KVG-Trans has equipped its 80 trailers with Trimble’s Trailer4U. Using Trimble’s telematics solution, the Belgium-based transport company has a better view of the exact location of its trailers. Searching for the right chassis for a tank container, flexitank, box container or reefer is no longer necessary.
Incorporated in 2011 by Kurt van Gijsel, KVG-Trans uses tank containers to transport primarily hazardous materials between the port of Antwerp and chemical producers in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Germany and other countries.
“Tank transport for hazardous materials is 80 percent of our work. In addition, the company also transports reefers and box containers. “We do this with approximately 40 of our trucks and 80 of our own chassis but we also use a pool with approximately 25 charters,” said Daan Bisselink, fleet manager at KVG-Trans.
An increasing problem was tracing the various chassis. The chassis are uncoupled at KVG-Trans as well as the port or at customer locations.
"Not every driver reports with precision where a chassis has been parked. In addition, there are instances where a driver is coupled to chassis X but leaves with chassis Y. If the records are no longer accurate, it becomes tricky to find out which chassis is where. That would lead to numerous e-mails and calls with customers, drivers and charters. Trailer4U has made that a thing of the past,” Bisselink explains.
Quicker and Easier Planning
The Trimble Trailer4U system consists of a modem designed to be attached to any trailer easily and quickly. Once a day, the modem transmits the location of the parked trailers. When a trailer is moved, the modem also transmits a signal and its route can be followed accurately.
"Our planners now know exactly where each chassis is located and also which chassis a driver has taken on the road. The planners also know which tank containers, flexitanks, box containers or reefers can fit on a particular chassis. This information allows planners to manage follow-up orders more rapidly and easily," said Bisselink.
Director Kurt van Gijsel adds: “If the trailer fleet grows, a tracking and tracing system like Trailer4U is indispensable.”
Safety for Insurance Purposes
Safety is another important reason for the investment in Trailer4U. KVG-Trans is certified for the transport of all types of hazardous materials, from class 1 through 9. They include extremely explosive and combustible materials. Most importantly, it is KVG-Trans’ focus to prevent a tank container with hazardous materials from being stolen. All chassis are provided with a “kingpin lock,” which makes stealing them almost impossible.
“With Trailer4U we can closely follow a chassis with a container, in the rare case if it is stolen. That improves safety. In addition, there is less uncertainty in respect of the insurance and faster recovery is possible,” said Bisselink.
Compatible with Other ICT Systems
The trailer tracking system is compatible with other Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems. KVG-Trans’ fleet of trucks is equipped with CarCube, Trimble's built-in onboard computer. In addition, a number of its charters use Trimble's FleetXPS app, which can be installed on smartphones or tablets.
“Trailer4U is compatible with the systems that we already have. That is the primary reason to choose Trimble again. The major advantage is that we can now follow the trucks as well as the trailers on one screen in the FleetCockpit planning tool. We don’t have to switch to different applications all the time,” said Van Gijsel and Bisselink.
About KVG-Trans
KVG-Trans was incorporated by Kurt van Gijsel in 2011. The business specializes in tank container transport from and to the port of Antwerp. The principal activity is the transport of hazardous goods. KVG-Trans is certified for all ADR classes. To be able to offer customers an optimum service, KVG-Trans uses all possible modern facilities. For more information, visit: www.kvgtrans.be.
