Trailer tracking solutions offer increased productivity and profitability. Always on the lookout for ways to improve efficiency and productivity, refrigerated carriers are increasingly turning to trailer tracking and refrigeration unit monitoring solutions. Using a variety of GPS-based technologies and on-board telematics, today’s systems provide a number of benefits.
Real-time vehicle tracking information enables fleets to make quick, efficient decisions that result in improved driver and vehicle productivity, and improved fleet flexibility that raises customer service to higher levels. Additionally, monitoring helps maintain optimum temperatures that ensure cargo quality and that food safety standards are met.
These systems can lower operating costs. With the ability to manage trailer temperatures in transit and during loading and unloading, fuel consumption can be reduced, and less reefer run time also lowers maintenance costs.
K & J Trucking Inc., a 48-state refrigerated carrier with 165 trailers, recently adopted Blue Tree Systems’ R:COM Fleet Management solution and is using the system’s trailer tracking and temperature management features.
“We chose R:COM initially for location tracking and temperature management in transit,” said Michelle “Shelley” Koch, president of K & J Trucking. “One of our goals was to get ahead of the curve when it comes to food safety regulations our customers are facing, but we’re already seeing refrigeration unit fuel use drop, as well. Our fuel costs are down enough that we expect the systems to easily pay for themselves within a year.”
The R:COM solution provides K & J Trucking with live temperature data through direct connections to Thermo King refrigeration units. Alarm notifications alert the fleet’s managers via text message if a problem arises, and historical temperature data is available to customers and food safety agencies.
Refrigerated carrier RWI Transportation, a member company of the Castellini Group, has integrated the R:COM Temperature Management system with TMW’s operating software to deliver live information from the reefer unit to its operations staff. Data on trailer location, reefer operating parameters, temperatures and door sensors is captured by R:COM and made available in RWI’s TMW screen views in near real time. “The option to leverage this comprehensive data allows us to create an integration that is ideal for our operations at the lowest cost possible,” stated David Cook, IT director at RWI.
State-of-the-art trailer tracking and refrigeration unit monitoring solutions are providing a measurable return on investment for carriers in enhanced asset utilization and in lower costs. Other benefits, including improved cargo protection and customer service, are driving the adoption of this technology, as well.
