Posts by Cody Lirette

If market size is any indication – projected to reach $11.4 USD by 2027 – transportation management systems (TMS) are becoming more of a necessity amongst fleet managers. In fact, almost 35% of businesses are using transportation management systems to monitor and control their network of assets.  While technology has given fleet managers far more control over their mobile assets, scanning multiple…

When trucks leave the yard, fleet managers who don’t have in-cab cameras can’t see what’s happening behind the wheel. Without this glimpse into fleet operations, there’s no way of knowing if unsafe driving behavior such as distracted driving is occurring that needs to be addressed. Plus, in situations where incidents occur, fleet managers are left…

While trailer telematics offers plenty of benefits fleets of any kind – precise delivery estimates, decreased dwell time and improved asset utilisation to name a few – it can be particularly useful for reefer fleets.   After all, transporting cargo without the ability to monitor and manage cargo temperature can result in unforeseen product spoilage if something goes wrong within the refrigerated trailer. Arriving with spoiled cargo is a disaster for fleets as it…

Irish company proves the efficiency and low maintenance costs of compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered vehicles on its journey to a more sustainable fleet. The company Food Surplus Management (FSM) found the right fit with ORBCOMM to support its move to a more sustainable fleet using compressed natural gas as a proven and reliable alternative to…

Small and midsize fleets have plenty to be concerned about when it comes to maintenance in 2021. With the opportunity to buy new trailers in short supply well into 2022, small and midsized fleets can expect to have to wait their turn until larger fleets receive their new trailer orders. On the flip side, existing trailers…

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is turning the tide on flood preparation by monitoring linear rainbands—tell-tale signs of impending heavy downpours—on observation vessels fitted with ORBCOMM satellite IoT connectivity.   In 2018 alone, Japan was devastated by widespread flooding that displaced over 8 million people, with 225 confirmed dead and one trillion Japanese yen in total…

Key performance indicators–KPIs–aren’t new to the trucking industry. For years, fleet managers have been monitoring metrics to squeeze every last drop of productivity and efficiency out of their operations. However, these efforts have mostly focused on truck data–not the valuable information held within the trailers in tow. Trailer telematics has come a long way over the past…

With the global challenges of the past year, the digitization of the transportation industry—and fleet management as a whole—has quickly become a necessity, not a nicety. An online shopping surge has spiked one of the most robust freight markets in decades while simultaneously putting unprecedented pressure on fleet managers to perform local last-mile deliveries with already-strained resources. What’s more, social distancing has changed the way…

Driver recruiting and retention is one of the American Transportation Research Institute’s Top Research Priorities this year–and for good reason. The average cost of losing one trucker can range anywhere from $5,000 to $8,000. Putting this into perspective, the average three-month turnover rate–74% in large fleets–applied to 100 drivers over three months could cost $370,000.  While better pay and more time at home are top of mind for many drivers,…