There’s a modal shift trend towards using other methods of transport in logistics, driven by the need to increase efficiencies, rising energy prices and labor shortages.
Traditionally a truck trailer would arrive at a railway or port and the load transferred to a container to continue its journey. When the container arrives at its destination the contents are loaded back onto a truck trailer for its onward journey, or into the warehouse.
But, because of the modal shift, truck trailers are being directly docked on and off a railway or ship without the goods having to be transferred between containers.
Simultaneously, there is an increased demand to monitor the quality and location of goods. Data has typically been supplied by tachograph systems (fitted to trucks to record vehicle information) connected to sensors monitoring the conditions of the trailer.
However, due to the modal shift, there is now a need to independently monitor “in-trailer” conditions such as the vibration, shock, temperature, and location to ensure the quality of the goods throughout their journey. And the monitoring system needs its own reliable power supply and communications system.
Manufacturers need to embrace digitization and IoT solutions directly in the trailers to stay ahead.