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The trailer leasing industry is facing a defining moment.

Some fleets are pulling back on trailer acquisitions amid weak rates, rising costs and economic uncertainty, putting longer-term pressure on trailer purchases. In this environment, trailer leasing could be a more appealing option for carriers, as it offers a way to conserve capital and gain flexibility through predictable costs.

For trailer leasing companies, it’s an opportunity to generate new revenue streams and make better, data-driven decisions through the use of trailer telematics.

Optimizing Trailer Utilization

Leasing companies can equip their assets with telematics devices as a standard feature to provide a value-added service for their customers, generating new recurring revenue while ensuring that contractual terms regarding location and usage are followed.

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Specifically, with trailer telematics, leasing companies gain real-time access to asset tracking, diagnostics and utilization data to:

• Protect against theft and aid with asset recovery by ensuring trailers stay within designated areas using geofencing and location alerts.
• Enhance inventory management and streamline administrative tasks to optimize revenue and minimize waste.
• Maximize asset lifespan by monitoring trailer and reefer performance data and by using automated, data-driven preventive maintenance service schedules.
• Ensure billing accuracy and transparency by accurately aligning usage data with rental terms and conditions.

A Better Customer Experience

Fleet operators that lease trailers today want more than just an asset. They seek business partners to help them enhance operations and manage costs effectively.

Some trailer telematics systems allow leasing companies to partition data and provide their customers with secure access to information tailored to their needs. As trailers are transferred between parties, the customer and leasing company only see the information they are authorized to view.

Fleets can utilize their lessor’s trailer visibility system to enhance asset utilization, protect against loss and theft, reduce dwell time and improve customer relationships through better ETAs, location tracking and more.

Customized dashboards and API integrations significantly enhance fleet management of rental trailers by providing metrics, such as idle time and mileage. When combined with interactive maps and geofences, fleets can quickly identify and address exceptions.

Supporting Brokers and Asset-Light Carriers

Freight brokers and carriers are increasingly acting as trailer leasing companies to boost growth. Many sublease their trailer assets to trusted partners, such as owner-operators or third-party carriers, to expand capacity without incurring additional capital costs.

Transport companies can use trailer visibility systems to manage their subleased asset pools efficiently, leveraging drop-and-hook operations and positioning their assets where they are most needed. These systems also enable transport and logistics companies to establish a digital chain of custody by monitoring trailer usage, ensuring accurate billing and prompt returns.

Situations that were once difficult to manage, such as interchange or shared-use agreements, are now easier to handle. For example, geofencing can be set up for designated zones to get automated alerts if unauthorized movements happen within these areas.

Also, fleets and brokers that choose to place their unused or underutilized trailers into shared-use or marketplace-style systems, such as Ryder’s Coop, can use trailer visibility systems to better coordinate lease arrangements with customers.

Whether trailer leasing is a company’s primary focus or a value-added service for freight and logistics operations, trailer telematics can enhance asset utilization and provide a better customer experience. Modern trailer visibility systems are compatible with all trailer types and support evolving business needs.

Trailer visibility is now more than just a convenience. Leasing companies that leverage the technology gain additional capabilities and services to fulfill their business and customer needs.

is VP of sales, North America Transportation for , a provider of dry and reefer trailer and container visibility technology.

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