Curious What’s Really Happening Over the Road? Want to Better Track and Manage Goods in Transit

Hear how other companies are using the tablets currently installed as ELDs to inject more automation and intelligence onboard fleet vehicles to assist drivers in and out of the cab as well as those coordinating goods transport.

I know many companies are making technology purchases these days in reaction to regulations or mandates. Not just in transportation and logistics (T&L), either. I'm seeing this happen in the pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries too. But because compliance is the driver for these purchases, I worry that many business leaders aren't taking the time to consider the bigger picture opportunities that technology offers them.

For example, in T&L, there are fleet managers who opt for the lowest-cost tablet and docking solution with the easiest upgradability in the future because they need an electronic logging device (ELD), and they see the tablet as the best way to get that telematics display. You might be one of them.

However, the money being spent on a tablet for telematics could deliver a much greater return if you decided to use the same tablet installed as an ELD to get visibility into other things occurring over the road and support other shipping and transport workflows. You could see what's happening in the cab or trailer. Drivers would be able to better report/manage inventory in transit and record deliveries. And you'd enjoy the level of operational intelligence needed to more efficiently manage your fleet and meet service-level agreements.

Michael Inglima from Ram Mounts agrees.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

I asked him to join me for our latest episode of the Your Edge podcast because he and his colleagues at Ram Mounts have been working with shipping and transport companies for many years now to first ensure compliance with the ELD mandate and then to begin the transition to "smart trucks." They have installed hundreds of thousands of devices in trucks used for freight transportation, waste management, and more. He knows too well the challenges fleet managers and drivers face when the on-board tablet is only thought of as a telematics device.

He's also seen how powerful the right hardware and AI-software pairing can be. For example, he shared how Waste Management - or WM - crews are using cameras and sensors along with tablets and AI on their trucks to see what's being collected from customers to assist with sorting operations.

So, I asked him to tell us more about that "smart truck" project as well as other things T&L company leaders and fleet managers are now doing to gain greater visibility into what's happening over the road or at docks.

When you listen to our conversation, you will hear more about:

• How operations and fleet managers are starting to be more thoughtful about the "telematics" device they choose as they aim to digitalize more aspects of their operations and get a better return on investment. (Michael noted a trend toward rugged devices that can be removed from the mount and used to scan barcodes, take pictures, and document what's happening over the road outside the truck and in the trailer.)
• The level of automation and intelligence required to create a "smart truck" experience. (He also talks about how cameras, sensors, and other technology that's readily available and familiar today are being connected with tablets and AI software that may already be in these devices to analyze and action the data coming in.)
• How important the placement, connectivity, and functionality of in-cab technology is now that tablets and other devices are being used for more than telematics.
• Why it's not a good idea to buy any mobile hardware/devices without first consulting with a professional installer, regardless of how you plan to use them. (I was surprised to learn how many times installers have to tell fleet managers the hardware they purchased can't be mounted or connected the way they want. You'll want to hear the list of common issues Michael shares so you can avoid running into issues during or after installation.)
• Why you should always let some of your drivers test the hardware and software you're considering before installing across the entire fleet (and what happens when you don't.)

Take a few minutes to tune in now:

Your browser does not support the video tag.

If you'd prefer to listen later, you can download the MP3 below. There's also a transcript here if you prefer to read the interview.

HIT PLAY (OR DOWNLOAD TO LISTEN LATER)

You may also be interested in these insights:

There is More Than One Way to Track Trailers (and Inventory) on the Move. This Retailer Proved It.

Ask the Experts: What Technologies Should Cold Chains Be Using to Monitor and Preserve Temperature-Sensitive Inventory While in Storage and Transit?

Want to See the Real-Time Status of Inbound Deliveries or Receive Alerts When Trucks Will Be Early or Late? Now You Can - and So Can Your Front-Line Workers.

Andre Luecht is the global vertical practice lead for Transport and Logistics at Zebra Technologies. He spent the last 25+ years in the supply chain, transport, and logistics field, both as provider of technologies and services and as customer.

His international career includes multiple senior leadership roles, such as Global Vice President for DHL and General Manager for TNT/FedEx which had him posted in India, Belgium, Germany, and Singapore. Most recently, he ran the North American operations for IFCO, one of the largest food packaging distributors. Prior to joining Zebra in 2019, Andre consulted for several private equity funds, acquiring transport, warehouse, and distribution assets in the U.S.

A Fulbright scholar, Andre holds a business degree in financial controlling from the Technical University in Giessen, Germany, an MBA in Supply Chain Management from Syracuse University in NY as well as CPIM and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt designations.