XTRA Lease and Internet of Things (IOT) firm Telular are partnering up to install the SkyBitz GXT5000 solar-powered fleet management system on over 50,000 of XTRA’s over-the-road dry vans and refrigerated trailers, including approximately 9,000 new trailers purchased this year.
XTRA said the GXT5000 series operates on the 3G/4G and LTE cellular networks and is ideal for operations that require near real-time reporting on trailer status, helping improve asset allocation and enhance logistics and security for XTRA’s customers.
“We’re excited about this latest leap forward in trailer tracking, which we will make available to all customers to help them better manage their rental and lease trailers,” noted Bill Franz, XTRA’s president and CEO in a statement.
“One of the most important services we can deliver to fleets is the ability to identify dormant and under-utilized rental trailers. That way, fleet managers can target low-use trailers and return them to XTRA Lease or deploy them elsewhere in their operation,” he added. “Our new trailer tracking dashboard takes this concept to a new level.”
Franz pointed out that the improved battery performance offered by the solar-powered SkyBitz trailer tracking product will be a critical benefit.
“Customers require outstanding battery performance,” he stressed. “In fact, we believe today trailer tracking without solar power is like spaghetti without meatballs.”
XTRA and SkyBitz are also collaborating to create a new web-based portal that delivers the critical trailer tracking data needed by fleet managers to better manage their rental and leasing fleets.
The new portal will feature:
- Near real-time dynamic location reporting. Trailers report in at the beginning and end of every trip and at 30-minute intervals when they’re moving. They report in daily when not moving.
- A more “robust” dashboard. Dormancy, utilization, a list of trailers, a map of current trailer locations and counts, plus more will be clearly displayed on one web page.
- Customized tracking. The portal will feature custom landmarks and trailer groups that will enable fleet managers to track what’s important to their specific operation.
- Interactive mapping. Powered by Google, interactive maps will display the current locations of trailers and number of trailers at each location.
All of those services will be offered for free on rented and leased over-the-road trailers, XTRA added.
