TL; DR
- A major Canadian LTL carrier was maintaining every trailer on a fixed quarterly schedule, four full service events per year, regardless of actual mileage accumulated.
- This carrier was able to get accurate mileage data through the implementation of satellite trailer tracking.
- Previously, without accurate per-trailer mileage data, approximately 80% of the fleet was being over-serviced while the highest-use 20% was not being flagged for earlier attention.
- After implementing TGI Connect, the carrier transitioned to mileage-based maintenance scheduling and reduced annual service events per trailer from four to two for the majority of the fleet.
- Total annual maintenance savings reached hundreds of thousands of dollars. ROI on the TGI Connect investment was achieved in under twelve months.
- Satellite-based coverage was a deciding factor for a carrier operating across Atlantic Canada and remote regions where cellular signal is unreliable.
Why This Carrier Chose Trailer Tracking
Improving trailer visibility and gaining access to accurate, reliable data were the primary drivers behind the decision to implement a trailer tracking solution. For a carrier operating across the country, regions where cellular coverage is inconsistent and dead zones are a reality. Network reliability was not a secondary consideration, it was a prerequisite.
Satellite-based tracking addressed this directly. Where cellular-dependent solutions would have left gaps in coverage across remote corridors and drop trailer locations, satellite connectivity provided uninterrupted visibility across the entire fleet regardless of geography.
With that foundation in place, the carrier gained something that had not previously been available: precise, per-trailer mileage data across the full fleet. For the first time, the maintenance team could see exactly which trailers were accumulating miles above expectation and which were moving far less than assumed, a distinction that the existing TMS data had never been able to provide with confidence. That visibility became the basis for maintenance decisions that followed.
The Challenge
For a major carrier operating thousands of trailers, maintenance scheduling had long followed the same pattern as the rest of the industry: a fixed time-based cycle. Every trailer, regardless of how far it had traveled, was brought in for a full service every three months totalling four times per year.
On the surface, this approach appeared structured and consistent. In practice, it was generating unnecessary cost and creating blind spots when it came to identifying what trailers needed maintenance and when.
The carrier’s Transportation Management System (TMS) captured mileage based on dispatched movements, but it could not account for trailers moved through shunting operations, outside cartage, or informal yard activity. In-cab telematics on the trucks provided accurate truck mileage, but trailer mileage was inferred from dispatch records rather than measured directly at the asset level. When drivers swapped trailers mid-route without updating the system, mileage was credited to the wrong asset entirely.
The result was a maintenance program built on incomplete data. A trailer running local 30–40-mile loads was receiving the same service frequency as a trailer covering cross-country highway routes despite accumulating a fraction of the actual wear.
The Two-Sided Cost Problem
Time-based maintenance created costs in two directions simultaneously.
On one side, most of the fleet, approximately 80%, was being serviced more frequently than actual wear warranted. Short-haul and locally deployed trailers were receiving full maintenance events on a calendar schedule despite minimal mileage accumulation. Each unnecessary service event represented labour, parts, and time off the road that did not need to be spent.
On the other side, the highest-mileage assets in the fleet, approximately 20%, were accumulating wear between scheduled services without being flagged for earlier attention. These trailers were doing the most work and carrying the most maintenance risk, yet the calendar-based system had no mechanism to identify them.
The compounding effect of pulling 30 to 40 percent of a fleet off the road for maintenance at various points throughout the year also created measurable revenue impact, trailers taken off the road are not contributing to the bottom line.
The Shift to Mileage-Based Maintenance
Following the implementation of TGI Connect, the carrier transitioned to a mileage-based maintenance model.
For the first time, the maintenance team had access to accurate, per-trailer mileage data, not estimated through dispatch records or inferred from truck movement, but measured directly at the trailer level through satellite-based tracking.
The change to scheduling was immediate and significant. Annual maintenance events per trailer were reduced from four to two for the majority of the fleet. Where mileage reports indicated that a trailer had not accumulated sufficient miles to warrant a service, events were pushed out further still, generating savings beyond the base reduction.
At the same time, the roughly 20% of the fleet that had been accumulating the most mileage was now visible. These high-use assets were brought in for servicing on an appropriate schedule, which was earlier than the calendar would have triggered, and based on actual wear rather than assumption.
The maintenance program shifted from a uniform schedule applied across all assets to one that reflected the real condition and use of each individual trailer.
The Role of Satellite Coverage
For a carrier operating across North America, reliable coverage was a non-negotiable requirement.
The regions served included many areas where cellular signal is inconsistent or unavailable. Drop trailer pools located in remote locations represented assets where any gap in visibility would undermine the accuracy of the mileage data and, by extension, the reliability of the maintenance program.
Satellite-based tracking eliminated these blind spots entirely. It was a primary factor in the selection of TGI Connect over competing solutions and remains a foundational element of the carrier’s ability to maintain accurate fleet-wide data regardless of geography.
The Results
The move to mileage-based maintenance scheduling produced results that justified the investment in under one year.
- Annual maintenance events per trailer reduced from four to two for much of the fleet
- Approximately 80% of the fleet was confirmed to require less frequent servicing than the previous calendar cycle
- Approximately 20% of the fleet, the highest-mileage assets, was identified and brought onto an appropriate servicing schedule for the first time
- Total annual maintenance savings reached hundreds of thousands of dollars
- ROI beyond the expected amount on the TGI Connect investment was achieved in under twelve months
Additional to the immediate cost reduction, the carrier gained something equally valuable: the ability to make maintenance decisions based on data rather than assumptions and manual processes. The transition demonstrated that the problem was never a lack of discipline in the maintenance program, it was a lack of accurate information to work with.
Key Takeaway
For large carriers operating across varied geographies, the gap between time-based and mileage-based maintenance scheduling is not a marginal efficiency gain, it is a fundamental shift in how maintenance cost is understood and controlled. Accurate, per-trailer mileage data is the foundation that makes that shift possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How quickly can a fleet expect to see a return on a trailer tracking investment?
The timeline varies by fleet size, operating region, and current maintenance practices, but the experience documented in this case study is consistent with what is seen across similarly sized operations. For a large fleet transitioning from a purely time-based maintenance cycle, ROI is typically achieved within the first year, driven primarily by the reduction in unnecessary service events. Smaller fleets will see proportionally similar savings, though the absolute dollar value will scale accordingly.
Q: Is a reduction from four maintenance events to two realistic for most fleets?
It depends on the fleet’s operating profile. For carriers with a high proportion of short-haul or regionally deployed trailers, assets that accumulate relatively low mileage, a significant reduction in service frequency is a realistic outcome. The key is having accurate per-trailer mileage data to confirm which assets qualify for extended intervals. Without that data, the decision cannot be made with confidence. It is also worth noting that the shift is not uniform across the fleet, some assets will require more frequent servicing, not less, once actual mileage is visible.
Q: Does transitioning to mileage-based maintenance require replacing existing maintenance software?
In most cases, no. The transition is primarily a data input change rather than a system replacement. If a carrier already has maintenance software in place, TGI Connect can integrate directly, supplying accurate per-trailer mileage into the existing system so that scheduling decisions are based on real data rather than calendar estimates. The maintenance workflow itself remains largely the same; what changes is the trigger that initiates a service event.
About TGI Connect
Welcome to TGI Connect, the trusted leader in trailer tracking and asset management solutions for the transportation and logistics industry, in business since 1992. We specialize in trailer tracking, helping fleets maximize efficiency, visibility, and cost savings with our cutting-edge satellite tracking technology.
Our extended coverage footprint and state-of-the-art satellite connectivity ensure real-time trailer tracking, automated reporting, and seamless data integration, reducing downtime and boosting revenue opportunities. Backed by a dedicated customer service team, we provide proactive account management and a proven track record of reliability, trust, and customer satisfaction.
Partner with TGI Connect to optimize your trailer fleet operations, enhance trailer utilization, and stay ahead in today’s competitive transportation industry. For more information visit www.tgi-connect.com.
Are you spending too much on maintenance?
Speak to one of our experts today to learn more.
