GeoLogic Solutions Offers TrailerMax™ Solar
OWINGS MILLS, Md. – January 12, 2005 –
GeoLogic Solutions, the transportation industry’s leading
provider of a mobile communications and tracking system that
combines satellite and terrestrial communications into a single
solution, today announced it would be adding a solar powered
option to its popular TrailerMax™ asset monitoring system.
TrailerMax Solar will contain all the current functionality
of TrailerMax, but in addition to using power from the tractor
to charge the battery, this new system will also make use
of the sun for recharging when the trailer is not tethered
to the tractor.
“The environmental and economical impact of using solar
energy to assist with the overall management of the millions
of trailers in the U.S. is enormous,” stated Norman
Thomas, director of asset management sales for GeoLogic Solutions.
“The battery replacement cost-savings offers a significant
return on investment, but the real impact comes from giving
motor carriers choices for maintaining battery power in order
to ensure total system reliability.”
TrailerMax is an event-driven, user-configurable asset monitoring
system for untethered (not connected to a tractor) and tethered
trailers. “An event-driven system means a fleet manager
can configure exactly when a notification is sent from the
trailer,” explained Thomas. “Instead of randomly
‘pinging’ a trailer to see where it is, TrailerMax
can be configured to send a message based on certain parameters,
such as if it moves, if the door opens, or if a tractor is
connected. This ability to send a message only when necessary
not only keeps the amount of information flowing to a minimum,
it also decreases overall monthly communications costs.”
Bringing trailer tracking to the trucking industry, especially
for untethered trailers, has been a matter of finding a reliable,
cost-effective power solution. Battery life and power on current
trailer tracking systems depends primarily on the number of
events or “messages” a trailer is transmitting.
For example, if a trailer sends one message per day, average
battery power on most tracking systems will last between 45
and 60 days before needing recharging.
At the same time, however, trucking companies are increasingly
relying on trailer sensors to provide information on cargo
capacity, door open/closed status, and trailer movement. “Additional
sensors use battery power,” Thomas noted, “and
if a battery loses power before recharging then the trailer
loses the ability to communicate, and virtually becomes ‘lost’
to the fleet.”
Furthermore, battery life on most trailer tracking products
is two to three years. With the need to coordinate the replacement
of batteries on every trailer at a cost of approximately $25
per trailer, the maintenance of most trailer tracking products
is not only costly, it’s a daunting task.
“We consider TrailerMax Solar to be a virtually maintenance-free
product,” Thomas added. “Sending one message per
day, the system can last indefinitely without recharging from
the tractor. Realistically we know that level of battery power
isn’t necessary since every trailer is eventually connected
to a tractor, but with TrailerMax Solar, battery power is
one less thing our customers have to worry about.”
Just as on-board mobile communications and tracking systems
have become vital fleet management tools, trailer tracking
is becoming an equally important capability for the trucking
industry. With the average long haul trucking company utilizing
approximately 2.67 trailers per tractor, at any given time
some trailers are not hooked to a tractor, and are therefore
not “visible” to fleet managers. “By providing
a clear and up-to-the-minute vision of trailer activity,”
Thomas said, “trailer tracking systems help trucking
companies increase asset utilization, protect them from unauthorized
trailer movement, aid in theft recovery, and improve overall
profitability.”
About GeoLogic Solutions
Formerly the Transportation Division of Aether Systems, GeoLogic
Solutions operates as a stand-alone company within the Platinum
Equity portfolio. Based in Owings Mills, Md., GeoLogic Solutions
provides the commercial trucking industry with wireless asset
management solutions that reduce operational costs while increasing
overall efficiency. GeoLogic’s MobileMax, a dual-mode
communications and tracking system and TrailerMax, a trailer
tracking and monitoring system, are installed on nearly 50,000
commercial trucks and trailers. For more information go to
www.goGeoLogic.com
Media Contact:
GeoLogic Solutions
Susan Fall
(858) 490-1050
susan@launchitpr.com
LOGO AND PHOTOS AVAILABLE AT www.goGeoLogic.com/newsevents.html |
