Need Truck Drivers? GPS Trailer Tracking Can Help

Need Truck Drivers? GPS Trailer Tracking Can Help

The truck driver shortage continues to climb according to the recent data from the American Trucking Association. Large truckload fleets had a 97% turnover rate an increase of 7% over the fourth quarter. Smaller fleets had a turnover rate of 83% which is up from 76% over the fourth quarter. These increases are very likely to continue due the new hours of service rules that went into effect July 1.

The new HOS rules means that truck drivers will have a schedule to stick to that requires taking a 30-minute break in the first eight hours of driving as well as a new maximum workweek of 70 hours which is a decrease of 12 hours down from 82. Normally if you told most of the American working population that they had to cut their work hours by as much as 15% due to a new government regulation, there would be cheering and dancing in the streets. However, what those not in trucking don’t understand is that for truckers, every hour spent on the road equals more miles driven. More miles driven mean more money… and unfortunately for many truckers, money is earned only by working/driving as much as is humanly possible.

So hopefully these new changes will increase highway safety as they were designed to do by the FMCSA. But they will tremendously challenge the motosr carriers to keep the drivers they have and recruit additional drivers to fill their depleting ranks. The carriers will put more pressure on their recruiters to find available drivers which may mean spending more advertising dollars, increasing pay and providing more sign on bonuses. However my opinion is that the driver of today wants to work for the carrier that helps the driver maximize his time behind the wheel by employing technology that will increase operational efficiencies.

Trailer Tracking has already proven itself as a desirable technological money saving tool as industry statistics show that by installing a trailer tracking device a fleet can expect as much as a 10% improvement in operational efficiency as well as much as a 10% decrease in their insurance premium. Trailer Tracking can also help your fleet attract more drivers in three ways.

1.    All drivers want top pay and they want to maximize their time in the truck.

·       Trailer tracking will allow a fleet to know where a trailer really is not where it was. This will help the driver.

·       Trailer tracking can help a fleet to identify equipment needing maintenance before it is dispatched. This will help the driver.

·       Trailer tracking provides regular idle trailer reports to help keep trailers moving in the system which means more available loads for the drivers.

2.    Trailer Tracking with true real-time information lets a fleet know where their equipment is at all times

·       Trailer tracking with sensory real-time data capability will help improve trailer turns by advising when trailers are full or empty.

·       Trailer tracking with reefer sensors will help the fleet to keep track of refrigerated load temperatures to allow the driver to operate freely without additional stops to check the reefer.

·       Trailer tracking with door sensors will help the fleet to know that a trailer door was not opened when in the driver’s possession to keep him out of claims mitigation.

·       Trailer tracking that includes a reefer fuel sensor allows a fleet to know the fuel capacity of a reefer fuel tank before the reefer is dropped. This will prevent a driver from having to make an unnecessary trip for fuel.

·       More sensors are on the way to assist with tire inflation, air pressure that will further improve the drain on the driver time.

3.    Trailer tracking keeps you from wasting the fleet’s dollars and the driver’s time locating equipment.

·       Happier drivers won’t leave your employment.

·       Happier drivers will tell others of their good fortune.

·       Happier drivers will help keep a fleets customers satisfied.

GPS Trailer Tracking for Trucking Companies, TrackPoint Systems

Trailer Tracking, TrackPoint Systems, Asset Management for Trucking Companies



Trailer Tracking---its 10PM do you really know where your trailers are?
If you are the manager of a fleet and have gone to the trouble and the expense of buying a
trailer tracking systems for your company, I suppose you would quickly answer yes. All trailers
were accounted for on the last report with their position 3 hours ago. This information came to
you on the allotted once a day or twice a day scheduled report you are allowed with your
communication package. But as we all know, a lot can happen in in 3 hours. In that 3 hours a
trailer could by as much as 100 miles away from their last reported position or even worse, they
could be attached to someone else’s tractor being pulled into a warehouse where the cargo
contents was off-loaded by thieves.
I am a 33 year veteran of the trucking business and I see how the positive transitions in
technology has greatly improved the tools available to the fleets to monitor their drivers,
protect their cargo and enhance their customer services to their clients. Therefore, I am
amazed when I talk to prospects about trailer tracking and how they only want to discuss
minimal or bare bones tracking when with just a little more investment they can regularly
receive real-time information and sensory capabilities about their cargo, trailer capacity and
trailer maintenance that will drastically improve the return on their investment in trailer
tracking.
The players in the for hire trucking business are conservative by nature as it is so tough to eke
out profits due to new government regulations, expensive equipment, escalating real estate
prices and spiraling labor costs so it is understandable why they view investing in a non-mandated asset management technology as a bit risky. However the rewards are plentiful as
the fleet can gain tremendous insight into protecting their equipment investment and gaining
value added information that can assist in a higher degree of customer services.
Trailer Tracking that provides a fleet sensory capability that includes installation of a
temperature sensor and a reefer fuel sensor will allow a fleet manager to lower his claims
exposure by saving a temperature controlled load when the reefer unit malfunctions or when
the reefer unit runs out of fuel. Cargo theft can be minimized with the addition of a door sensor
as it will detect unauthorized trailer door openings that can be investigated to help expose a
truck driver with criminal intentions. Trailer turns can be improved when a cargo sensor is in
place that will notify you when your trailer is loaded or unloaded. All this real-time information
can even be sent in the form of alerts to an email account or a smart phone. So a manager can
be aware of critical information and react to it even when away from the office. The technology
behind these sensors even allows this critical information to flow wirelessly from the trailer to
the fleet. You will not have to rely on a driver to make you aware of this beneficial and game
changing information.



http://www.trackpointsystems.com

Terry Lewis
TrackPoint Systems LLC
4717 Centennial Blvd
Nashville, TN 37209
(615) 469-5152 Local
(866) 469-3315 Toll Free
(615) 469-4469 (fax)