Tracking Solution for Transparent Transport Chain

According to a Bitkom survey, 85 percent of companies will be short of drivers in 2022, and more than 60 percent reported a shortage of IT specialists. However, transport companies are currently looking to upgrade, particularly in the area of IT and digital. This includes the use of IoT and sensor technology. After all, smart solutions are particularly effective in the mobility and logistics sector with its moving and sometimes sensitive freight. That is why the globally active logistics company Dachser has been relying on IoT since 2022.

Positioning in real time

Together with Deutsche Telekom, the logistics provider has equipped its approximately 8,500 swap bodies with tracking modules that transmit the exact position of each individual container to the company at all times. This is an enormous advantage for Dachser, because swap bodies are particularly flexible because they are not tied to a specific tractor unit and can therefore be picked up and set down again quickly and easily by different vehicles. However, Dachser manages and moves flows of goods for its customers on a daily basis via an extensive international national transport network with 239 of its own road logistics branches throughout Europe.

Keeping track of the current locations of swap bodies, planning transport routes, and implementing efficient time management is a challenge without digital support. Customers also increasingly expect transparency from suppliers and logistics service providers today, as well as precise statements on ETA times (Estimated Time of Arrival). “Our customers’ requirements are increasing: It is becoming increasingly important for them to know exactly when the desired goods will arrive,” says Lars Relitz, who heads Digital Innovation & Development at Dachser.

Robust tracking solutions

Today, this is facilitated by the tracking module from telecom partner Mecomo AG, including high-end SIM cards. The SIM cards provide the necessary connectivity on Dachser routes and are robust and reliable. They can withstand temperatures ranging from minus 40 to plus 105 degrees Celsius. As a result, they function under very different climatic conditions-from the south of Europe to the far north. And are therefore unreservedly suitable for the long distances covered by swap bodies. An additional bonus: at twelve years, the average service life of the high-end SIM is the same as that of the swap body. Dachser therefore does not have to plan for regular replacements in the meantime.

The energy-efficient LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) LTE-M standard, which operates on the basis of 5G, ensures an uninterrupted mobile data connection between the swap bodies and Dachser’s cloud and transport management system. To enable Dachser to offer seamless transparency along its entire transport chain, the connection remains in place even in areas without LTE-M network coverage via GSM fallback.

Energy-saving modules thanks to solar power

Another particularly important factor for Dachser in its networking solution was that the tracking modules operate in an energy-saving manner. Since the self-sufficient swap bodies do not have their own power supply, the tracking solution works via a solar module and a rechargeable battery. A separate power supply is not necessary. With a charging capacity of around six months, the modules can bridge even long periods of bad weather without Dachser having to fear downtime. The solution does not incur any additional energy costs for the company.

In return, the logistics specialist can even save costs thanks to more precise and efficient planning and process automation. This is because, for example, it can always inform its distribution centers precisely about the arrival times or delays of a delivery. This means that no parking or storage spaces are kept free for nothing. Staff for local deliveries and vehicles for onward transport are not waiting unnecessarily or unused, but can be deployed efficiently elsewhere.

In addition, the logistics service provider’s customers and Dachser’s customer relationship management benefit. Via the transport management system, the position data of the swap bodies can be comprehensively managed, evaluated, and visualized. “Thanks to automation, we can implement proactive monitoring: We see directly in our systems if there are problems with individual units and can react in a targeted manner,” explains Lars Relitz.