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Solera > Case Studies > Case Study: Spireon Fleet & Asset Intelligence and Tutle & Tutle Trucking

Case Study: Spireon Fleet & Asset Intelligence and Tutle & Tutle Trucking

Technology Category

Sensors - GPS
Networks & Connectivity - Cellular

Applicable Industries

Transportation
Oil & Gas

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation
Maintenance

Use Cases

Fleet Management
Asset Health Management (AHM)
Theft Detection

Services

System Integration
Training

The Challenge

Tutle & Tutle Trucking, a Texas-based company that manages a fleet of 650 bulk trailers, was facing a significant issue with theft. The company was losing two to three trailers each year, each worth an estimated $60,000, often carrying up to $20,000 worth of sand. The loss of these trailers not only represented a direct financial loss but also resulted in a significant loss of productivity. Without any sort of tracking solution in place, the recovery of stolen trailers was nearly impossible. The company was stretched so thin that if one trailer was stolen, it might mean one or two of their employees would be out of work for a while until a replacement trailer was up and running. The company was in need of a solution that would provide real-time information on the location and status of its fleet.

About The Customer

Tutle & Tutle Trucking, Inc. is a company based in Cleburne, Texas, and has been in business since 1994. The company manages a fleet of 650 bulk trailers, the majority of which haul sand used for fracking by natural gas producers. Tutle & Tutle’s fleet serves many of the natural gas producers that are extracting gas from the Barnett Shale, a geological formation located in the Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin in Texas. Experts estimate that the Barnett Shale might have the largest producible reserves of any onshore natural gas field in the country. However, Barnett Shale is known as a “tight” gas reservoir, meaning it can only be extracted efficiently through fracking. That means growing business opportunities for firms such as Tutle & Tutle – but also a spike in criminal activity associated with equipment and cargo theft.

The Solution

In search of a solution to tighten security and more effectively monitor and manage its trailer fleet, Tutle & Tutle selected Spireon’s FleetLocate rich data trailer management platform. Spireon’s next-generation GPS technology and M2M-based NSpire Intelligence Platform provided rich data the company could use for state-of-the-art tracking and analytics. The Spireon platform was a good fit to effectively secure, track, and provide real-time visibility into the movements of Tutle & Tutle's large and far-flung fleet of trailers. However, due to the rough, rocky, and remote terrain where the trailers operate, there was a challenge to ensure the devices could be attached to the trailer securely enough so that they would not be jostled or become dislodged in the process of hauling sand to wells. Working with Spireon’s installation services, they quickly devised a solution to fit their specific needs.

Operational Impact

With FleetLocate deployed on its fleet, Tutle & Tutle’s GPS tracking devices send packets of information using cellular technology, including the position of the GPS device. This information then enables the GPS receivers to record the location of the device. Raw data is transmitted to Spireon’s NSpire platform every ten minutes, and as soon as the NSpire platform receives data from the trailers, it processes the data and assembles a usable picture of the trailer activity.
The FleetLocate platform has a powerful reputation that has would-be thieves or disgruntled drivers thinking twice before touching a Tutle & Tutle trailer. The trailers are clearly marked with signage that states that they are protected by FleetLocate to deter theft. This signage on the trailers, as well as awareness by the drivers that the trailers are being closely monitored, prevents problems from occurring.
While the initial aim of implementing FleetLocate was largely focused on theft control, Tutle & Tutle has experienced additional benefits of being able to track trailers in real time and improve utilization. For instance, dispatchers are able to remotely set alerts within the platform to be notified when a trailer has not been used in the last 10 days, which can be a red flag that there is some sort of problem.

Quantitative Benefit

The company was losing two to three trailers each year, with each trailer worth an estimated $60,000. Since the implementation of FleetLocate, they have lost just one trailer – and that was for less than an hour.
The trailers were often carrying up to $20,000 worth of sand. The company was able to recover a lost trailer within 20 minutes, saving them an unbelievable amount of time, money and hassle trying to find it.
The company plans to outfit another 50 to 100 trailers with FleetLocate in the coming year.