The challenge: Lack of transparency about the locations of the flatbeds in the fleet
EMIL EGGER's swap bodies remain with customers for years. They are parked where they are needed. With a fleet of more than 330 flatbeds, it is nearly impossible to track the current location and actual usage of each flatbed without technological support.
Initially, EMIL EGGER tried to address the challenges with another tracking provider's solution. However, the requirements could not be met.
The following points were crucial in looking for a new solution:
- No reliable tracking: The previous system provided inaccurate and unreliable GPS signals
- Unsuitable hardware: The trackers were too large to be mounted on the flatbeds and the battery life was too short
- Lack of transparency: Location and usage status of the flatbeds were not traceable - neither for the company nor for the dispatchers
The solution: Real-time fleet transparency thanks to GPS tracking from SmartMakers
In search of a reliable alternative, EMIL EGGER came across the GPS Asset Tracking solution from SmartMakers. After a three-month test phase with 25 low-power GPS trackers, all 330 flatbeds were equipped with a tracker.
The trackers regularly send GPS signals to the real-time operations platform thingsHub. Through interfaces, the information is directly integrated into the company's systems, allowing all dispatchers to automatically retrieve the data in their transport system.
Thanks to state-of-the-art GNSS technology, tracking works reliably even under difficult conditions. The battery-powered trackers can be quickly mounted via plug'n'play and are almost maintenance-free with a battery life of up to ten years.
The result: measurable efficiency in fleet management
The use of the SmartMakers solution has fundamentally changed the management of the flatbed fleet at EMIL EGGER:
- Full transparency: Location and availability of each flatbed are traceable at any time
- Efficient fleet management: Entry and exit times at the company site and at destination locations are automatically sent to the system
- Low-maintenance operation: Due to low transmission frequency and long battery life, there is hardly any effort in ongoing operations
- Customer benefit: EMIL EGGER's customers also benefit from increased transparency about the whereabouts of the flatbeds
SmartMakers accompanied EMIL EGGER from requirements analysis, through implementation, and beyond with further optimizations.
