Fleet telematics may be next big thing in trucking

According to an article provided by Zurich Financial to the Atlantic, using fleet telematics - an onboard technology that utilizes wireless communication, GPS sensors, computers and digital video to find out information on how truckers drive their routes - can lead to safer and more efficient fleets.

The new technology can warn drivers when they will be approaching dangerous conditions, as well as provide audible information for truckers while running their routes, which can improve trucking safety, reported the magazine.

The magazine said that these new systems can also monitor the habits of truckers on the road and give feedback to their employers, which can be used to improve fuel efficiency and reduce the potential for accidents.

These new systems can allow trucking companies to expand their services, which could lead to further expansion after a successful 2011. Last year, the trucking industry saw its largest jump in freight in 13 years, according to the Middletown Journal, a news source based in Middletown, Ohio. The freight volumes are owing in part to the revival of the American automobile industry.

"If you’re hauling automotive parts and steel for that (industry) that has definitely picked up," Ken Henderson, president of J.P. Transportation, told the source.

Fleet telematics may be next big thing in trucking

Monday, January 30th, 2012