Thermo King said it partnered with Dot Transportation, Inc. (DTI) to implement TracKing Pro telematics across DTI’s refrigerated trailer fleet in the US. The companies said the rollout is aimed at improving fleet efficiency, reducing engine runtime, managing maintenance costs and helping prevent load loss.
DTI operates more than 2,900 trailers from 13 distribution centers across the US and has used Thermo King transport refrigeration units for more than three decades, according to the company. Thermo King said DTI began using TracKing Pro telematics after the solution was launched in 2023 to turn trailer data into actionable fleet insights.
Thermo King said TracKing Pro is part of its ConnectedSuite fleet telematics portfolio and includes algorithms to estimate fuel consumption, electricity usage and opportunities to improve uptime. The system also includes a benchmark analytics dashboard that allows customers to compare fleet energy use and operations against best-in-class fleets.
According to the company, DTI used telematics data to monitor its Thermo King Precedent multi-temperature units and identify savings from operating in CYCLE-SENTRY rather than continuous mode. Thermo King said DTI reduced engine runtime associated with continuous mode from 6% to 2%, a change expected to save $1.1 million in fuel and maintenance costs over 12 months.
The company also said proactive monitoring helped prevent a $78,000 load loss after a trailer refrigeration unit was inadvertently turned off and restarted through a two-way remote command. Over a 12-month period, DTI increased its TracKing Pro subscriptions from 600 to more than 2,300.
“The value of a reliable connected solution and proactive monitoring that TracKing Pro telematics offers has yielded proven savings for our organization,” said John Ourth, Director of Planning, Dot Transportation, Inc. “It is a service that allows us to operate more efficiently, protects our valuable loads and ensures the food we haul arrives safely to the communities we serve.”
