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Future of trailer technology lies in load management

STEVEN SUTHERLAND From a risk perspective, it is important to be cognisant of the valuable goods on trailers

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INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS Technological developments in the fleet and mobile asset management industry provide information on every vehicle within a fleet

Photo by Orange Ink

22nd August 2014

By: David Oliveira

Creamer Media Staff Writer

  

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JSE- and NYSE-listed fleet and mobile asset management solutions provider MiX Telematics plans to move into load manage- ment, assisting with the safe transportation of goods being moved by trailer.

MiX Telematics Africa sales director Steven Sutherland explains that, in cases where companies are delivering dry goods, there is less focus on load management. “However, in the case of cold-chain management, for example, knowing the temperature of the product being transported and ensuring that it stays within temperature parameters so the goods are not damaged becomes increasingly important.”

Using radio-frequency technology, MiX Telematics is able to place temperature sensors in trailers, which will communicate with the on-board computers, either installed in the trailer – where power is available – or in the associated truck-tractor. This provides the customer with a constant indication of the load temperature.

In the event that the temperature rises or falls above or below the specified parameters, the system will send an automatic alert to the client, allowing the client to respond quickly to the problem.

Sutherland notes that consolidating the information, should there be multiple trailers attached to a truck-tractor, can be a challenge.

“The problem can, however, be mitigated if the correct technology is installed initially and we are always looking for more cost-effective solutions for ensuring that all the information from multiple trailer configurations is collated,” he highlights.

Another aspect managed by a load management solution is the cargo’s weight, as it calculates the weight of the goods loaded on and offloaded from the trailer. Sutherland notes that this will be important for companies who do not wish to be penalised at weighbridges for being over the weight limit.

This current solution can assist in determining if any goods were offloaded outside approved areas. The company’s current solutions are able to monitor when a company’s assets stop outside an approved location and whether it is an unscheduled stop, as well as whether the trailer doors have been opened. In the event that the vehicle has made an unscheduled stop and the trailer doors have been opened, an alert will be sent to the customer.

Further, the company offers an onboard camera solution, MiX Vision, which can accommodate additional cameras over and above the standard cab- and road-facing cameras. “By installing additional cameras, the customer has the ability to collate visual information from other areas around the vehicle. An additional camera could be installed to view the load bay area of a trailer or it could be placed inside the trailer so there is a constant visual of the products being transported,” Sutherland advances.

He notes that technological development in the fleet and mobile asset management industry provides fleet managers, or owners, with information on every vehicle in their fleets.

“There is also a huge focus on being able to collate the data. There is a substantial amount of data that a fleet owner or transport manager receives. A significant amount of this information comes from telematics, but there is also a big focus on being able to take this information and combine it with all the other aspects of a business, such as the financial side, so that things can be seen holistically, offering a good view of cause and effect in a business,” Sutherland explains.

He notes that examining data in isolation can lead to oversights, such as the effects of driver performance on the businesses finance, as poor driving can lead to shorter service intervals and increased maintenance costs.


Sutherland points out that, previously, fleet management solutions were exclusively installed on truck-tractors, as they allowed fleet managers to manage driver performance, vehicle use and fuel consumption.

“However, from a risk perspective, it is important to be cognisant of the value of the goods on trailers and the challenge has always been the fact that trailers are powerless once detached from truck-tractors. To run any kind of device on a trailer, regardless of what it is, you need to supply it with electricity.

“Battery technology, especially over the past five years, and cellular phone technology have allowed us to run self-supporting on-board computers on trailers for up to a year before having to either replace or recharge the battery,” he explains.

Sutherland highlights that computers used in trailers do not need to be as sophisticated as those installed on truck-tractors, as trailer computers do not monitor engines or driver performance. However, trailer computers monitor trailer movement, position and the distance travelled by the trailer, which helps determine the most efficient trailer service intervals.

“We launched our Trailer Tracking solution mid-2013 in two versions, one being completely self-dependent, as it runs on its own power source, and the other being designed for trailers that do have power, such as trailers that have refrigeration,” he concludes.

Edited by Megan van Wyngaardt
Creamer Media Contributing Editor Online

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