Does this replace our existing GPS, telematics, or ELD?+
No. Digital Tripwire is a forensic evidence layer that runs alongside existing fleet management systems. GPS, ELD, dashcams, and telematics platforms continue to do what they do well, which is track vehicles and manage operations. Digital Tripwire fills the gap they cannot fill: device-level identification of who was actually present at the asset at the moment of a loss, plus cross-fleet pattern matching for organized crews working a region or a corridor.
How do nodes power and communicate from inside a trailer?+
Trailer-mounted nodes run on multi-year primary cell batteries (typically 3-5 years) and trigger on motion, so they consume power only during disturbance events. They do not draw from the truck or trailer electrical system. For communication, the node uses LTE-M cellular which has significantly better building and metal-skin penetration than standard LTE. In dense urban tunnels or extremely remote areas, the node stores scan data locally and uploads when signal is restored. The data is never lost.
What about MAC randomization on modern phones?+
Modern phones do randomize the MAC address they broadcast to unknown networks, but in proximity scanning the device still emits identifiable beacons, and most users carry secondary devices (smartwatches, earbuds, fitness trackers, fobs) that emit consistent identifiers. Pattern matching is built around the full device cluster a person carries, not a single MAC. The combination of multiple device signatures plus temporal and cross-location correlation produces a forensic-grade identifier that stands up even where a single phone rotates its MAC.
Can drivers or yard employees disable the nodes?+
Tamper events are themselves logged. Removing a node, blocking its signal, or attempting to disable it generates an immediate alert with the timestamp and device list at the moment of tampering. Logs are uploaded over LTE-M and stored off-site, so they cannot be deleted by anyone with fleet network access or yard physical access. The system is designed under the assumption that the threat may include personnel with administrative access, which is appropriate for a vertical where internal collusion drives a meaningful share of large cargo theft events.
Does this work for small contractor fleets, not just OTR?+
Yes. Service contractor fleets, plumber and HVAC fleets, electrical contractors, and small last-mile operations are some of the strongest use cases. The economics are different from OTR cargo (lower per-event dollar amount, much higher event frequency, much greater operational disruption per loss), but the value proposition is identical. Per-van toolbox nodes plus a yard hub at the contractor's home shop. Most small-fleet pilots are operational within a single day. Contact us for small-fleet scoping.
How do we deploy across hundreds of trucks or vans?+
Enterprise fleet deployments are designed for full-fleet rollouts. Hubs auto-provision over LTE-M on first power-up. Per-asset nodes are installed during regular maintenance windows or shop visits, with no driver involvement required. Most pilots are 25-50 assets across the highest-loss tier (typically pharma, electronics, or food-grade trailers) for 60-90 days, then a phased rollout across the rest of the fleet. Contact us for fleet-wide scoping.
