Experienced fleet managers of all sizes are aware that proper management of trailers and tankers is an essential part of logistics operations - domestic or international. Failure to do so will ultimately lead to disruption of fleet assets, theft or unauthorized use, delays, customer complaints, weakened reputation and competitiveness, fewer orders, lower profits and ROI. It is no longer a "nice to have" option, it is a business imperative to help a logistics company stay afloat.
Dispatchers, fleet managers and company executives need to know a trailer's status in real time: location, mileage, which driver is using the trailer, did he drop it off or pick up a load, how many stops did he make on a given day or route, what is the trailer parking location, which driver is closest to that trailer and so on?
Moreover, managers in charge need to know the productivity of each asset: how many hours did they use the particular trailer in a given shift, week, month or quarter? In most companies, it is a widespread practice to hold company assets and employees accountable by recording, tracking and analyzing their workload in some way.
Thanks to All-Connects' Bluetooth wireless technology, you can overcome these challenges effortlessly and with maximum results.
Our vehicle GPS trackers support Bluetooth LE (low energy) wireless connectivity, allowing them to communicate accurately with Bluetooth wireless devices such as beacons (also called gateways) and sensors. The lightweight and small BLE sensors (also called tags) can be attached to any type of semi-trailer for tracking and monitoring: flatbed trailers, chassis and enclosed trailers, dry van trailers, refrigerated trailers, intermodal chassis and/or containers, refrigerated trailers, rescue trailers, frac tanks, etc.
Each BLE sensor has a unique ID number that is broadcast over the airwaves as a radio signal at configurable intervals. GPS trackers mounted in the trucks read, identify and transmit this data (along with GNSS location data) to a server for analysis and reports. Special software displays the location of all BLE sensors (mounted on a company axle set), based on proximity to the nearest GPS tracker (mounted on a vehicle or fixed location), and helps manage the procedure for assigning BLE sensors.
Indeed, any trailer with a BLE sensor mounted on it can be tracked in real time via any smart device with an Internet connection: phone, tablet, laptop or desktop PC. As a result, fleet managers know exactly what is going on and can plan their further actions in a timely and efficient manner. No more old-fashioned "pen and paper" methods or guesswork, which are known to be impractical and error-prone.
The BLE model has two notable features - 'Proximity Event' and 'Detection By Filters'. Thanks to these features and the advanced configuration functionality of the GPS tracker, this solution offers a choice of settings and scenarios to meet the needs of the logistics fleet.
'Proximity event' or the Proximity event
For example, a vehicle tracker can generate proximity events from company assets depending on Bluetooth signal strength. In this way, trailers with a certain distance to a truck are tracked, but others outside that range are ignored. Two distinctive events can be set here - a truck approaches the trailer and enters the tracking zone - event #1; a truck moves away from the trailer and leaves the tracking zone - event #2. It also allows you to determine each moving beacon (i.e. the trailer of interest) grouped into 'Near', 'Absent' zones.
'Detection By Filters' or recognition by filters
The custom filtering feature allows you to group your company assets by a specific attribute or property of importance to operations (for example, on different trailer types) or to track only your own registered fleet ID beacons and ignore those of other companies if there are any nearby. These convenient event scenarios help monitor, manage and optimize the use of fleet assets with maximum efficiency, avoiding costly errors, keeping the fleet well organized and saving time and resources.
Bluetooth connectivity has low cost, high energy efficiency, accuracy and is very affordable. These BLE sensors can be easily installed, deployed and replaced when they break down. BLE technology with configurable signal strength and data transmission intervals can be quickly integrated into virtually any fleet. All in all, at the very least, this can significantly improve corporate reputation, profitability and competitiveness.
Have this blog answered your questions about BLE trailer tracking, and would you like to learn more about the cost or spar with us about the right application for your business? Then contact us directly by phone 03 289 55 35 or click here to ask for more info or book a consultation.
Also read our other blogs on tracking and monitoring corporate assets:
After reading this blog, are you curious about which tracking and digital solutions All-Connects offers? Ask us your question and we will answer you as soon as possible.
