Trailer tracking will likely have an impact on commercial carriers, whether they adopt the technology or not.

A presentation by Mark Palmer before a gathering of fleets and technology providers pointed strongly in that direction. Palmer is director of trailer operations for truckload giant J.B. Hunt, the largest truckload carrier to install trailer tracking across its fleet. Approximately 96% of the Hunt trailer fleet is equipped with Terion trailer-tracking.
Palmer spoke at a wireless & mobile technology conference organized by U.K-based eyefortransport (www.eyefortransport.com) in Atlanta, Ga., last week.
Palmer said trailer tracking has substantiated what he calls “pervasive” misuse of Hunt trailers by shippers and consignees, but more often by other carriers. He said such misuse of spotted and pool trailers includes use for storage or unauthorized pickups and deliveries.
“When customers do it, we take a compassionate attitude. When carriers do it we take a dim view. We knew it was out there, but we didn't know how pervasive it was. It’s the sleeping giant of our industry,” Palmer said.
Perhaps more significant were Palmer’s comments on J.B. Hunt’s ability to establish the precise times a trailer arrives at the dock, when it is loaded, unloaded, and when it leaves. With credible data, J.B. Hunt has been able to accurately bill customers for detention.
“We've been able to notify customers when they're approaching the detention clock. We send e-mail or text message to warn them,” he explained.
As a result, he said, some customers give priority to Hunt trailers, in many cases actually reducing detention billing.
If J.B. Hunt’s experience is true for other carriers adopting trailer tracking, the industry could see new loading dock priorities evolve. If customers choose to load and unload trailers from trailer tracking fleets first, it could spell trouble for fleets without detention billing backed by trailer tracking.
It could also widen the profit gap between technology-savvy, “have” fleets and more traditional “have not” fleets.