Seeking to Maximize Trailer ROI? Consider Infor EAM

All companies want to experience an ROI on their assets and equipment.  In the realm of fleet management, this is especially true regarding trailers. Purchase price, operating cost, and generation of income are all things to consider. Now, the first point, purchase price must be aligned with what the actual trailer is going to haul—that is what is going to determine if there is long term ROI when you couple the other factors along with it. Good maintenance practices impact the latter points—and that is where Infor EAM specifically comes in.

Frontstep, a Channel partner of Infor, has more than 20 years of experience with Infor products, including Infor EAM Asset management. Learn more about Infor EAM or contact us for a free consultation.

Technology’s Impact on Trailer Management

Heavy duty trucks and the way that they are manufactured, managed, and maintained have been greatly impacted by telematics, sensors, and other technologies—and these components are finding their way to the trailer.  In essence, trailers are becoming “smart.”

For example, new sensors that are implemented to directly identify maintenance issues and communicate those issues to the driver and operations department in real time are being used more regularly. This allows operators to easily determine just how severe the issue might be and take appropriate action.  In turn, operating costs are reduced because the maintenance issue is discovered sooner rather than later, and ROI is enhanced.

Infor EAM has the capability of enabling improved communication between assets and their human operators without having to rely on feedback from drivers or other sources.  Thereby efficiencies are improved, maintenance costs are lowered, and a company becomes more profitable.

Preventative Maintenance is Key

Tracking preventative maintenance schedules—and sticking to them—is another key component in effective trailer management. Again, this is an area where Infor EAM can be a game changer as the platform can ensure trailer uptime and productivity.

So, first, let’s identify the most common causes of trailer breakdowns:

• Tires
• Brake wheel ends
• Lighting
• Liftgates

Now, if a trailer’s tires need to be repaired while it is sitting in a terminal, that cost usually runs $100 to $150.  However, on the road, this expense can be $600 or more! In order to identify and prevent this expense from occurring, tires with low pressure and tire tread issues must be identified prior to dispatch. Infor EAM can help guarantee that pre-trip inspections are efficient and effective and will uncover problems before they become a costly emergency.

Infor EAM can assist with tracking preventative maintenance on trailers. In turn, operators and fleet managers can prevent:

• The likelihood of a high temperature warning correlating to a brake or wheel-end component failure
• Slow leaks in tires that result in complete tire failure and expensive road service
• Issues with brake line connections, battery failures, and much more

Predict & Prevent Equipment Failure

Infor EAM can help your organization maximize the reliability and performance of your trailer assets through the prediction of equipment failure—before it occurs.  This will allow you to carry out preventative maintenance that will keep assets up and running, enabling your organization to meet your business requirements, serve customers, and ensure long-term profitability.  Plus, because Infor EAM is a purpose-built asset management software that is designed to meet your needs, it is a platform that truly can be transformed and scaled as your company evolves.