Cargo thieves often conduct surveillance outside of distribution centers and follow trucks in hopes the driver will go directly to a truckstop for dinner or road snacks, a shower or just to rest before hitting the road. And that’s when they strike, stealing loads of goods that are often more valuable than the trailer itself.
And long weekends – like the recent Fourth of July holiday – make freight even more susceptible to theft. While there are multiple devices to help prevent theft, cargo camera solutions are being developed to help retrieve lost loads in addition to helping trucking companies increase capacity, among other benefits.
There aren’t a ton of options on the market as this type of technology is still in its infancy, but companies like Orbcomm and Solera’s Spireon have said demand for cargo cameras is on the rise and expected to continue to grow.
“The driving force behind the increased adoption rate is the need to do more with the trailers you have. Knowing where the trailers are is the first step to improving your trailer turns,” said Roni Taylor, senior vice president of strategy and business development for Spireon. “Freight demand is at an all-time high while new trailer orders are delayed 18 to 24 months. Trailer leasing companies have no trailers to lease, so trucking companies must increase the capacity of the trailers they have today.”
Taylor said devices that offer accurate trailer load status are becoming a must in the industry. More than 30% of Spireon’s currently deployed devices include its IntelliScan camera-based cargo sensor, but she said that number has been growing over the past 12 months and will be closer to 40% by the end of 2022.
Technology as simple as trailer tracking can tell a company where its trailer is, but cargo cameras offer additional insights.
Knowing whether a trailer is loaded or empty has traditionally been a valuable piece of information in optimizing fleet operations, but there’s more to it than that, said Chris MacDonald, senior vice president of North America sales at Orbcomm.
