Whether renting out utility or travel trailers, you should track them to prevent theft or instances that weren't included in the rental agreements.
Whether renting out utility or travel trailers, you should track them to prevent theft or instances that weren't included in the rental agreements. For example, let's say your contract allows your customers to use the trailers in the premises of certain towns and states. If they go out, you can charge them penalties. Unfortunately, some renters also lose their trailers to ill-minded people who rent and hide the trailers, causing significant damage to the rental companies.
Although these cases may be rare, we should always stay safe. In the trailer rental industry, "safe" refers to securing the trailers and their related components by tracking their movements. Thanks to modern technologies, now your trailers won't escape your sight. Of course, the measure may produce some costs, but in the long run, you will have peace of mind and fewer stolen trailers.
The most convenient way of tracking rental trailers is using GPS (Global Positioning System) devices. When we say GPS, you may visualize the large equipment hooked up to the trailer. Erase that outdated imagination from your mind. GPS trackers are so tiny that they can fit invisibly to license plate covers. And these small devices have a battery that allows them to ping signals for years. That means that even if your trailer is disconnected from the power source or hidden in the woods, the tracker will function normally, allowing you to track or pinpoint the exact location.
Now, the main thing that boggles every business owner's mind is the pricing of these devices. There are two types of GPS trackers. The first one is devices with subscription services, which's installation is free but comes with monthly subscription plans. This option suits companies with minimal budgets, as they will not pay hundreds of dollars upfront. The second option is GPS trackers that do not require subscriptions or contracts. You will buy the device, set it up, and use it independently. However, the downside of the second option is the high cost, installation burdens, and lack of support.
Concisely, when you are in the market for trailer trackers, you must decide which option is suitable for your budget. Usually, GPS devices without subscription plans start from $100 and go up to thousands of dollars. On the other hand, GPS trackers with subscriptions require around $50 upfront costs and $ 5-10 monthly fees. The company may offer discounted prices depending on how many devices you purchase if you have a large fleet of trailers.
The more area it covers higher your chance to track your trailers. If a GPS tracker can't locate your rental trailers from its coverage area, you are losing your trailer and spending money on worthless GPS trackers.
No matter how big its coverage area is, if the device dies after it is disconnected from a power source, your chances of tracking the trailers get to zero. So, make sure you learn how long the GPS tracker functions without power.
We all know that trailer rental owners are not professional tech people (well, a few of them may be). Therefore, the interface or dashboard through which you will track your trailers should be simple. If it requires sophisticated tech knowledge, you will lose your trailer and your mind.
Some trackers are so good that they record rental trailers' mileage. It is incredibly convenient for rental companies that use a cost-per-mileage strategy. Additionally, reports help to determine which trailers are due for maintenance as their tires need to be changed after a certain mileage.
Reliable GPS trackers should have geofencing functions that will notify business owners (or dispatchers) with a warning message when a trailer leaves the permitted area. For instance, if the travel trailers are only allowed to be used in Texas but leave the state, the tracker should notify the owner about it.
Good GPS trackers for trailers should have easy options to integrate with rental software. You should be able to monitor trailers and manage orders and schedules from the same location. By logging in to the dashboard, the owners should be able to see bookings, transactions, calendars, schedules, and more and check the trailer's current location at the spot.
There are many GPS trackers, but you must get the most affordable and reliable one. An excellent place to start is review websites. Read what people say about GPS trackers and select the most suggested ones. In this section, we are going to share with you 5 GPS trackers.
Capturs GPS trackers are ideal for the trailers as they are undetectable, water & dust resistant, and can work for several months/years without connection. Its prices start at around 80 euros, and it has the lowest monthly fee, about 3 euros per month. The best part is that it works in our 50 countries without requiring additional subscriptions and sends an instant notification to phones if the device detects suspicious movements.
GPS trackers offered by LoneStar Tracking are suitable for all types of trailers, and it provides global coverage because their system is linked with 72 satellites worldwide. Like Capturs trackers, their devices are also water & dust resistant, and their battery life can last several months without connection. Their devices are also weather resistant, allowing owners to monitor their trailers even during harsh weather. Another good thing about LoneStar Tracking is that their system is linked with Google Maps, which makes the areal detections quick and easy.
Linxup is another popular GPS tracker for all types of trailers, and it received thousands of customer reviews. Their overall satisfaction rating is 4.7. Their devices can be installed on flatbeds, goosenecks, horse trailers, boat trailers, travel trailers, shipping containers, and more. The best part of this company is that it allows owners to see real-time locations, speeds, and stops of trailers on clear visual maps. And it has geofencing functionality, which notifies the company if the trailer leaves the specified areas.
Digital Matter is also popular around the world with their reliable water/dust/weather resistant GPS trackers that offer global connectivity. Their devices are also reliable for monitoring and tracking all types of trailers thanks to their excellent battery life and straightforward interface. It has several cool features, such as real-time detection, run-hour monitoring, impact detection, geofencing, and more.
Moni Moto is another good GPS tracker for trailers. Like the other four trackers, it is water, dust, and weather resistant and has a huge coverage area. It will work in North America, Europe, and several other countries. It costs about $150, with the option of adding a key fob for an additional $39. The device comes with two lithium batteries lasting up to 12 months and with zero installation costs as it does not require wiring.
When you are in the market for trailer GPS trackers, consider whether they can be integrated into your rental management software. Because we want to monitor the whole rental actions from a single dashboard and sync the information with individual accounts to enhance customer responsibilities.
However, if your rental software does not support integrations, it does not matter if a GPS tracker has an integration option. Therefore, we recommend getting customizable Rental software to integrate external devices such as GPS trackers. One of that software is Reservety. It allows you to integrate the trackers into your website and helps you with integrations as they have the best customer support.
The primary takeaways from this article:
Reservety handles your website, bookings, inventory, and payments — so you can focus on growing your business.