Nov 18, 2010To ensure its strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are transported at an optimal temperature, Driscoll's has adopted a system utilizing radio frequency identification to track the location, security status and temperature of its products as they are carried by trailer trucks, and to report that information in real time.
This past summer, Driscoll's carried out a pilot deployment of the system—provided by Locus Traxx, a firm that produces sensor and monitoring technology for transportation applications—on shipments of strawberries transported from its California cooling and distribution facility to a distribution center located in Florida. The technology consists of two temperature sensors with built-in battery-powered 2.4 GHz RFID tags, one door sensor with its own similar RFID tag, and an RFID reader wired to a GPS device carried in the truck's cab. By using the Locus Traxx system, Driscoll's was able to view data regarding the berries' temperature, the length of time they were in transit, when exceptions (such as high temperatures or an open door) occurred, and how quickly trucks were unloaded at the DC.
Driscoll's has employed RFID in the past to track the temperatures of its shipments. Because its products are highly sensitive to temperatures that are too warm or too cold, and because the firm strives for a reputation of quality exceeding that of its competitors, Driscoll's has been working to improve its view into the conditions that berries sustain throughout their journey, according to Rick Reyes, the company's director of product planning and delivery systems. The previous RFID system included temperature sensors with active RFID tags, he says, which transmitted sensor data to interrogators when trucks pulled into the DCs. However, that data often arrived too late, long after the temperature threshold, for example, was exceeded. "We weren't getting the real-time information that would have allowed us to respond in a proactive manner," he states.
In addition, because the berries are transported by third-party logistics companies, Driscoll's has had little real-time visibility regarding the trucks' location, as well as when and where they are being delayed. If the trailers were opened at unexpected locations, possibly indicating theft, the company would have been unable see that event.
The final component of the package is a Smart Traxx module consisting of an RFID reader wired to a GPS unit and a GPRS transmitter. That module was plugged directly into the power source in the vehicle's cab, and the GPS unit was placed on the dashboard, where it had a line of sight through the windshield. When the sensor units transmitted their own ID numbers and temperature measurements, that transmission was received by the module's RFID reader. The module, in turn, captured the latest GPS data, indicating the truck's latitude and longitude at that time, and transmitted all of that information via a GPRS signal to the nearest cell phone towers, which forwarded the data to the Locus Traxx server. Smart Traxx software residing on the server then interpreted the information and displayed it on the server. The Driscoll's management team could then access the data on the server, via a password.
For the pilot, Reyes says, "Our main interest was knowing the status (of the product) with real-time alerts for location, temperature and security." If the software determined that the truck door was opened when the vehicle was not at a distribution center, for example, an alert was issued via e-mail or text message. If the temperature rose too high or too low, Reyes also received an alert. Upon receiving that alert, he could then contact the carrier, which would call the driver and request an action, such as turning up the refrigeration. The trucks were traveling through the Southwest in the summer months, and Reyes says he was especially interested in determining whether the proper temperature range was maintained under some of the hottest conditions. He did receive some temperature alerts during the pilot, he says, and was able to respond immediately to make sure the trailer temperature was corrected.
The software is designed to initially send e-mails and text messages to specific individuals if an event occurs. A Driscoll's employee, to indicate he or she has responded to the alert, would then input the action taken, such as calling a driver or notifying the staff at the delivery point. If no one responds to indicate the alert has been viewed, it is then sent to additional staff members at Driscoll's until a response is received.
One of the greatest challenges, Reyes notes, involves ensuring that the set of components is retrieved and returned to Driscoll's. Currently, the truck driver or a distribution-center employee removes the three sensors and reader module, and the DC ships them to Locus Traxx, which then forwards the units back to Driscoll's. "What makes it more complicated," he states, "is that we're not using our own transportation services," so Driscoll's must train the third-party logistics providers to return the units.
While Driscoll's used 15 sets of four components during the pilot, it has now acquired 50. "It's giving us visibility we didn't have before," Reyes says, "and that's important for us. It's all about ensuring our product is at the market as quickly as possible [without experiencing adverse temperature conditions]." In the event of shipment delays, Reyes adds, he can go online, view the truck's status and determine, for example, whether that vehicle is stuck at a specific location, such as at a border security checkpoint.
The information can be used for historical details regarding shipments, how quickly carriers typically pass through customs or other specific areas, and where alerts (such as exceeded temperature thresholds) most frequently occur. It can also be utilized to track when drivers are traveling too fast from one point to the next. This data enables Driscoll's to evaluate its processes and make necessary changes, such as rerouting a shipment, identifying temperature extremes in particular locations and seasons that could require adjusting reefer temperature settings, or moving an individual shipment that has experienced delays ahead of others.
Driscoll's pays a monthly fee for usage of the hardware, and to access data on the Locus Traxx server. By using the system, the company can reduce expenses related to the spoilage or theft of berries. However Reyes indicates, it is too early to predict the firm's return on investment.
