Is your trailer trying to tell you something?
By Timothy Brady

It was the late 1990’s when trucking industry when the industry started to communicate through satellite technology between truckers, trucking companies and their customers. But the world has moved light years ahead of macros and suitcase-sized transmitter/receivers.  I discussed this new technology with Mike Weaver from TransCore Tracking & Communications (http://www.transcoretracking.com/). 

First, I asked Weaver to describe TransCore’s trailer tracking technology.

“The newest item in trailer satellite communication is the third generation Slap and Track Mobile Terminal™. The uniqueness of this unit, [is that it is] a completely self-contained, hermetically sealed tracking component, which is 20" long, 4 ½" wide and 0.8" tall. It is completely untethered [no cables or wires], and can be mounted in less than 15 minutes including activation. The purpose of this Slap and Track unit is for location base information. It uses true satellite up- and downlinks with which to communicate. This means you have 100% North American coverage. Many manufacturers use cell phone technology for the uplink. These units in essence place a phone call to an uplink station. Since the information has to go through the phone system, you'll always encounter dead spots with no cell phone signal. Cellular solutions are also very battery hungry, require a more intricate install and generally need to be hardwired for best performance.

“Completing our product portfolio is our Sense & Track Mobile Terminal™. This unit allows you to tie in sensors to monitor many different activities.

• Cargo—is the trailer empty, or does it have freight in it?
• Temperature—Climate control monitoring for temperature-sensitive shipments with reports which you can provide to the shipper for proof of the correct temperature being maintained while the load is on your trailer.
• Door switch—Know when a door is opened, and when it is closed.
• Tire inflation monitoring—improperly inflated or deflating tires cost fuel and time.
• Hook/unhook

Why would a trucker or small motor carrier need trailer tracking in addition to cell phones and internet technologies as discussed in earlier portions of this series?

Weaver: “In today’s high security environment, knowing where your equipment is located regardless of whether the tractor and trailer are connected is paramount. Many times a truck driver may need to disconnect from a trailer; to spot a trailer for future loading or unloading, have repairs done to one or both pieces of equipment or a number of other reasons. Other times dispatch needs to locate a particular trailer which has been misplaced in another freight yard, at a shipper’s or worse, abandoned by a driver. Finding and retrieving that trailer quickly becomes nothing more than a couple of mouse clicks on your computer. Further, proximity reports allow you to reduce out of route miles and dwell time reports provide a revenue opportunity with detention billing.  This technology allows you to turn a cost center into a profit center. For many of our customers the ROI is immediate and the system pays for itself in a matter of months.

Being able to tell if a trailer has a load on it from a dispatcher’s or planner’s desk could help exponentially in increasing your operation’s productivity. [And] for company-owned trailers, whether pulled by an employee driver or a contracted trucker, being able to monitor tire pressure could potentially save thousands of dollars in tire costs.”

Within just a few minutes, most who are reading this article could amass a list of benefits, which would both save money and make your operation even more efficient through the availability of satellite trailer tracking. With infrared sensors, RFID technology and third party analog sensors, the possibilities of what information can be made available is ever expanding.

An aside: I realize there are other manufacturers of satellite tracking/communication companies with products and services similar to TransCore Tracking & Communications. In my research, this company is at the forefront of this type of technology. And TransCore recently has strengthened and secured their network with a move to Inmarsat™, guaranteeing uninterrupted service for years to come.

The technology for creating a more efficient trucking operation will always be a constant challenge. How to communicate with not only the truck driver but with the tractor and trailer will all continue to be an ever-changing and growing technology. We need the ability to locate, and coordinate our equipment’s movement and communicate with the truckers who drive it through advanced communications technology, both today’s and tomorrow’s.

In next week’s post I’ll continue the Mobile Technology discussion with more about in-cab electronics.

Good loads and good roads, everyone.

Timothy Brady  www.timothybrady.com
©2010