Thermo King unveils TracKing Smart Trailer telematics
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Thermo King is expanding its telematics offerings with the new TracKing Smart Trailer telematics, a system designed to grant increased visibility into trailer health and cargo operations, the company said.
“In some ways, telematics is even more important for trailers, since they are often detached from tractors and left at sites not controlled or monitored by the fleet, leaving them blind and susceptible to unexpected risks,” said Dominic Hand, VP of digital at Thermo King. “Refrigerated trailers are especially critical, because a simple mistake, loading issue or equipment issue could result in the loss of an expensive load of food or medicine if the issue is not identified and resolved quickly.”
The TracKing Smart Trailer telematics system meets this need by providing actionable insights for operational efficiency, helping fleets stay compliant with regulations, reduce their carbon footprint and fuel use, and cut back on emissions by minimizing idling time. It does this by monitoring various trailer components, such as tire pressure, brake health, door position, lights, and axle weight. Thermo King chose what features to offer based on interviews with refrigerated fleets from all walks of life, Hand said, including long-haul and distribution fleets, leased and owned, big and small, and private and for hire.
System features
After their investigation, TracKing Smart Trailer includes a dashboard for remote monitoring, diagnostics, and real-time alerts for trailer components. It also features GPS tracking to give managers access to a vehicle’s route history and provide live trip monitoring, as well as wireless sensors to monitor cargo temperatures with an accuracy of +/= 0.9 degrees F, plus a cargo camera for internal trailer visibility and open- and closed-door events.
Additionally, the system includes dynamic tire inflation as well as an anti-lock brake system, a health monitor, a trailer backing camera and door position sensors, plus video recording and playback from the rear and interior cargo cameras. The trailer fleet health dashboard keeps an eye on tire pressure, brake health, and temperature monitoring, while additional sensors offer lights-out detection, brake monitoring, and weight monitoring.
Hand emphasized how these features will allow fleets to leverage proactive maintenance. For example, if the ABS alarm goes off, managers know the brake pads are thin and ready to be replaced, and other alerts can warn when wheel bearings are going bad.
"We saw the value of Smart Trailer telematics immediately,” said Michael Job, director of safety, fleet maintenance and facilities for JBS Carriers. “Our first trailer we installed it on, the air pressure sensor detected low tire pressure that our driver hadn’t been aware of. This allowed us to safely bring the trailer back to the shop, repair it and get it back on the road quickly. Without Smart Trailer telematics, the tire could have blown out, requiring a costly mobile technician repair. Now, we can monitor trailer performance and address maintenance needs before they hit the road."
When paired with TracKing Pro, the two systems allow fleets to manage their trailer, cargo, and the reefer itself, too.
“While TracKing Pro includes insights related to the refrigeration cycle like fuel level, door status and temperature sensors, TracKing Smart Trailer Telematics provides visibility to the rest of the trailer, including the brakes, tires, lights, wheel hub, weight and even video cameras both inside and outside the trailer, all which help a fleet to reduce maintenance and operating costs, while increasing uptime, safety and compliance,” Hand noted.
This update shows how reefer trailer technology is catching up to standard OTR trailers, with both growing smarter all the time.
“A smart trailer optimizes its own performance and provides actionable recommendations for improving performance,” Hand concluded. “Thermo King has been providing embedded telematics and the smartest trailer refrigeration units for decades, and it’s time to expand that intelligence to the rest of the trailer, making it not just a smart reefer, but a complete smart trailer.”
About the Author
Alex Keenan
Alex Keenan is an Associate Editor for Fleet Maintenance magazine. She has written on a variety of topics for the past several years and recently joined the transportation industry, reviewing content covering technician challenges and breaking industry news. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado.