3 Ways Fleet Temperature Monitoring Can Protect Assets This Winter Rastrac Team | Jan 14, 2019 10:20:33 AM

Driving in winter conditions is not always safe, and it can cause serious problems for fleet vehicles and their operational efficiency—especially for vehicles transporting temperature-sensitive assets which need to remain at specific temperature levels for the duration of the trip. If a refrigerated unit breaks down unexpectedly, it could compromise the cargo, resulting in thousands of dollars of lost assets.

To avoid this issue, fleet managers can utilize fleet tracking devices and management software to monitor fleet temperatures in a reefer (refrigerated) truck remotely, and be made aware of any problems that may need immediate servicing. With wireless temperature monitoring, there are three important ways to use fleet tracking devices that monitor fleet temperatures to protect your colder assets and optimize operations, regardless of the weather conditions.

Receive Temperature Tracking Reports

Manually inputting fleet temperature tracking reports increases the risk for errors. Errors can happen from simple mistakes or from a driver intentionally changing the numbers to avoid blame on issues that may have occurred. Customers will find this especially troublesome if they believe asset tracking for their products isn’t being properly handled.

With automated fleet temperature monitoring, you can be sure what’s shown in the temperature logs are accurate diagnostics of your refrigerated fleet temperature levels. This way, fleet managers are assured the shipment assets remained at the appropriate temperature level for the entire duration of the trip. It also provides efficient trip reports for customers to assure them of their assets being accurately monitored.

Remotely Monitor Fleet Temperature Conditions in Real Time

Though reefer trucks have an internal temperature gauge, the information can only be viewed from inside the truck’s cargo section. Integrating fleet tracking devices with a vehicle’s cold storage system temperature monitoring equipment allows fleet managers to track and monitor fleet temperature changes remotely in real time. Some of the temperature levels and vehicle conditions a fleet manager can monitor include:

• Humidity levels;
• Defrost cycles;
• Temperature fluctuations;
• Doors opening and closing; and
• Power fluctuations or disconnections.

Custom alerts can also be setup to notify fleet managers of any issues when they happen. The driver can then be immediately contacted about the alert, increasing the chances of the problem being fixed before it can impact temperature-sensitive assets.

Minimize Driver Labor

Monitoring fleet temperatures in reefer trucks without using fleet management software or tracking devices means relying solely on the drivers to check if temperature levels are in the proper range. To do this, the drive must pull over, enter the cargo hold, read the thermometer and manually document the temperature.

All of these steps takes time away from fleet operations, thereby decreasing overall efficiency. Also, if there is a temperature level change that occurs mid-transport, the driver will be unaware until their next stop. By utilizing fleet tracking devices for wireless temperature monitoring, this means fleet managers can minimize driver labor, reduce unnecessary stops, have less Hours of Service time lost, and have more mileage covered in a day.

Planning the most efficient routes can also help fleet vehicles avoid bad road conditions that could lead to accidents or breakdowns, further delaying the transportation of your temperature-sensitive assets. Route optimizations can help reduce idling times and increase fuel efficiency to optimize fleet vehicle performance.

Track Temperature-Sensitive Assets with Rastrac Tracking Devices

If you’re in need of fleet management software that will monitor fleet temperatures for your temperature-sensitive assets, Rastrac’s selection of fleet tracking devices can help meet your fleet management needs. Our asset tracking solutions will ensure your refrigerated cargo is safely delivered to its destination at the appropriate temperature level, and provide remote diagnostics on any changes or issues that could affect your fleet operations. Contact one of our Rastrac representatives for more information!