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Read moreCargo theft continues to be a thorn in the side for business owners worldwide. Australia is no exception. In fact, $100,000 worth of baby milk formula was stolen from an Origin Facility in Victoria in July 2019, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg1. This kind of theft has serious consequences for businesses—not just financially, but also in terms of damaged brand reputation and reduced customer loyalty, for example.
Clearly, the action is needed to address the issue—this is where GPS tracking devices for trailers come in. Tracking trailers using a GPS fleet management system can help reduce theft or unauthorised use, help protect your cargo, and help enhance asset utilisation.
Let’s explore what trailer tracking devices do, why they’re important and the benefits for your business.
Why implement trailer tracking solutions?
The financial implications of theft for transport companies are significant. In addition to the loss of goods, and potentially higher insurance premiums, the recovery process can be complex and costly. For example, without data from GPS trailer tracking devices, it can be difficult to provide the authorities with the information they need to investigate trailer theft.
Plus, as mentioned above, cargo theft is on the rise. Thieves now target goods moving in supply chains when they are aboard trucks, rather than stored in facilities. In other words, cargo in trailers is considered vulnerable.
Trailer tracking helps to reduce that vulnerability and protect you from theft by giving you near real-time visibility of all your trailers. When implemented as part of a GPS fleet management solution, you gain complete oversight of your assets.
Features and benefits of trailer tracking
Trailer tracking devices attach directly to trailers and work in conjunction with a comprehensive fleet management platform. The tracker itself is a battery-powered device, using either rechargeable or long battery life, and is weather-proof in order to withstand any extreme conditions. It emits a GPS signal, which is then received by the asset tracking software. On the fleet management platform, you can then monitor the location and status of all your trailers and other unpowered assets—or powered assets such as vehicles—all on one platform.
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Here are some of the key capabilities of GPS-based trailer tracking systems and how they can help your business:
Easy GPS location of your trailers
A GPS fleet management solution, including GPS tracking devices for trailer fleet, enables you to see the location of your trailers across the entire fleet in near real-time. This helps reduce the risk of theft and the associated financial losses. Tracking trailer location also assists you in recovering any stolen assets, since you can use that data to inform law enforcement authorities swiftly and accurately.
An overview of all your assets
See the bigger picture. The software has both a desktop version and smartphone app, so you always have insight into the status of all your trailers and fleet at your fingertips. You can also monitor the temperature of the cargo in your trailers, helping you confirm that the cargo is transported in optimal condition.
Enable security alerts
With a GPS fleet management system, you not only benefit from reliable trailer tracking. You also benefit from near real-time security alerts, which help prevent unauthorised use, for example when a trailer’s doors are opened. In the event of any suspicious activity, you can act faster to inform the authorities and help protect your valuable cargo.
Geo zone alerts & geofencing
In addition to determining the location of your trailers, you can use geo zone alerts, or geofence alerts, to also receive information about the arrival and departure times of your cargo. Geo zone alerts can even be automated to notify your team when a shipment is approaching a customer’s loading dock, for example. This way, you know when the cargo is delivered and an order has been completed without having to call your team.
Geo zone alerts also offer geofencing functionality, which helps prevent trailers from falling into the wrong hands. You first set up a virtual perimeter of your choice. If any assets leave that area, such as outside of specified working hours, you receive an alert.
Helps enhance asset utilisation
Trailer tracking systems help you to improve asset utilisation as well as protect them from theft. The telematics technology helps you to understand precisely how your assets are being used because you have full visibility over trailer locations, door openings, temperature changes, what the load capacity is, and plenty more. You can, therefore, get a better sense of the day-to-day productivity and efficiency of your asset utilisation, without having to check trailers manually. This information then helps you to automate tasks and improve efficiency.
1https://www.tapa-global.org/recent/2019-is-already-another-record-breaking-year-for-cargo-crimes-in-the-europe-middle-east-and-africa.html