GeoLogic Solutions Offers TrailerMax Solar; New Solar Powered Alternative to the TrailerMax Asset Management System
GeoLogic Solutions, the transportation industry’s leading provider of a mobile communications and tracking system that combines satellite and terrestrial communications into a single solution, today announced it would be adding a solar powered option to its popular TrailerMax(TM) asset monitoring system. TrailerMax Solar will contain all the current functionality of TrailerMax, but in addition to using power from the tractor to charge the battery, this new system will also make use of the sun for recharging when the trailer is not tethered to the tractor.
“The environmental and economical impact of using solar energy to assist with the overall management of the millions of trailers in the U.S. is enormous,” stated Norman Thomas, director of asset management sales for GeoLogic Solutions. “The battery replacement cost-savings offers a significant return on investment, but the real impact comes from giving motor carriers choices for maintaining battery power in order to ensure total system reliability.”
TrailerMax is an event-driven, user-configurable asset monitoring system for untethered (not connected to a tractor) and tethered trailers. “An event-driven system means a fleet manager can configure exactly when a notification is sent from the trailer,” explained Thomas. “Instead of randomly ‘pinging’ a trailer to see where it is, TrailerMax can be configured to send a message based on certain parameters, such as if it moves, if the door opens, or if a tractor is connected. This ability to send a message only when necessary not only keeps the amount of information flowing to a minimum, it also decreases overall monthly communications costs.”
Bringing trailer tracking to the trucking industry, especially for untethered trailers, has been a matter of finding a reliable, cost-effective power solution. Battery life and power on current trailer tracking systems depends primarily on the number of events or “messages” a trailer is transmitting. For example, if a trailer sends one message per day, average battery power on most tracking systems will last between 45 and 60 days before needing recharging.
At the same time, however, trucking companies are increasingly relying on trailer sensors to provide information on cargo capacity, door open/closed status, and trailer movement. “Additional sensors use battery power,” Thomas noted, “and if a battery loses power before recharging then the trailer loses the ability to communicate, and virtually becomes ‘lost’ to the fleet.”
Furthermore, battery life on most trailer tracking products is two to three years. With the need to coordinate the replacement of batteries on every trailer at a cost of approximately $25 per trailer, the maintenance of most trailer tracking products is not only costly, it’s a daunting task.
“We consider TrailerMax Solar to be a virtually maintenance-free product,” Thomas added. “Sending one message per day, the system can last indefinitely without recharging from the tractor. Realistically we know that level of battery power isn’t necessary since every trailer is eventually connected to a tractor, but with TrailerMax Solar, battery power is one less thing our customers have to worry about.”
Just as on-board mobile communications and tracking systems have become vital fleet management tools, trailer tracking is becoming an equally important capability for the trucking industry. With the average long haul trucking company utilizing approximately 2.67 trailers per tractor, at any given time some trailers are not hooked to a tractor, and are therefore not “visible” to fleet managers. “By providing a clear and up-to-the-minute vision of trailer activity,” Thomas said, “trailer tracking systems help trucking companies increase asset utilization, protect them from unauthorized trailer movement, aid in theft recovery, and improve overall profitability.”
About GeoLogic Solutions
Formerly the Transportation Division of Aether Systems, GeoLogic Solutions operates as a stand-alone company within the Platinum Equity portfolio. Based in Owings Mills, Md., GeoLogic Solutions provides the commercial trucking industry with wireless asset management solutions that reduce operational costs while increasing overall efficiency. GeoLogic’s MobileMax, a dual-mode communications and tracking system and TrailerMax, a trailer tracking and monitoring system, are installed on nearly 50,000 commercial trucks and trailers. For more information go to www.goGeoLogic.com
