Here’s Your Intro To “Disposable” & Single-use GPS Tracking Technology

Disposable and Single Use GPS Tracking

You may have anything from one small shipment to numerous large shipments with a one-way destination. Or, you may find that the nature of your logistics requirements means that retrieving a GPS tracker from a shipment yourself, once it reaches its destination, is impossible. Neither feature of your business needs should result in your missing out on the benefits and potential cost savings of GPS tracking. Disposable or single use GPS tracking is less expensive than you may imagine.

Using single use GPS trackers means you can avoid the hassle of returning or recharging devices, whilst ensuring your goods, equipment, or even personnel, reach their destination safely and with visibility for you of their every step. Let’s look more closely at disposable and single use GPS tracking.

Why choose single use GPS tracking?

GPS shipment tracking allows the real-time monitoring of goods and equipment as these shipments transit around the globe. Today’s GPS trackers are tiny and smart, each has an individual identity which once activated can be monitored through web-based software for its exact location. GPS tracking enables end-customers to be informed of more exact ETAs and stolen items or lost shipments can be more easily recovered. In a changing and uncertain world, where delays can occur and border transit can be slowed or stalled, GPS tracking is all the more important.

Normal GPS trackers can be re-charged, re-allocated, and re-used for a new shipment, but depending on the recipient and the destination, retrieving a tracker is not always possible or cost effective. This can deter the utilisation of GPS trackers due to the perceived expense and wasted investment if a tracker is lost. However, it may be useful for businesses faced with this scenario to note that disposable GPS trackers exist. These are single use, designed to be inexpensive and non-retrievable, but with the same tracking and security benefits.

How do disposable GPS trackers work?

Single use trackers are easy to utilise. They are often shipped to customers as required and activating them is as easy as scanning or entering a barcode to link the tracker with its consignment and then to initiate the tracking process. Disposable GPS trackers are small and can be placed inside a package or shipment. Once the tracker is live it will deliver its operator information on the location, condition, and security of the consignment. Not only this, but GPS trackers will alert the consignment manager to events such as the shipment being opened, stalled, or dropped, or even alert the user to changes in temperature or humidity. Single use trackers are even easily returnable by the recipient, they can be terminated with a push button and posted into a standard mailbox without the need for stamps or an envelope.

What single use GPS solutions are available?

A number of GPS tracking providers offer disposable or single use trackers and there are a range of pricing and even charging models available on the market including the below options. This means there is a flexible and cost-effective GPS tracking solution to suit every business.

Pay per shipment – a contract with a service provider on a pay as you use basis to track shipments. The devices are then returned to the service provider.

Return and reward – single use trackers are paid for on a per shipment basis, the recipient returns them to the service provider and the shipper receives credit to their account to be used against future single use trackers.

Pay per day – shippers deploy single use tracking technology and pay per day or per month only, depending upon the shipment duration.

Lease hire – Over a contract period, for example two years, a shipper can hire a fleet of trackers and manage the return process so that the GPS trackers can be re-deployed multiple times. This model therefore lowers the cost per tracked shipment.