Fleet connectivity and remote monitoring has never been more important, or more valuable, than now. With the world’s pandemic challenges, fleets have been forced to re-think service offerings and practices in order to limit contact with customers and equipment.
At the same time, the requirements of keeping products safe throughout the cold chain – and providing the necessary proof points, is vital to all involved. This includes the communities depending on the essentials to be delivered safely and the fleets relying on each successful delivery to protect profits.
Asset management system
Thermo King’s TracKing® telematics is a 4G LTE temperature and asset management system that is part of the company’s ConnectedSuite™ product line. It not only offers real-time visibility into the location and status of assets, but it also increases fleet efficiencies by detecting potential issues, determining maintenance actions, offering remote communication with the refrigeration unit controller, and delivering the information customers and regulatory agencies demand.
Temperature reports and graphs, unit fuel levels, door sensor data and cargo tracking is available instantly
Is the unit on? What’s the temperature set-point? Was the temperature maintained throughout the journey? Was security breached with an unauthorized door opening? Telematics takes the guesswork out of temperature compliance, cargo traceability and security. Temperature reports and graphs, unit fuel levels, door sensor data and cargo tracking is available instantly, with a push of a button or with a real-time alarm.
Data and diagnostic information
The advantages are clear: a constant view of fleet operations provides efficiencies and proof of compliance when it comes to required load and shipment parameters. The proof is in the data, ensuring that both the load and the business is protected.
“TracKing can be activated remotely. It can offer data and diagnostic information remotely. It can communicate remotely with drivers and technicians via BlueTooth technology. There is no need to physically touch the unit unless it is deemed necessary – either in the form of immediate action due to cargo risk, or the scheduling of a service appointment for general maintenance,” said Rod Castro, strategic account manager—telematics for Thermo King.
Innovative telematics solution
Telematics is designed to give valuable remote visibility of assets to fleets and customers alike
Fundamentally, telematics is designed to give valuable remote visibility of assets to fleets and customers alike, ensuring cargo is safe throughout the cold chain. The value of that visibility – through the availability of 24/7 data, has grown exponentially throughout the past months as fleets work to maintain demanding transport schedules while protecting drivers, service shops and customers from unneeded personal contact with equipment and each other.
Telematics provides the answers needed to elevate uptime, anticipate issues and proactively – and safely, plan for the unexpected. TracKing is standard on all 2018 or newer Thermo King trailer units, as well as the latest T-90 Series of truck units, and all include a free, 90-day subscription of TracKing telematics solutions which includes: two-way commands, remote service watch downloads, asset location, temperature data, and more than 100 critical data fields from the refrigeration unit. Taking remote support a step further, Thermo King representatives offer free demo sessions of the innovative telematics solution through a webinar tool accessible from any computer.
Crime-Stopping intelligence
While TracKing telematics delivers the information that matters to fleets and ensures data-driven, streamlined operations, the practical intelligence it provides can quickly double as crime-stopping intelligence. Its asset location detection capabilities has stopped thieves in their tracks.
The company had two brand new trailers with Thermo King Precedent® refrigeration units stolen
“TracKing helped us solve a three-month mystery of our missing trailers,” said Tri Quach, general manager at iHaul Freight of British Columbia, Canada. “The police were not having any luck with the recovery … and TracKing saved the day.” The company had two brand new trailers with Thermo King Precedent® refrigeration units stolen and, with the help of Thermo King of British Columbia, was able to activate TracKing remotely to establish a GPS location and recover both trailers.
Delivering proven solutions
“It’s a great example of the value that unit connectivity offers fleets,” said Clint Huntington, sales manager at the dealership. “It truly shows that the advantages of data-driven fleet operation goes beyond real-time temperature monitoring. TracKing also provides asset security and ultimately, peace of mind.”
For companies looking to deliver smarter fleet operations through remote connectivity, teaming up with a dedicated partner is essential. Thermo King was founded in 1938 to deliver proven solutions that would allow customers to confidently ship refrigerated products throughout the cold chain. The TracKing telematics solution provides the real-time data that proves it, keeping the products, assets and drivers, technicians and customers safer at the same time.
