Truckload carrier Grassmid Transport is using Orbcomm’s telematics triple play to track and monitor its lorries, dry vans and reefers.

Grassmid provides truckload carrier services and is based in Zeeland, Michigan. The deal with Orbcomm will let its integrated in-cab and asset tracking monitor its fleet of lorries, dry vans and refrigerated trailers.

Orbcomm provides wireless connectivity through its hardware and a single, unified cloud-based analytics platform for fleet management across multiple asset classes.

Grassmid hauls products including meat, fruit, vegetables, water heaters and office furniture, servicing the lower 48 states with lanes of service to the west coast, Texas, Florida and the east coast. It is using Orbcomm’s in-cab offering to enhance operational efficiency through increased visibility and auditing, along with more automated management of its drivers and lorries.

Orbcomm’s delivers GPS fleet tracking and connects to the lorry’s Can bus to collect data seamlessly from the engine, brake systems, fuel tanks and more, providing access to deep analytics and reporting via the Orbcomm platform.

By automating hours of service calculations, this helps Grassmid comply with the electronic logging device (ELD) and FMCSA hours of service (HoS) regulations. It also lets Grassmid improve driver safety by providing live, on-board driver performance scoring and correcting unsafe driving behaviour that could lead to accidents, fines and higher insurance.

Grassmid can use these deep data insights to decrease operating and maintenance costs and improve productivity through real-time asset management, reduced risk of fuel loss and scheduled preventive maintenance.

Leveraging the triple play offering, Grassmid is also using Orbcomm’s telematics for two-way temperature monitoring and control, fuel management, maintenance and logistics services for its refrigerated and dry assets.

“We are excited to be able to offer Grassmid our telematics triple play and meet all of their needs for cost-effectively tracking and monitoring their trucks, dry vans and reefers as well as their drivers,” said Christian Allred, Orbcomm’s executive vice president. “The next-gen Orbcomm platform is a gamechanger for customers like Grassmid with multi-asset fleets, who can get advanced data and analytics for every transport asset class from one provider where and when they need it.”

With mapping, reports, alerts and exception management, the platform provides the real-time data and business intelligence needed to help Grassmid increase use of its mixed fleet, gain fuel savings, mitigate product spoilage and ensure compliance with the FDA’s food safety modernisation act. With the platform, Grassmid can manage all its assets from anywhere through one seamless system.

“Orbcomm was hands-down the best fit for our diverse freight hauling business because now we know what is happening with every aspect of our operations using one integrated system,” said Adam Grassmid, safety and compliance manager for Grassmid Transport. “Since we deployed with Orbcomm, we have been able to garner substantial benefits through improved fleet safety, compliance and customer satisfaction and have the peace of mind that our dry and refrigerated loads are delivered reliably, safely and on time.”

• Marten Transport, one of the largest refrigerated truckload, dedicated, intermodal and brokerage providers in North America, has begun the retrofit of its fleet of refrigerated and dry van trailers with Orbcomm’s dual-mode asset tracking technology in preparation for the sunsetting of 3G wireless service, which will start at the end of 2021.

An Orcomm customer for more than ten years, Marten is upgrading its fleet with dual-mode satellite and cellular connectivity, offering redundancy in transport load tracking and monitoring to provide communications even in remote areas where cellular networks are unavailable or unreliable.