product packages demonstrated during TMC is designed to communicate and integrate into one master channel of information about components, activity, and conditions that fleets require to make sound operational and business decisions.
All PCT telematic solutions have access to the company’s proprietary user interface that provides customized dashboards, maps, maintenance summaries, and detailed reports. PCT’s open platform strategy is based on the premise that customers want choices and every company has its own unique needs, the company explained. As a result, a major advantage PCT has to offer are its proprietary Business Intelligence (BI) tools, a professional service that includes consultations with industry insiders to map out and design detailed analytical reporting based on fleet specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
“Something that had really stuck out to us during the development of our smart assets, was that suppliers are building out these smart components, and then simply dumping all of this data on the fleets to sort through and try to make sense of,” explained Mead. “Therefore, we developed these exclusive BI tools, because we didn’t want our smart system and components to be cumbersome, we wanted the fleet to see their actual ROI in a live format. Through these tools, fleets can set up customizable plans, in accordance with their KPIs, and get live interactive analytical reporting whenever they want. With PCT doing the leg work for the fleets, this is where the rubber hits the road.”
The PCT product portfolio includes:
• TrailerNet Gateway with wired or wireless communication from trailer components: Available now are the GPS and the Plus package which comes standard with GPS, geofencing, trailer mileage, and 7-way voltage reporting. It has the option to add nine additional compatible sensors, such as door sensors and cargo sensors.
• ChassisNet Gateway with wired or wireless communication from trailer components: The GPS, Plus, and Pro packages are available now. The Plus package offers options to add seven compatible sensors, and the PRO package, eight compatible sensors.
• ContainerNet Gateway with wired or wireless communication from trailer components: The GPS and Plus packages are available now. The Plus package offers options to add four compatible sensors, such as door and cargo sensors.
And for fleets not quite ready for the ultimate telematics solution, PCT also introduced EZTrac and AssetTrac:
• EZTrac is a GPS tracker integrated into a plug-and-play harness piece.
• AssetTrac is a battery-powered asset tracker with an internal motion sensor and BLE which can send periodic reports or report on motion. Batteries will last up to five years with one report per day or three years with a report on movement, according to PCT.
