Trailer tracking is essential to ensuring that your valuable assets are where they need to be, and that they’re being used properly. However, tracking assets manually is time-consuming and error-prone. And in the worst case scenario, the spreadsheets and paper documents used for manual tracking can easily be lost or deleted, leaving you completely in the dark.

There’s no reason to rely on resource-intensive, time-consuming, and unreliable methods to keep up with your assets. GPS trailer tracking enables you to monitor your trailers in real-time from your mobile phone, computer, or tablet. These capabilities enable you to plan more effectively, prevent downtime, and much more. Read on to learn about four of the key benefits of trailer tracking technology.

1. Inventory trailers in minutes

At any given time, your trailers are distributed across the country (or globe), whether they’re on the road or parked at distribution centers (DCs) or warehouses. You can spend countless valuable man hours tracking them manually, relying on phone calls, radios, and paper to locate far-flung trailers. With this manual approach, it’s easy to make a mistake. Accidentally writing down the wrong asset number or mishearing it over the radio or phone can create a ripple effect leading to inaccuracies in your records. And, if the inventory process reveals that a trailer is missing, trying to figure out where and when it went missing can take up even more of your time.

A GPS trailer tracking solution allows you to see all of your assets at once, in real time. There’s no need to send a worker into the field, or to call around to various DCs and warehouses to locate your assets. Instead, you can simply log in to the system, enter the asset number, and see exactly where it is at that moment on a map. With a trailer tracking solution, assets rarely go missing. Even if they’re in the wrong place, you know where they are, and you can take steps to get them back on track.

2. Prevent theft and recover stolen assets

When the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down supply chains, thieves seized the opportunity to steal cargo from trailers that were sitting unattended for long periods of time. Cargo theft spiked by 29% in 2020, with thieves taking individual trailers or tractor trailers, or pilfering the cargo inside. While that number has since trended downwards, the sharp spike shows just how much external factors can increase the risk of theft. 

When a trailer or its cargo is stolen, time is of the essence. With a GPS trailer tracking solution, you can locate and recover stolen trailers quickly. Fleet tracking devices can be augmented with door and cargo sensors that alert you when a trailer door is opened when it shouldn’t be. If a trailer is supposed to stay within a certain geographic area, you can use geofencing to make sure you’re alerted when the trailer leaves that area.  Once you receive an alert, you can investigate the unauthorized access and inform authorities as soon as possible. 

3. Operate more efficiently

Costs for fleet maintenance and repairs per mile have risen by 39%  since 2008. These rising costs, along with labor challenges and the overall slowdown in the supply chain, are cutting into profit margins. Operating more efficiently is critical to ensuring that you can generate and grow revenue and remain competitive. To optimize your fleet, you need to ensure that you have the right combination of trailers, trucks, and drivers, minimize downtime, and use trailers as efficiently as possible. 

There are a number of strategies you can employ to meet these objectives:

• Use trailers wisely — when a trailer is unloaded at one location, it can be used immediately for a new load originating at that location.
• Perform utilization analyses to determine if each trailer is being used to its fullest potential.
• Reposition underused trailers so they can be used in high-demand areas.

Without GPS trailer tracking, it’s nearly impossible to implement these strategies effectively. Coordinating unloading and reloading at a particular location is challenging if you don’t know exactly where trailers are located. And you can’t confidently reposition underutilized assets if you don’t know where they should go. GPS trailer tracking takes the guesswork out of measuring utilization and locating assets so you can effectively optimize your operations. 

4. Offer real-time data visibility to customers and partners

Competition in the logistics industry is stiff and improving customer service is essential to standing out. Your customers and partners are under pressure to deliver to their end users more quickly. For example, consumer demand for faster shipping is on the rise. With GPS tracking, you can provide your customers and partners with real-time data on load position and delivery status, as well as proactive alerts when shipments are delayed. 

Not only do these capabilities allow you to give your customers greater peace of mind, they also support conflict resolution. If a customer says an item wasn’t delivered, you can investigate what went wrong without having to fumble through logbooks or calling the driver. All the information you need is at your fingertips. 

GPS trailer tracking enables smarter, more efficient operations

Trailer tracking solutions allow you to maximize your assets by providing the most accurate, up-to-date information on their location and their status. Whether recovering lost or stolen assets, improving visibility for your partners and customers, or increasing the overall efficiency of your operations, trailer tracking solutions enhance your capabilities so you can do more with your fleet without placing an additional burden on your staff.

At HoloTrak, we provide logistics companies with the tools they need to monitor their fleets and optimize their usage. We provide the latest asset tracking devices and easy-to-use, customizable software so you can monitor your assets from anywhere in real time.

Ready to get started? Reach out to us with questions or to learn about our asset tracking solutions.