satellite tracking, gps, fleet, smartone, global star

The SmartONE C: Satellite Tracking To Work Outside Cellular Coverage

The period of implementing asset trackers has come and all fleets have started to recognize the true potential of telematics. With the aid of asset trackers fleets have seen a rise in revenue, productivity and safety, while a decrease in variable costs such as fuel, maintenance and hours of service (HOS). 

More fleets are trying to join in on the trend of implementing telematic solutions but are surprised with the plethora of resources available. This is quite overwhelming, and as a result, fleets are starting to equip their fleet with solutions without first knowing their needs. 

Every fleet has their own needs. It could be to prioritize temperature monitoring, making use of solar energy or even working outside of cellular coverage with satellite tracking. Without learning your needs, the wrong solution could get implemented which could prove to be fatal both in terms of productivity and finances. 

 

Working Outside Of Cellular Coverage With Satellite Tracking

Fleets working outside of cellular coverage must ensure they’re implementing a satellite tracking solution. Most asset trackers are designed to be operated within cellular bounds. Asset trackers are used to transmit data to the main system for the fleet to make use of and if it’s not within cellular range, it will no longer transmit data. This results in the fleet not having connection or sight over the asset. This is why fleets who are working outside of cellular coverage where batteries are difficult to maintain, must ensure they use a solution like the Global Star SmartONE C tracker.

 

The SmartONE C – Tracking Beyond Coverage

 The SmartONE C is the satellite tracking solution offered by GoFleet to track assets beyond coverage. Offering global satellite coverage, it’s a practical solution for a multitude of operations including 12 different reporting times, interval or 24 hour operation mode, alternate reporting schedule, low battery messaging, motion sensor or vibration parameter and scheduling, contact closure parameters as well as diagnostic messages. 

 

The SmartONE C – Features

The SmartONE C uses motion sensors, comparative GPS positions and custom configured sensors to gather and transmit asset status information about safety, maintenance procedures and driver analytics. Each SmartONE C is configured to track its asset’s specific needs and provide intermediate and emergency alerts by email or text. 

The SmartONE C can be line powered, and that’s when the user has maximum flexibility in messaging frequency allowing for regular monitoring of asset location. In the absence or interruption of external power, the SmartONE C can automatically switch to battery backup. The asset tracking device is powered by four “off the shell” AA 1.5V lithium batteries providing 3+ years of battery life and eliminating the need to purchase expensive proprietary batteries for replacement.  

 

A Case Study – Satellite Tracking For Winter Fleet Management

In 2019, a storm dumped nearly two feet of snow on the city and made some neighborhoods impossible to access. Streets that would normally be cleared with a standard plow vehicle were unmanageable because of the compaction and weight of the snow. There was a need for a specific kind of grader to bore through, but without proper data, there was no indication ahead of time that this special equipment was necessary. Plowing crews only found out about the conditions when the normal snowplow arrived and could not clear the street.

Every year, over 1,300 deaths and 116,800 injuries occur from vehicle crashes due to snowy conditions on roadways. Snow removal, sanding and salting roads helps these conditions, but few trucks are available to perform the work. Accurately knowing where the heaviest snow has fallen will enable dispatchers to deploy the correct equipment to clear the dangerous areas first.

The fleet needed to know the speed of snow accumulation in near real time, new snow depth by the hour as well as total depth for the day, month and season in multiple areas at once. Simply measuring the snow with a stick was not an option, as they needed to monitor several miles of land, some of it in remote areas out of cellular range. What they needed was a digital solution that was affordable, flexible, easy to install and ideally could serve other purposes after the snow was gone.

To tackle this challenge, the SmartONE C solution was implemented. As a result, all the snow data was placed into one easy-to-use web-based user interface. The SmartONE C gave managers the power to view the location, behavior and other telematics data collected by assets in their organization’s technology ecosystem. It was possible to group and sort assets, customize interfaces and user permissions and automate alerts or reports to suit the fleet’s needs.

Implementing the SmartONE C allowed the fleet to watch snow levels as they grew in multiple locations at once, allowing them to estimate the hourly accumulation to help them determine their removal plan. The fleet was also able to track the plows’ locations and behavior on the same user interface as the snow depth. In addition, they could manage the consumption of salt being used on the road and supply the drivers with valuable emergency communication capabilities out of the treacherous roads.

Satellite tracking solved the challenges that winter fleets were facing and simplified their management process. If you’re fleet works outside of cellular coverage or operate in places where the connection isn’t strong, the SmartONE C would be the best choice for your fleet. It will allow you to operate and track fleet data almost anywhere globally and help take your fleet to the next level. Contact us now for deep insight about the SmartONE C and how your fleet can implement it.

Cellular Asset Trackers: Don’t Make The Mistake Of Investing In The Wrong One

There are so many cellular asset trackers in today’s markets for fleet managers, that things can sometimes seem overwhelming. How do you know which hardware you need to buy or how you can get the best value out of it? We will be discussing the different hardware devices for various fleet management needs and the scenarios in which fleets can use each device.

 

Cellular Asset Trackers? Why Not Satellite Asset Trackers or BLE Beacons?  

When speaking about asset trackers, there are many options available. However, the way they differ from each other initially is based on how the device transmits information. 

  • Cellular asset trackers use cellular network coverage to transmit data and information about an asset. As coverage varies based on specific locations, assets using these trackers that enter no coverage zones will not be able to transmit data.
  • Satellite asset trackers use satellite connectivity to transmit data about an asset and can be the more reliable option if your asset is travelling out of cellular coverage.
  • BLE beacons have pre-requirements (like asset trackers or BLE readers) in order to transmit data and information about an asset or group of assets.

 

Below we discuss 6 cellular asset trackers that are available, and how their features differ.

 

6 Top Performing Cellular Asset Trackers 

Flex Solar Asset Tracker 

The Flex Solar Asset Tracker is an asset tracker that syncs with MyGeotab and works similar to a Geotab device as it allows the tracker to be visible on a map. The tracker is solar-powered and is utilized primarily for the general tracking of bulk cargo containers, vehicles and other large assets that may not have a direct power supply – thus requiring solar energy. The ability to power the device through environmental conditions is critical as certain large assets that are travelling far distances or are being stored outside for long periods of time (like shipping containers) are often standalone assets with no power connections. It should be noted that a full charge can allow the Flex tracker to last up to 4 months with multiple pings per day. It’s also important to note that this tracker can be expandable for door sensing, temperature probing and tire pressure tracking.

Use-Case: How Long-Haul Transporters Are Using Flex Solar

The Flex Solar Asset Tracker is praised for its ability to remain powered with solar energy. Meaning, businesses no longer have to worry about removing trackers to replace batteries. Instead, they only rely on the sun to power the device so data about the asset tracker can be transmitted. This is particularly useful for commercial transportation fleets who conduct long-haul deliveries. As the device can continue to charge and transmit information via the sun, the asset tracker can always send real-time data. Typically, this solar power feature is praised by those who enjoy a ‘set-it and forget-it’ device, or for those who are looking to take advantage of renewable and free sources of energy.

 

Blackberry Radar

The Blackberry Radar device focuses on asset tracking for cargo, more specifically, for vehicles and non-motorized assets like bulk containers, trailers and various equipment where content quantity needs to be monitored. The tracker is unique as it requires a specific installation to allow for its radar feature (which analyzes the quantity of cargo within a container or trailer) to be used. Once the device has been placed at the predefined orientation, it can analyze the content capacity of the asset it is attached to. This is explained as acting like a camera that measures how much cargo is present. Having a radar function like this is new and allows for users to complete better planning as there are more accurate (and visual) load-stats available.

Use-Case: How Delivery Vehicles Are Using Blackberry Radar 

As previously mentioned, the Blackberry Radar tracker allows for radar sensing and load analysis of the quantity of content within an asset. Meaning, users can see exactly how much is within a trailer, truck or container in real-time. This radar tracker is particularly useful in delivery fleets who constantly receive new delivery requests. Using this tracker allows dispatchers to analyze and review the content quantity of each delivery vehicle. Essentially judging which vehicles are full and whether near-empty vehicles have enough space to pick up additional deliveries to complete that day.

 

Remora2

The Remora2 tracker is utilized for general asset monitoring and has expandability opportunities with BLE beacons. As the tracker uses a Bluetooth 5.0 gateway, which allows it to communicate with other local asset tags to report on them, it is the ideal investment if you will later need to invest in various BLE beacons. As a standalone device, this tracker is similar to the Flex tracker that was mentioned previously as it allows for general location tracking. However, what differentiates itself from the Flex Solar tracker is that it has an ion battery. Meaning, depending on where an asset will be stored or used most of the time, having a battery option may be the more powerful and reliable choice. As well, when compared to the Solar Flex, it’s important to mention that it is the cheaper option as there is no solar-power technology required. It is also important to note that the Remora2 device has an anti-theft mode, tamper detection, is geo-fence aware, and functions as a 3rd party device on MyGeotab.

Use-Case: How Commercial Transportation Fleets Are Using Remora2

Similar to the Solar Flex tracker, the Remora2 tracker is typically used within fleets who are conducting long-haul deliveries that require more pings daily or are spending some time in a location where solar changing is difficult. Meaning, having an ion battery rather than a solar-powered battery would be the more reliable option to suffice reporting needs. 

 

Falcon 

The Falcon device is a temperature-sensitive tracker which allows for fleets to monitor temperature and humidity. The device embodies a 5-year battery life with hourly reporting so users have continuous monitoring of temperature-sensitive cargo. Similar to the Remora2 device, the Falcon device has an anti-theft mode, tamper detection, is geo-fence aware, and functions as a 3rd party device on MyGeotab. 

Use-Case: How Food Transporters Are Using Falcon 

When tracking goods that are sensitive to temperature and humidity, the Falcon is the go-to tracker for many fleets. Since the device focuses on allowing users to monitor the environmental conditions of containers, trailers, trucks and more, it’s the perfect tool to use when moving food products. As improper storage is not an option for food products as it can lead to spoilage, the Falcon tracker can monitor the temperature and humidity of the location where food products are stored to ensure that conditions meet strict regulations. Forgoing a device like the Falcon leaves food transporters at risk for being found incompliant as there are numerous rules  regarding the proper storage and handling of frozen food, fresh produce and meat products to keep consumers safe. 

advantages-temperature-monitoring

 

Sensoneo Bin Fill Level Sensors

Sensoneo Bin Fill Level Sensors are a smart, enterprise-grade waste management solution that focuses on monitoring waste content quantity. The sensor is a robust device that can withstand harsh conditions such as water and is shock resistant which is perfect for its use in waste management. Sensoneo focuses on allowing fleets to remain efficient and optimized as it monitors how full a waste bin is, alerting users when the bin is approaching capacity. Additional features of the device include; Bluetooth, pick-up recognition, temperature measurements, fire alarms, and overturn alarm options. 

Use-Case: How Waste Disposal Fleets Are using Sensoneo 

Sensoneo is leveraged by waste disposal fleets who empty waste bins. Typically, the device is attached to a specific bin to monitor how full the container is getting overtime, alerting users of when it is near-full and needs to be emptied. When the tracker sends an alert about the quantity level, fleets can create a route that only visits the bins that are full or are at least 80% full – passing bins that are less. Doing this helps to ensure that time is not wasted visiting bins that do not need to be emptied so work is optimized and resources can be saved. 

 

A Cellular Asset Tracker Cheat-Sheet

When it comes to cellular asset trackers, there are numerous devices available that any business can use and sometimes, their features can become confusing. To help businesses better understand what their cellular tracker options are, we created a feature comparison chart below based on our analysis above.

Still unsure about what cellular tracking device may work best for you, or would like to learn more about a specific tracker? Contact us today so we can set up a time to chat about your unique needs.