Enhancing Trailer Tracking With the Internet of Things
By SkyBitz • Published October 4, 2017 • 4 minute read
It’s easy to understand the advantages the “Internet of Things” has to offer through a consumer goods perspective. From smartphones and Fitbits to home thermostats and refrigerators, the term Internet of Things (IoT) describes how devices interconnect to exchange useful data and ultimately make people’s lives easier.
What does this have to do with fleet management and trailer tracking? Since these devices can be used to exchange information, track assets, increase visibility, and manage supply chains, using them makes your job easier, too, and enables your company to operate more efficiently.
In the world of consumer IoT goods, it’s common for devices and applications to integrate seamlessly. Featuring the most up-to-date software and hardware, most internet of things devices for the home can be connected with the simple click of a button.
Unfortunately, this same ease of connectivity is not always directly reflected in the trucking industry. TMS systems, vehicle tracking hardware, and collision warning systems are often built on disparate systems and platforms, meaning that interconnectivity is not always just one click away. At least not yet. But the technology is advancing every day, and with the right IoT fleet management solution, getting the data you need doesn’t have to be a struggle.
Rolling Out an All-Inclusive Fleet Management Network
While a completely integrated fleet management network still lies off somewhere in the future, it is not by any means the distant future. For instance, the trucking industry has had its own version of IoT fleet management solutions for many years. Leveraging their own private Controlled Area Network (CAN), all the devices aboard a truck are able to connect and exchange information with one another. Mobile communication devices then plug into this system, monitoring and tracking the truck’s transmitted information.
The good news for the trucking industry is that with the rapid emergence of new IoT devices, this same concept is now available on a much larger scale. Instead of relying on the truck’s CAN, these new solutions are built on a more open platform. From automated load tracking apps to lane departure warnings and electronic logging devices (ELDs), the future holds a seemingly endless number of ways for the trucking industry to report, monitor, and track information regardless of the technology used.
Get the Latest Solar-Powered IoT Asset Tracking Device
SkyBitz recently released a long-lasting, solar-powered asset tag called the Falcon GXT5002C. The rugged device tracks arrival and departure times, idling, mileage, location, security alerts, tire pressure, open or closed asset doors, and whether cargo is loaded or unloaded.
Using this GPS tracking device, fleet managers can get better cargo visibility and increase utilization of their unpowered assets. One of the major benefits of the device is that it can be installed on a loaded container, making it easy to implement and return to moving cargo rather than halting your operations. Taking advantage of the internet of things for trailer tracking and fleet management has never been easier.
