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Asset Trackers: How Smart Utilization Leads To Efficiency And Cuts On Costs

Posted on March 8, 2021 | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment

Today, all businesses including fleets, are trying to rapidly improve their efficiency to cut down on costs and raise productivity. When addressing fleets, many times the asset utilization rate goes unnoticed, and this causes a lack in efficiency that can be avoided.

Smart Utilization

Ensuring that the usage of each asset is maximized but not going overboard is simply called ‘Smart Utilization’. There are several scenarios when assets just catch dust and don’t get utilized because there’s an excess of that asset, and vice versa with ones being over utilized.

Fleets often overlook this strategy making it a critical strategy to review and implement. Doing so will allow fleets to expect to see visibility of finances, unnecessary costs and gaps in maintenance procedures.

What Is The Smart Utilization Strategy

If all assets are tracked based on their utilization rates, fleets can figure out which assets are being under and overused and make decisions accordingly. If assets are being underused, this means there’s an excess of the resource and it’s being wasted. If an asset is overused, this will create maintenance issues with it as it’s being used way too much and will be prone to breaking down. This will provide fleets with the information of how many assets they need to add or remove from their fleet for maximizing efficiency and staying within budget.

Key performance indicators for vehicles include days driven, drive time and mileage while key performance indicators for other assets include operation duration times and location tracking. Fleets can easily view these statistics from their telematics system online.

Smart Benefits of Smart Utilization

By using a smart utilization strategy, fleets actually implement a smart cost management solution because they use all their resources to their maximum capability and get the highest return on investment.

With the additional data on the number of resources required, fleets can ensure there are enough resources to run at maximum efficiency to get the best results in the long run. Since all assets will now be properly used and no longer overused, they will have a long lifespan.

How Smart Utilization Can Be Beneficial

Utilization reports show which assets are hardly used or overused, or in downtime for maintenance or repair. Monitoring this activity will help fleets improve on replacement cycling and will also quickly point out areas of opportunity to re-deploy vehicles into other areas of the business. Consistently tagging, giving a title and insuring unused assets is expensive and renting would be a better business decision during surge times.

The Right Asset Tracker For Your Fleet

The benefits of smart utilization can be provided by most asset trackers, but each track excels in different situations. To determine which asset tracker a fleet would find most beneficial, let’s have a look at the different types of trackers available to take advantage of.

The Flex Solar-Making Use Of Free Energy

The Flex Solar is a solar powered asset tracker designed to track bulk cargo containers, vehicles and other large assets with no direct power supply. Solar energy is a great source of energy for large assets travelling far or being stored outside for long (like shipping containers) because they are often standalone assets with no power supply.

The ZenRemora – A Simple Solution To Asset Tracking

The ZenRemora is a great alternative to the Flex Solar if you have to rely on an ion battery if solar energy is challenging to depend on. On top of general asset monitoring, it also has additional features including anti-theft mode, tamper detection, geo-fence awareness and expandability opportunities with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons.

The ZenFalcon – Temperature Is Now A Known Variable

The ZenFalcon is a temperature-sensitive asset tracker allowing fleets to monitor temperature and humidity. Fleets can continually monitor these variables with the 5-year battery life and hourly reporting ZenFalcon has to offer. If ensuring that the goods/assets are in proper temperature and humidity conditions, the ZenFalcon should be taken into consideration.

The BlackBerry Radar – Prioritizing Load Management

The BlackBerry Radar focuses on asset tracking for cargo, vehicles and non-motorized assets like bulk containers, trailers and various equipment where content capacity has to primarily be monitored. Implementing this allows fleets to properly plan their loading process for improved efficiency.

ZenBeacon – Asset Tracking Independent Of Cellular Coverage

The ZenBeacon provides data on light exposure, temperature, asset impact and provides an alternative to Radio Frequency Identity (RFID) tracking via BLE beacons. Designed to have a long battery life, this would be beneficial for assets traveling to locations with no cellular coverage.

The SmartOne’sC – Reliability Outside Of Cellular Coverage

The SmartOne’sC is a self-charging solution to support long term remote deployments without the need to replace the battery. Using a highly efficient solar cell, it can continuously charge the battery and maximize operating life, even under extreme weather conditions.

Using any of these trackers will shed light on what assets are truly being used, allowing for decisions about renting, selling and purchasing to be made. For example, if there are certain assets not being used enough to justify the purchase and upkeep costs, operators may decide to only rent the assets during peak times. In comparison, fleets who see some assets being overly depended on, will allow them to see whether they should consider renting or even purchasing additional assets to alleviate stress and maintenance requirements on the assets already deployed.

All these trackers can determine the utilization rates of an asset, but they each excel at different things. Depending on what matches your fleet’s needs, that would be the asset tracker to learn more about. Improving utilization rates for each asset in a fleet will help financially and improve overall management in the long run. For further learning about the specifics and details of these trackers, contact us now.

There’s No Room for Error When Transporting Vaccines

Posted on October 13, 2020 | by Anna | Leave a Comment

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone’s day to day life and significantly disrupted businesses’ routines and operations. People are all anxiously hoping for an end to the crisis and a return to normalcy, as soon as possible.

After months of patiently waiting, everyone remains cautiously optimistic that a vaccine is on the horizon – in the near future. The only question is when will it be widely available? By asking the question “when”, we don’t mean when the vaccine will be ready or approved, but rather when will the majority of the population have access to the vaccination.

Distributing and transporting vaccines tends to be an even greater challenge than the development of vaccines. The fragile characteristic of medical logistics and strict transporting requirements, especially on a global scale, is very problematic.

The Logistics Challenge For Vaccines

The logistics network capacity, especially cold-chain network capacity, is simply not enough to support distribution at this scale. Vaccines are temperature-sensitive high-value commodities. They are required to be transported in a climate-controlled environment, from beginning to end, to protect the quality and the effectiveness of vaccines.

The difficulty of cold-chain transportation is that each tool and equipment used in the logistics system must be specialized to meet the rigid cold-chain regulations and laws. Any breach in the cold chain could result in the whole batch of vaccines being unusable – an expensive mistake that no logistics company can afford to make.

What makes the transport process of the COVID-19 vaccines even more challenging is that some COVID-19 vaccines require a significantly more stringent transport environment than the conventional vaccine. Conventional vaccines are usually stored at temperatures between 2°C and 8°C, while some COVID-19 vaccines require to be transported at temperatures below -80°C.

This further poses obstacles to logistics companies as only a small subset of available logistics infrastructures and equipment can handle these kinds of transport requirements.

Furthermore, vaccines are usually shipped within the belly hold of the passenger aircraft rather than the dedicated cargo aircraft as it can help vaccines get closer to the final destination. The reduction of commercial passenger flights due to low demands and global travel restrictions caused by COVID-19 create more chaos in the distribution chain, forcing specialized freight trucks to play a greater role in moving vaccines to rural or remote locations.

Vaccine Storage And Transportation Guidelines

All levels of government and health authorities have set out clear guidelines and rules on how to safely store, transport, and handle vaccines. Vaccines transporters and couriers have the responsibility to protect vaccines from heat, excessive moistures, light exposures. Couriers should designate trained individuals to manage and monitor the entire process of vaccine transportation.

Protecting the cold chain’s integrity is the top priority of any couriers, and couriers should be equipped with the appropriate equipment, vehicles, and tools to prevent any temperature breach.

Truck vehicles with a dedicated insulated storage container equipped with thermometers and fail-safe door closing mechanisms should be used to transport vaccines. Vaccine temperature must be maintained within a certain range dictated by vaccine manufacturers’ instructions throughout the trip. The door of the truck container should be kept closed as much as possible.

It is important for couriers to monitor and keep track of temperature periodically to ensure that the cold chain is maintained. A temperature log that documents the vaccine temperature along the trip should be kept for future inspection or review. Couriers must report any cold chain accidents or breaches that occurred during the trip to the local public health department seeking further instructions on vaccines’ use or disposal.

Transporting Vaccines: Leveraging Telematics With Limitless Functionality

Temperature Monitoring Sensors

The complexity of the vaccine cold chain makes it difficult for humans to monitor and keep track of the whole process, and this is where telematics technologies supports the movement of temperature-sensitive cargo. Precision temperature sensors are the key tool in collecting and providing accurate ambient temperature reading of the container to the drivers and fleet managers.

This is different from the traditional temperature monitoring sensors that only measure the blower output air temperature. Ambient temperature reading provides a much more accurate representation of the actual temperature in the trailer as it takes into consideration the conveyor effect of cold and warm air variations caused by opening and closing doors. Smart temperature sensors also have one huge advantage over traditional technology – thanks to its high digital connectivity. Drivers and fleet managers can receive real-time updates and alerts of container temperature, so early intervention could be taken when a problem happens.

Moisture and Humidity Monitoring Sensors

Temperature is not the only metric that matters when transporting vaccines; moisture and humidity are the other two essential metrics to consider and monitor when moving vaccines. This is especially critical when transporting vaccines in high humidity regions, where there is a risk of moisture damage caused by condensation. Modern-day telematic sensors have functionality to measure, analyze, and report these readings in real-time to drivers and fleet managers, offering them a comprehensive look at trailer status.

Motion Detection And Optical Sensors

Frequent opening of the trailer door is one the top factor resulting in a cold chain breach. The trailer’s temperature can drastically change within a short period as warm air flows into the container when leaving the door open. For example, studies have shown that temperature can fluctuate up to 10°C when doors are left open for 5 minutes.

The governmental guidelines recommend that couriers should keep the door locked as much as possible to reduce the introduction of warm air and direct sunlight to the trailer. This is why optical sensors and motion detection sensors are necessary tools in helping drivers and couriers to monitor door status. They can immediately notify drivers and fleet managers in case of a door problem, lock failure, or improper door handling. Because of these sensors’ high sensitivity, any slight changes in the ambient environment could be captured and automatically reported to drivers and fleet managers so proper actions could be taken, avoiding expensive mistakes.

Smart Analytics And Troubleshooting System

When a temperature breach happens, couriers and fleet managers need to react and identify root causes to prevent further damage and financial loss quickly. However, finding the root causes might not always be an easy process, as there could be many factors contributing to a cold chain accident.

Having a smart telematics solution package can simplify the troubleshooting process and save valuable time and money for couriers. Many telematics tools that focus on temperature monitoring can provide real-time analytics of historical data and generate cold-chain custody reports. Fleet managers can even access and retrieve historical data from anywhere and identify issues.

Generating and keeping a copy of the cold chain custody report is also a mandatory step in fulfilling regulatory requirements. Preparing a historical record of the trailer’s temperature is required for any potential inspections, and the telematics solution completes all the data organization and analysis for you automatically.

Cloud-based Data Storage Solution

The advanced cloud-based data storage solution included in telematics solutions ease the process of storing complicated data history and all the paperwork. The combination of smart hardware and convenient software shape an uninterrupted connect workflow giving drivers and fleet managers maximal visibility and control of key assets.

Best of all, all the temperature monitoring sensors, humidity and moisture sensors, optical and motion sensors are integrated into one simple plug-and-play tracking device that is low-cost and easy to install. Installation can usually be completed within minutes, eliminating any impacts on your fleet operations.

The transportation and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines require a collaborative global effort between all levels of transport chains. A small mistake in the cold chain transport can undermine the quality and effectiveness of the entire batch of vaccines, costing businesses and couriers substantial money.

Investing in smart temperature monitoring and asset tracking solutions can help businesses and couriers avoid making expensive mistakes and accidents and accelerate the safe distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across the world.

Did our piece about transporting vaccines interest you in learning more about how telematics technology can help your fleet? Speak with one of our cold chain tracking specialists to see how to upgrade your fleet and technologies to prepare for the upcoming challenge.

Cellular Asset Trackers: Don’t Make The Mistake Of Investing In The Wrong One

Posted on June 8, 2020 | by Anna | Leave a Comment

There are so many cellular asset trackers in today’s markets for fleet managers, that things can sometimes seem overwhelming. How do you know which hardware you need to buy or how you can get the best value out of it? We will be discussing the different hardware devices for various fleet management needs and the scenarios in which fleets can use each device.

Cellular Asset Trackers? Why Not Satellite Asset Trackers or BLE Beacons?

When speaking about asset trackers, there are many options available. However, the way they differ from each other initially is based on how the device transmits information.

Cellular asset trackers use cellular network coverage to transmit data and information about an asset. As coverage varies based on specific locations, assets using these trackers that enter no coverage zones will not be able to transmit data.
Satellite asset tracker use satellite connectivity to transmit data about an asset and can be the more reliable option if your asset is travelling out of cellular coverage.
BLE beacons have pre-requirements (like asset trackers or BLE readers) in order to transmit data and information about an asset or group of assets.

Below we discuss 6 cellular asset trackers that are available, and how their features differ.

6 Top Performing Cellular Asset Trackers

Flex Solar Asset Tracker

The Flex Solar Asset Tracker is an asset tracker that syncs with MyGeotab and works similar to a Geotab device as it allows the tracker to be visible on a map. The tracker is solar-powered and is utilized primarily for the general tracking of bulk cargo containers, vehicles and other large assets that may not have a direct power supply – thus requiring solar energy. The ability to power the device through environmental conditions is critical as certain large assets that are travelling far distances or are being stored outside for long periods of time (like shipping containers) are often standalone assets with no power connections. It should be noted that a full charge can allow the Flex tracker to last up to 4 months with multiple pings per day. It’s also important to note that this tracker can be expandable for door sensing, temperature probing and tire pressure tracking.

Use-Case: How Long-Haul Transporters Are Using Flex Solar

The Flex Solar Asset Tracker is praised for its ability to remain powered with solar energy. Meaning, businesses no longer have to worry about removing trackers to replace batteries. Instead, they only rely on the sun to power the device so data about the asset tracker can be transmitted. This is particularly useful for commercial transportation fleets who conduct long-haul deliveries. As the device can continue to charge and transmit information via the sun, the asset tracker can always send real-time data. Typically, this solar power feature is praised by those who enjoy a ‘set-it and forget-it’ device, or for those who are looking to take advantage of renewable and free sources of energy.

Blackberry Radar

The Blackberry Radar device focuses on asset tracking for cargo, more specifically, for vehicles and non-motorized assets like bulk containers, trailers and various equipment where content quantity needs to be monitored. The tracker is unique as it requires a specific installation to allow for its radar feature (which analyzes the quantity of cargo within a container or trailer) to be used. Once the device has been placed at the predefined orientation, it can analyze the content capacity of the asset it is attached to. This is explained as acting like a camera that measures how much cargo is present. Having a radar function like this is new and allows for users to complete better planning as there are more accurate (and visual) load-stats available.

Use-Case: How Delivery Vehicles Are Using Blackberry Radar

As previously mentioned, the Blackberry Radar tracker allows for radar sensing and load analysis of the quantity of content within an asset. Meaning, users can see exactly how much is within a trailer, truck or container in real-time. This radar tracker is particularly useful in delivery fleets who constantly receive new delivery requests. Using this tracker allows dispatchers to analyze and review the content quantity of each delivery vehicle. Essentially judging which vehicles are full and whether near-empty vehicles have enough space to pick up additional deliveries to complete that day.

Remora2

The Remora2 tracker is utilized for general asset monitoring and has expandability opportunities with BLE beacons. As the tracker uses a Bluetooth 5.0 gateway, which allows it to communicate with other local asset tags to report on them, it is the ideal investment if you will later need to invest in various BLE beacons. As a standalone device, this tracker is similar to the Flex tracker that was mentioned previously as it allows for general location tracking. However, what differentiates itself from the Flex Solar tracker is that it has an ion battery. Meaning, depending on where an asset will be stored or used most of the time, having a battery option may be the more powerful and reliable choice. As well, when compared to the Solar Flex, it’s important to mention that it is the cheaper option as there is no solar-power technology required. It is also important to note that the Remora2 device has an anti-theft mode, tamper detection, is geo-fence aware, and functions as a 3rd party device on MyGeotab.

Use-Case: How Commercial Transportation Fleets Are Using Remora2

Similar to the Solar Flex tracker, the Remora2 tracker is typically used within fleets who are conducting long-haul deliveries that require more pings daily or are spending some time in a location where solar changing is difficult. Meaning, having an ion battery rather than a solar-powered battery would be the more reliable option to suffice reporting needs.

Falcon

The Falcon device is a temperature-sensitive tracker which allows for fleets to monitor temperature and humidity. The device embodies a 5-year battery life with hourly reporting so users have continuous monitoring of temperature-sensitive cargo. Similar to the Remora2 device, the Falcon device has an anti-theft mode, tamper detection, is geo-fence aware, and functions as a 3rd party device on MyGeotab.

Use-Case: How Food Transporters Are Using Falcon

When tracking goods that are sensitive to temperature and humidity, the Falcon is the go-to tracker for many fleets. Since the device focuses on allowing users to monitor the environmental conditions of containers, trailers, trucks and more, it’s the perfect tool to use when moving food products. As improper storage is not an option for food products as it can lead to spoilage, the Falcon tracker can monitor the temperature and humidity of the location where food products are stored to ensure that conditions meet strict regulations. Forgoing a device like the Falcon leaves food transporters at risk for being found incompliant as there are numerous rules regarding the proper storage and handling of frozen food, fresh produce and meat products to keep consumers safe.

Sensoneo Bin Fill Level Sensors

Sensoneo Bin Fill Level Sensors are a smart, enterprise-grade waste management solution that focuses on monitoring waste content quantity. The sensor is a robust device that can withstand harsh conditions such as water and is shock resistant which is perfect for its use in waste management. Sensoneo focuses on allowing fleets to remain efficient and optimized as it monitors how full a waste bin is, alerting users when the bin is approaching capacity. Additional features of the device include; Bluetooth, pick-up recognition, temperature measurements, fire alarms, and overturn alarm options.

Use-Case: How Waste Disposal Fleets Are using Sensoneo

Sensoneo is leveraged by waste disposal fleets who empty waste bins. Typically, the device is attached to a specific bin to monitor how full the container is getting overtime, alerting users of when it is near-full and needs to be emptied. When the tracker sends an alert about the quantity level, fleets can create a route that only visits the bins that are full or are at least 80% full – passing bins that are less. Doing this helps to ensure that time is not wasted visiting bins that do not need to be emptied so work is optimized and resources can be saved.

A Cellular Asset Tracker Cheat-Sheet

When it comes to cellular asset trackers, there are numerous devices available that any business can use and sometimes, their features can become confusing. To help businesses better understand what their cellular tracker options are, we created a feature comparison chart below based on our analysis above.

Still unsure about what cellular tracking device may work best for you, or would like to learn more about a specific tracker? Contact us today so we can set up a time to chat about your unique needs.