Why You May Need Trackers For Both Rig & Trailer
One of our favorite clients in our hometown of Austin, TX operates a moving business. When they approached us about using GPS tracking to monitor their field operations, they were looking to solve two key problems. The first was to help figure out why they were getting so many flat tires on their trailers, and the second was to simplify the never-ending phone calls from their customers, who wanted to know when the movers were going to show up.
But before we could get to the problem solving phase of the project, we had to answer a question that comes up every time a business has trucks and trailers which is, of course, what do I need to track? The truck? The trailer? Both of them? There’s no single answer to this question, as it depends on how the business operates.
Pros and Cons of Tracking the Rig vs. the Trailer
Depending on the details, it may make sense to track only the rig, the trailer, or both. Here are a few things to think about when deciding for your business:
- Are the rig & trailer a permanent pair?
- If they are, then there’s a good chance that you can get away with just tracking one or the other, but there are a few more questions to ask before you make that choice.
- Do I need vehicle telemetry?
- If you are interested in getting vehicle information, like when the engine is on & off, what the engine RPMs look like, or what the current water temperature, then you’ll want to consider a tracker that can tap into the vehicle’s computer.
- Do I need trailer telemetry?
- Putting the tracker on the trailer makes it possible to pull information like when are trailer doors open, whether the trailer is currently connected to the truck, or if the refrigeration unit is operating.
- Who owns the equipment?
- If you hire contractors or rent some of the equipment, then you may be limited on which pieces of equipment you can track.
In the moving company’s case, it was a no-brainer to only track the trailers. Their business was set up that the company owned the trailers, and the trucks were owned by a mix of employees and contractors. The company had no interest (or right) in tracking the contractor’s trucks, so the only solution was to track the trailers. We learned pretty quickly that the flat tire thing was happening because the drivers were going faster than the tires were rated for, and once they knew that the boss was going to be instantly notified when they were speeding, that behavior stopped. And being able to see on a phone or monitor exactly where every mover was in real time was a game changer for dispatch, saving them a ton of time.
Still not sure which one makes sense for your business? Give us a call or schedule a free consultation with me and we’ll help you figure it out.