What is a geofence and why should you care?

The Source > Geofencing

Let’s start with why you should care. It’s not because it’s one of those trucking terms that combines two other words—geographic and fencing—into one. Like dead-head, you won’t find it in the dictionary. But you may find it can make you a better fleet manager, and that’s why it’s worth caring about it.

Geofencing can:

Provide you greater control over an asset 24/7 without having to actively monitor the asset.
Provide greater cargo security and help prevent unauthorized usage.
Improve fleet utilization by telling you when and where assets are moving in and out of critical areas so you can make decisions faster and better. Much like Riverview Flower Farm does (read below).

It’s hard to manage a fleet when you’re trying to squeeze costs out like toothpaste from a tube. But that’s just what most industry managers face today. Geofencing can play a role in helping you become more productive and cost-efficient.

What is geofencing?
It’s a virtual perimeter for a real-world geographic area. It’s the high-tech version of drawing a line in the dirt. When an asset equipped with a tracking device crosses that line, red flags go up, trumpets blast, fireworks go off. A fleet or operations manager somewhere receives an immediate alert when that asset crosses the virtual boundary.

Geofencing can be used with any asset that moves—trucks, trailers, containers, etc. But fleet managers who want to monitor trailers find it especially useful as it improves their ability to:

Monitor arrival and departure schedules.
Provide advance warning of cargo arrival to customer sites, eliminating delays.
Monitor high-value loads for added security.
Manage a fleet of vehicles within a region.
Limit fleet travel to specific areas.

Geofencing allows users to draw zones around workplaces, customer sites, secure areas, etc. To work, the trailer must be equipped with a GPS tracking device capable of geofencing, and the user must have access to the Internet.

Using an online tracking interface, a user sets up a boundary around a particular area that he/she wants to monitor. Then, the user selects the trailer(s) to monitor and assigns it to the geofence.

Next, the user should set up an alert to accompany any movement of that trailer in or out of the boundary. With some trailer tracking services, multiple recipients can receive an e-mail alert. That way, all the right people get notified.

How geofencing earns its paycheck

Craig Nolle, Manager-Trailer Tracking at XTRA Lease, says this use of geofencing is great for operating efficiency and customer service. “It lets you know when trailers are or are not where they’re supposed to be, improving productivity and helping the fleet operate at peak performance.”

Nolle said fleet managers will appreciate geofencing for its ability to:

Lock down unattended loads.
You may not be able to put armed guards around a load, but you can put up an invisible fence. A breach of that fence will help you identify activity that is unacceptable. You can investigate immediately and call authorities if you suspect that the trailer has been stolen.
Provide advance notice of shipment arrival.
Want to know when a trailer is arriving at a distribution center or a customer site? Geofencing alerts provide that notice. Unlike Riverview Flower Farm, you may want a perimeter 30 minutes outside of the facility where you’re delivering. You’ll get an alert when you enter this geofence.
Improve driver efficiency and optimize load scheduling and customer service.
Geofencing data can help managers determine whether remaining stops on a route can be completed on time. If not, the user can re-route and/or re-assign pick-ups and deliveries as needed.

Lock in maximum security
Fleet managers can couple “temporary notifications” with geofencing to build the sturdiest of virtual walls. For example, to set up maximum security on an unattended trailer, a fleet manager can designate the tracking system to alert him/her should any event occur during a designated timeframe, such as

Door opening (if door sensors are installed).
Cargo loading or unloading (if cargo sensors are installed).
Power hook-up.

After the timeframe expires, the trailer will still be covered by geofencing. This combination of geofencing and temporary notifications gives a user the most powerful virtual security available over important trailer cargo.

Manage the exception, not the rule
Proper fleet utilization and greater control are crucial to optimizing your assets. Exception notifications driven by geofencing can keep costs down and optimization up by communicating only when exceptions occur.

Geofencing is just one of many tools that GPS tracking and monitoring systems offer to help fleet managers keep a virtual eye on their fleet. It’s not a magic bullet. But it’s like getting x-ray vision into an invisible zone you want to monitor. And that just may help you keep costs and optimization fenced in where you want it.


	Want to learn more about trailer rental, leasing or pre-owned equipment for sale? Contact us for rates, terms and availability at an XTRA Lease location near you!