Trucks are, by far, the most common way to move goods in the supply chain. Every day, the U.S. transportation system moves an average of over 50 million tons of freight valued at more than $50 billion. Trucks move more goods domestically in the U.S. than railway, water, air freight and pipelines combined. When pulling a chassis, a truck can move shipping containers quickly and efficiently. One of the main goals in the transportation industry is making sure that the shipment arrives on time, safely and securely. But how does tracking goods on the road actually work? We’ll get into that in the article below.
Container Tracking Services
One of the old-fashioned ways of tracking your shipment is via ISO reporting mark. Each standard intermodal container carries its own unique ISO 6346 International Shipping Container Standard Information reporting mark. ISO reporting mark can be tracked and monitored at every major freight terminal the cargo passes through. However, as this is not a live tracking system like GPS, you are left unaware of the container’s location during a large amount of time it spends on the road.
Global Positioning System (GPS)
This technology has fully transformed the transportation industry. Many fleet managers have turned to GPS tracking systems to keep their vehicles visible and productive. GPS stands for Global Positioning System and a satellite-based radio navigation system. Originally owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force, GPS is a commonly used system that provides users with positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services.
Advancements in communication technology and telematics have made GPS tracking more prevalent today than ever before. Vehicle telematics is used to describe vehicle onboard communication services and applications that communicate with one another via GPS receivers and other telematics devices. The most common application of this is vehicle tracking. This is achieved by combining a GPS system with onboard diagnostics. That way you map the exact location of a vehicle and the speed at which it is moving. Tracking goods on the road has never been easier.
Visibility
Vehicle tracking gives fleet managers visibility into the whereabouts of their vehicles by monitoring the movement or location of a vehicle through a GPS system. This is one of the most common applications of vehicle telematics and is particularly useful for companies that need to keep track of a fleet of vehicles. This same feature can also be used to track powered and unpowered assets, like trailers or reefers.
Maintenance
Most vehicle telematics systems are plugged directly into a vehicle’s diagnostic port. This automatically pulls engine data – like fuel consumption, coolant temperature, or engine load – for fleet management teams to easily access. This is also a great way for fleet managers to set up a regular vehicle maintenance schedule. Vehicle telematics providers can identify vehicle faults so fleet managers can know when to bring a vehicle into the shop.
Safety
If a vehicle goes missing, a GPS tracker can help you locate and recover the stolen or misplaced asset faster. Certain GPS truck tracking systems even let you set alerts if a vehicle is used during off-hours or if an asset leaves a pre-designated area.
Vehicle telematics systems monitor and collect data on vehicles. They can be a great way to gain insight into driving habits and suggest a correction if they drive too fast and out of regulations. This also applies to mandatory rest breaks. Fleet managers can also create training programs or individual coaching sessions based on telematics data. Telematics data may include things like harsh braking or acceleration. That way, fleet managers can help increase driver safety on the road. Our company rewards and encourages employees who respect and help build our company’s reputation.
Cost Savings
GPS vehicle trackers and telematics can easily reduce fuel costs across a fleet by identifying trends in driver behavior and route performance. Those insights can lead to major increases in fuel efficiency. They can also identify the location of a driver and determine which driver is best suited to send to a job site. Certain telematics systems can also connect fleet managers with drivers in real-time. It can be done via messages so drivers can easily reroute in case of heavy traffic or another unexpected road delay.
Customer Satisfaction – Tracking Goods On The Road
One of the most important indicators of consumer purchase intentions and loyalty is customer satisfaction. It is defined as a measurement that determines how products or services provided by a company meet customer expectations. Providing the exact location of the goods that are being shipped via a real-time GPS system, customers can see exactly where on a route a truck is located at any given moment. That way, customers can estimate how soon a delivery is going to arrive. And believe us when we say that apart from safe and secure shipping of their goods, tracking via GPS is one of the main reasons our customers are satisfied.
Business Efficiency
The global vehicle tracking systems market size is expected to reach $14,957.5 million by 2025. It’s growing at a CAGR of 19.9% from 2018 to 2025. Key factors driving the vehicle tracking systems market growth include rising security and safety concerns among passengers and fleet owners coupled with increased demand for intelligent transportation systems.
Conclusion
GPS technology is optimizing the resources and cost, improving driver safety, performance, and overall efficiency. It helps reduce administrative resources and increases the security of your shipping. GrassHopper Trans provides professional shipping and logistics services. Our fleet is equipped with the latest GPS and telematics devices. Contact us and get a quote for your next shipment.