US logistics firm CH Robinson is combining GPS and a real-time stream of operational and inventory data to manage assets in its Drop Trailer Plus programme.

The AMS asset management system effectively turns the thousands of CH Robinson-managed trailers into a fleet of intelligent assets. Linked with the company’s Navisphere AI-infused global shipper platform, it can enable faster, smarter and more cost-efficient decisions.

With more than 800,000 annual shipments and more than 10,000 trailers in circulation daily, the Drop Trailer Plus programme is one of the largest in the USA. No other provider, claims CH Robinson, offers this combination of scale and the analytics and visibility added through the AMS.

“The Drop Trailer Plus AMS is a game-changer,” said Adam McDonough, CH Robinson vice president. “With real-time visibility across both our own and our strategic contract carriers’ fleets, we’re able to monitor each trailer in real time, at rest or in motion, and help shippers streamline operations, right-size trailer pools, maximise uptime and minimise waste, leading to lower costs and less unplanned work. For example, there will be no more yard-hunts for hard-to-find trailers that lack connected systems. You’ll know exactly where every single trailer is, at any time, whether it’s part of CH Robinson’s pool of trailers or another provider on our platform.”

Drop trailer programmes, often referred to as “drop and hook”, allow carriers to leave trailers at shipper facilities for flexible loading and unloading. They are a vital part of the freight ecosystem, representing nearly half of the truckload market, and have traditionally been represented by asset-based carriers that own trucks and equipment. But they’ve also presented problems, including manual data entry, incompatible systems and limited visibility over trailer and freight status.

While conventional drop trailer programmes are managed manually from outdated spreadsheets, the Drop Trailer Plus AMS solves these problems by bundling everything into a nimble, real-time platform that covers the CH Robinson trailer pool as well as a growing number of contract carriers. Built in-house and integrated with Navisphere (www.chrobinson.com/en-us/technology/shipper-technology/navisphere/), the system combines GPS tracking, telematics data, geofencing and facility mapping to give shippers and carriers a complete view of trailer activity.

Benefits include:

• Improved use and efficiency: Optimised routing and planning with the largest transportation network in North America.
• Better trailer availability and more uptime: Locate the trailers needed, when needed, in optimal working condition whether dry van, refrigerated or flatbed.
• Real-time visibility: Monitor trailer pools and inventory at rest and in motion. With GPS updates up to every five seconds, every trailer’s location and status is available, at a facility or on the road, along with live ETAs.
• Proactive exception management: Reduce unnecessary dwell time and ensure smooth throughput. Automated notifications about exceptions such as late arrivals, dwell breaches or idle assets allow CH Robinson to manage them before they become problems.
• Theft and fraud prevention: Enhance security and mitigate theft and fraud with real-time visibility to both trailer and inventory.
• Performance scorecards: Keep track of operations by lane, site or carrier, and KPIs such as use and dwell time, powered by analytical capabilities.

“We innovate for our customers every day and we knew a platform with these capabilities would meet their evolving needs,” said Michael Castagnetto, president of North American surface transportation at CH Robinson (www.chrobinson.com). “Today’s environment requires nimble logistics, with the ability to scale up and down flexibly and adapt to new opportunities quickly and precisely. That’s what you get with Drop Trailer Plus powered by our AMS: capacity when you need it, clarity while you use it, and better cost control to boot.”

Drop Trailer Plus (www.chrobinson.com/en-us/shippers/freight-services/drop-trailer/) AMS is active across CH Robinson’s own trailer pool as well as several contract carrier fleets, with expansion continuing throughout 2026.