The American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council plans to release its latest Refrigerated Trailer eSMARTT report next month. The upcoming report benchmarks the operations of 33 fleets representing an estimated 25% of all refrigerated trailers and domestic containers in operation in North America.
A webinar to release the results is scheduled for noon EDT on April 27. Register for the free webinar here. Following the webinar, the Executive Summary will be available free to TMC members.
TMC’s initial eSMARTT report—released in June 2021—identified refrigerated carriers as early adopters of technology driven by the need to track temperatures and the high cost of failures. This new study provides extensive data on typical trailer configurations, refrigerated trailer life, transportation refrigeration unit expectations, challenges for technology, return on investment decision criteria, and more.
The safety of food and pharmaceutical distribution is paramount. Technology is already providing detailed tracking from the field to the home in this important segment of the trucking industry. Both the federal government and nation-wide retailers are driving innovation to ensure deliveries are completed successfully while overcoming any challenges associated with equipment maintenance, shipping issues, traffic conditions, weather, and driver availability.
“Everyone wants to know that their food and medicines are safe and effective at the time and point of use,” said Robert Braswell, TMC executive director.
The latest report builds on the success of the collaboration’s first effort, which explored the use and adoption of intelligence products and services across the trucking industry with an examination of adoption of the trailer rental and lease fleet sector. The previous report, TMC IR-2021-1: North American Trailer Rental/Lease Company Survey Report—Next Generation Trailer Expectations, an analysis of smart trailer technologies currently employed by North American trailer rental/lease companies, is available here.
