NASHVILLE—Spireon has introduced the next generation of the FL Flex suite of products and IntelliScan cargo sensor under its FleetLocate product line. The range was featured at the telematics provider’s booth at this week’s American Trucking Associations Management Conference & Exhibition (MCE).
The updated line of Flex devices are faster to install with more power options, are wireless sensor-capable, and have an integrated cargo sensor. The enhanced next-generation IntelliScan cargo sensor adds volumetric capabilities to provide actionable information on available trailer floor space.
“We believe in outfitting our trailers with top-of-the-line technology. In 2017, we were one of the first companies to utilize FL Flex’s breakthrough modular design, which supported a variety of sensors and configurations,” said Jim AuBuchon, CEO of Premier Trailer Leasing. “As our business needs have changed, Spireon’s expanded Flex product line gives us added flexibility for even more use cases, so we can continue to provide our customers with comprehensive trailer data.”
The new Flex suite includes a covert option available with wireless sensors, and new options for an integrated solar panel and IntelliScan cargo sensor. Flex products can be paired with various wired and wireless sensor options, including door sensor, PSI ATIS, PSI TPMS, and temperature probe. This latest generation of trailer management devices works on all types of trailers and has options that can be installed in as little as 10 minutes on empty or loaded trailers, making customization easier and faster than before.
“Our focus continues to be on innovation, and we keep our customers’ needs in mind as we are developing new solutions,” said Kevin Weiss, Spireon's CEO. “We were the first to introduce a 99%-accurate IntelliScan cargo sensor, and now we’ve expanded on that technology, teaching it to solve more complex operational challenges for our customers.”
Built on Spireon’s IntelliScan sensing technology, the new volumetric-capable sensor enables trailer managers to see not only if the trailer is loaded or unloaded with 99% accuracy, but what percent of trailer floor space is still available for loading, according to the company. It uses state-of-the-art optical recognition and artificial intelligence technology to provide operations managers with a more precise picture of what’s inside every trailer.
This enables better optimization of trailer floor space, increases backhaul opportunities, and improves trailer utilization. The next generation IntelliScan is mounted in the rear of the trailer allowing maximum visibility to the interior when loaded nose to rear, providing images of an entire 53-foot trailer.
“We see lots of advantages to having this sensor mounted in the rear of the trailer,” said James Johannesson, president of Magnum Less-Than-Truckload. “Not only do we know if the trailer is loaded or empty, but we can use the images and remaining floor space reporting to train our dock workers on loading best practices.”
In June, Spireon announced that Estes Express Lines, the largest privately owned freight shipping company in North America, will deploy the FleetLocate trailer-management solution across Estes’ fleet of nearly 40,000 trailers, containers, and converter dollies.
“Estes’ decision to adopt Spireon’s FleetLocate is rooted in our commitment to leverage innovative technology to continously improve operational efficiency and service to our customers,” said Webb Estes, VP of Process Improvement. “Having evaluated several solutions, we selected Spireon because of its superior technology and unique approach to creating a long-term partnership. The Spireon team understood our pain points, talked us through our options, and showed us proof of our future ROI.”
Then, in July, Spireon introduced its Managed Services solution to help customers further extend the value of FleetLocate. Pilot customers of the new offering experienced a return on investment of more than 200% on average in the first year, Spireon reported.
Carriers that tap into Spireon’s new Managed Service offering can reduce wasted detention time, optimize trailer utilization, identify idle trailers, and alert managers to maintenance needs before they become excessively expensive. While reports like daily yard checks, high dwell locations, trailer utilization, and detention are already available through FleetLocate, this new service helps customers turn the numbers on the reports into action to increase revenue. Additionally, customers receive a device health report with historical context so they can see areas for improvement, and how their device health has performed over time.
“We decided to partner with Spireon for Managed Services because it has provided so much value to us during today’s challenging capacity environment,” said Brandon Pangle, director of technology and compliance at White Holdings Trucking. “It’s almost impossible to maximize trailer utilization with the constant demands on our workforce’s time and focus. Spireon’s analysts have provided us with valuable information and analysis to not only make actionable decisions that improve our trailer management, but also to reallocate our staff’s time to other projects and tasks that promote additional profitability for our organization.”
