Today's Pickup: vHub Trailer-Sharing Platform Now Integrates With Telematics Systems

The recently launched trailer-sharing marketplace vHub announced that its platform can now be integrated with fleet telematics and trailer-tracking systems. This integration will allow for an exact GPS-based location of available units and actual mileage, the company said.

"It benefits fleet or trailer owners and renters, and their drivers, when our new integration capability with any telematics system provides exact trailer locations in the vHub platform," said Francis Roy, vice president of vHub. "Having a high level of confidence about exactly where trailers are located allows owners to keep track of assets they are making available for repositioning and sharing. It also helps eliminate time spent searching yards for trailers and lets fleets and drivers enhance their ability to use available hours-of-service productively."

A web application and mobile app help connect customers and the interface allows users to post trailers that may need to be moved or are sitting idle. It is searchable to help users find the exact trailer they are looking for, and if an exact match is not found, vHub will suggest trailers that have similar characteristics that might work.

The new integrations will help identify trailers that are not in use so owners can begin to generate revenue from underutilized equipment. The company added that the "automated, accurate, and faster process of telematics integration in the vHub platform also leads to improved transparency for billing based on detention time and distance traveled."

The integration is designed to work with any industry trailer-tracking system and only requires that trailer owners enter a unique ID when listing equipment in their vHub account. vHub then accesses the trailer's GPS location via an API with the telematics system provider's cloud-based solution. After a trailer is reserved in vHub's web portal, its location information is available to the driver on a mobile app.

"Regardless of the telematics system they are using, trailer owners remain in complete control of the units they are making available in the vHub collaborative sharing platform," said Roy. "This capability adds to the value of the owners' investment in tracking solutions. It also builds our trailer-sharing community that helps the North American trucking industry get the most productivity out of its fleet."

Did You Know?

The Outbound Tender Reject Index OTRI rose week-over-week for the first time since its March 28 peak. OTRI climbed to 2.84% last week, indicating carriers are beginning to turn away loads. On March 28, OTRI was at 19.25%.

Quotable:

"The hardest decision of my life. Not just my professional life."

– Ann Dau Conway, president of Michigan Maple Block Co., speaking to The Wall Street Journal on the decision to permanently close the company's Petoskey, Michigan, factory.

In Other News:

China Trade Deal In Doubt

President Donald Trump told "Fox & Friends" that he is having a "hard time with China" and the recently signed phase one trade deal could be in jeopardy. (Bloomberg)

Road Funding Continues To Decline

The financial fallout from COVID-19's impact on travel could hurt states for several years with lower revenues and fewer infrastructure projects being completed. (AASHTO)

Retail Imports Face Big Volume Declines

The National Retail Federation said retail-related imports will see double-digit declines this year even as stores begin reopening. (National Retail Federation)

Factory Shutdowns Could Become Permanent

Factories that shut down to slow the coronavirus face a long road to recovery, and many will never reopen, experts said. (Wall Street Journal)

CSX Shuts Down Intermodal Operation

CSX has closed an intermodal operation near Pittsburgh and will instead lease the property to Shell. (Progressive Railroading)

Final Thoughts

As disruptions in the food supply chain have caused shortages in stores, independent farmers are banding together to build their own supply chain, NPR reports. The movement, called Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), allows local farms to supply boxes of produce to customers, shipped direct from the farms. CSA has been around for years, but it is attracting renewed interest thanks to food shortages, and local farmers involved in the movement are busier than ever. And the consumer is getting fresher produce. It has become so popular that waiting lists are growing at local CSAs.