Wait, is that Waldo or an empty trailer? I just can’t tell!

Looking for an empty trailer can often feel like playing a game of Where’s Waldo? Is it on the beach? Is it taken over by Odlaw? Wait, why is Santa Clause here? Below is recap of some trailer enhancements that have been made to make you feel a little bit less lost when looking for a trailer or Waldo.

Where’s Waldo? was created in 1987 and illustrated by Martin Handford. It was first published in the United Kingdom under the title Where’s Wally? before coming to America under the title Where’s Waldo? With using deceptive images with red-and-white stripes, it caused the reader to question if they could in fact find Waldo.

Unfortunately, the original sensors would cause similar deceptive messages. The sensors of the past would rely on ultrasonic detection sensors that would give a false message of being empty as it was impacted by outside conditions such as weather or how the trailer was loaded. Just like the frustration of thinking you finally found Waldo, our driver’s experienced the frustration of finding out a trailer in fact wasn’t empty.

 

We don’t have eight weeks to find a trailer!

While it might take up to eight weeks to draw one screen for Waldo, we can now know not only where the trailer is located due to GPS but if it in fact is empty with new IntelliScan technology.

 

Where’s Waldo is finally coming to the big screen!

In 2016 it was announced that Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg are finally bringing our striped friend to the big screen! With attempts in the past, this news was exciting for die hard Waldo fans! The use of cameras isn’t limited to just the movie screen, but with new technologies also incorporated into Spireon’s FL22 cargo sensor units. These sensors have been installed in all of our 2011 and newer trailers and 2019 XTRA Lease Trailers. These new sensors combine multiple sensors such as lasers and a camera to ensure true accuracy. With this accurate information we can ensure we are giving our drivers accurate information but it gives us the capability to communicate back to our customers.

While we still are working on identify the best way to automate assigning an empty trailer, you can check on Where’s My Trailer to see if a trailer is empty or loaded!

 

This ain’t no April Fool’s Joke, our trailers are on Google Maps!

In 2008 Melanie Colesis constructed a 55-foot long Waldo on a rooftop in Vancouver, Canada! In 2018, Google even got in on the fun creating an April Fool’s Joke where you could find Waldo on Google Maps.

We have connected with Google Maps to our Driver Portal so that you too can have fun while finding your trailer. Under your portal you can select the Where’s My Trailer tab that allows you to enter a trailer number. This then brings up the exact location of your trailer, a Google Maps location image, and any messages that are open on that current trailer such as any open maintenance work that needs to be completed.

Attention to Details Matter!

In the original 1987 book, if you paid close enough attention the image got a little PG in the beach scene. This small image caused the book to be banned in several libraries until later prints the image was adjusted.

The details matter, and this is true not only in cartoons but in ensuring you hook-up to the correct trailer and the cleanliness of our trailers. All the fun and investments in technologies can only get us so far. We need help from our drivers to ensure our trailers aren’t banned from a customer location. We ask that all drivers:

• If not assigned a trailer, please send in the need empty message in XRS, this will help remove you from having to drive and look for an empty trailer.
• Ensure you only hook to an empty trailer that is assigned to you or with approval from Operations.
• When dropping an empty trailer, please take time to sweep out the trailer.
• Let us know when you find a trailer that hasn’t been swept out so that we can have the conversation with the previous driver.

 

We also need your help with watching the dates for the trailer’s D.O.T. inspection dates. This spring we made the decision to push out the need to perform a D.O.T. inspection on all trailers 2017 and newer from our company standard 6 month to a 10-month interval. Please keep this in mind when you are sending in the trailer inspection (macro# 00) form for every trailer that you touch.

It’s Always More Fun in Together!

In 2017 Japan held the largest gathering of people dressed as Waldo! While, we can’t beat that record in June we held our first Town Hall to get feedback on our trailer pool what’s working and what can we improve on. A few highlights from that conversation are:

• The news sensors have reduced but not eliminated looking for an empty trailer
• The need for automation in assignment of empty trailers but request your patience as we identify the best solution!
• Find My Trailer is working and has more features than most are aware of
  • It lists all open messages on that trailer
  • If new sensor is installed, it will report if loaded or empty, and will be blank if a sensor isn’t installed

 

Our goal is to continue reducing the time you sit and wait to find a trailer or feel you have to drive around looking for one. Feedback is ALWAYS appreciated, please connect with your Fleet Leader on ideas that we can implement to make life easier for you on the road.