What are Trailer Telematics, and why Newport Leasing Group is integrating Great Dane's FleetPulsePRO & FleetPulseGo GPS systems into our fleet!
Since opening our doors back in May of 2019, Newport Leasing Group has grown exponentially. With a fleet of now 300+ Dry Vans, Flatbeds and Stepdecks, we are continuously and strongly establishing our presence within the transportation industry as one of the midwest's top leasing companies. From the beginning, we knew that there would need to be a system put in place to be able to keep track of our equipment. The decision to install GPS tracking devices into each of our rental units was a straightforward and mutually beneficial way to be able to provide Newport Leasing Group with current updates of our trailers, as well as offering our customers the transparency to see their investment's pinpointed locations. With our fleet now growing day by day, we recognized that we needed to seek out a new GPS platform that not only tracks our equipment's location, but something that encompasses a full integration to streamline multiple aspects of our leasing operation. This is when we came across Great Dane's new FleetPulsePRO & FleetPulseGo GPS Solutions.
Read more below to get the scoop on why Newport Leasing Group is making the exciting switch and how it will benefit the Customer and the Company!
Why Newport Leasing Group is Integrating Great Dane's new FleetPulsePro & FleetPulseGo Systems
Deciding to switch from our previous GPS system over to Great Dane's FleetPulse systems was a bit of a "no-brainer" for us here at Newport. As we bring on additional equipment into our fleet, the trailers we will receive straight from the Great Dane manufacturer will come already equipped with the FleetPulsePro's. As an added benefit, Great Dane has also made the FleetPulseGo, which are GPS systems that can be shipped to our shop and installed by our shop team on any equipment in our fleet that is not brand new. This was a major deciding factor for us, as we wanted the capability over time to convert our fleet to the FleetPulse platform exclusivley.
With the new FleetPulse system, we have the ability to create a centralized database that contains every piece of equipment we have, that is equipped with the FleetPulse system. Within that database, we are able to track Actual Mileage, Run Diagnostic Scanning, Analyze Cargo Status, Monitor Real Time Location Tracking, Get Door Sensor Status Notifications, Light Out Detection, Tire Inflation Monitoring, ABS Fault Codes, Geo Fencing Capabilities, Critical Safety Alerts and much more!
Being able to have visualization to these features will help us keep our customers safer on the road, have fewer trailers returned with damage, and provide a more hands on experience for our customers directly. We will also be able to create Customer Portals, to give them visibility to the same key features. For example, if a driver is on the road and has encountered critical damage on the trailer and immediate repair is needed, the driver themselves or their dispatch would be notified of the damage as they happen in real time. This allows for quicker reaction time to take the appropriate steps to get off the road so the driver or other people on the road around them are not injured or put in a hazardous situation. The system will also Geo Fence the closest shop near them that can provide the repairs needed. It will also list out the exact parts needed for the repair, with corresponding part numbers and photos of the part for reference. Any damage alert flagged on the specific unit will also be documented within the system to keep everyone involved accountable. It will also be used as a tool for our shop team here at Newport to ensure the repairs that were needed were not only fixed, but fixed correctly.
These are just a few reasons why Newport Leasing Group is beyond excited to start integrating these systems into our fleet, but let's talk a bit more about what, "Trailer Telematics" are!
What are "Trailer Telematics," and how do they work?
Simply put, Trailer Telematics provide a collection of data by using a mix of Sensors, GPS Technology, and Onboard Diagnostic Codes.
Listed below are the types of sensors and how they work!
Door Open Sensor: Ensure only the right hands touch your cargo. Sensors at each door send alerts when it is open or closed. Example: Get alerts when a door is opened outside of a specific location, preventing theft or damage.
Battery Sensor: Understand the battery life of the FleetPulse battery. Onboard battery sends voltage status. Example: Battery alerts help you understand when a trailer’s battery has been untethered for an extended period (30+ days), needing to get back on the road.
GPS Location Sensor: Follow real-time movement and set up geofence notifications. Located based on satellite coordinates. Example: A customer calls and asks for location status of a delivery, the FM quickly pulls up the FP dashboard, searches for the trailer (list or map) and finds the exact location.
Tethered Status Sensor: Know when a trailer is powered, tethered, and how long. Determined when the trailer is powered by the tractor. Example: Identify unused trailers by searching yards for trailers that have been untethered for an extended period of time. And receive dwell reports by location.
Actual Mileage Sensor: Schedule preventative maintenance by actual use. Wheel revolutions provide a highly accurate mileage report. Example: Accurate mileage from wheel revolutions, combined with PM recommendations, allows maintenance managers to know what and when a PM will occur. Even predicting how many days (based on that trailer’s average miles) when the next PM will occur.
Light Out Detection Sensor: Remotely identify potential lighting issues. Alerts and error code status history directly from the lighting system. Example: Light alerts help avoid CSA violations by knowing when your lights might be out, diagnosing the issue before the trailer gets on the road.
Cargo Status Sensor: Know your trailer’s loaded status through the rear axle weight. Cargo status is calculated through the trailer air spring. Example: The monthly report showing miles travelled while loaded per trailer/region allows the FM to improve their loaded miles per truck.
Rear Axle Weight Sensor: See the current loaded weight on the rear axle. Weight is calculated through the trailer air spring. Example: A report is emailed to an operations manager on the number of trailers approaching their scheduled maintenance based on actual mileage. Scheduling time to perform maintenance, shortening down time.
Tire Inflation Monitoring Sensor: Respond to overactive tire inflation systems. Frequency of tire inflation system demanding air. Example: The average out-of-pocket cost of a tire-related road call is $900. FleetPulse sends alerts to maintenance managers when the Tire Inflation System is inflating too often, avoiding costly and dangerous situations.
ABS Fault Code Sensor: Remotely identify potential lighting issues. Alerts and error code status history directly from the lighting system. Example: Braking System Violations make up 28% of all violations, leading to vehicles being placed OOS. FleetPulse provides alerts and troubleshooting on 200+ ABS Fault Codes.
These are just a handful of features that Great Dane offers within their FleetPulse systems, and if you've taken the time to read through this whole article, (kudos to you) I'm sure you can see exactly why we are beyond excited to incorporate this amazing system into our fleet, while simultaneously offering a next level type of trailer rental experience for our valued customers!
For more information, we urge you to visit the Great Dane FleetPulse website, where you can take a deeper dive into learning the ins and outs of this new system!