New C.H. Robinson Drop Trailer Asset Management System Brings Unparallelled Control and Visibility for Shippers

C.H. Robinson, the global leader in AI-driven supply chains, today announced the launch of the Asset Management System (AMS) within its Drop Trailer Plus program. Combining GPS technology and a real-time stream of operational and inventory data into one single platform, this new system effectively turns the thousands of C.H. Robinson-managed trailers into a fleet of intelligent assets. Linked with the company’s AI-infused global shipper platform Navisphere, it empowers faster, smarter, and more cost-efficient decisions than ever before.

With more than 800,000 annual shipments and more than 10,000 trailers in circulation daily, the C.H. Robinson Drop Trailer Plus program is one of the largest in the United States. No other provider offers this combination of scale and the cutting-edge analytics and visibility added through the new AMS.

“The Drop Trailer Plus AMS is a game-changer,” said Adam McDonough, C.H. Robinson Vice President of Truckload. “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, maximize uptime, and minimize 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 C.H. Robinson’s trailer pool or another provider on our platform.”

Drop trailer programs, 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 50% of the truckload market, and have traditionally been represented by asset-based carriers that own trucks and equipment. But they’ve also presented challenges, including manual data entry, incompatible systems and limited visibility over trailer and freight status.

While conventional drop trailer programs are managed manually from outdated spreadsheets, the new Drop Trailer Plus AMS solves these headaches by bundling everything into a nimble, real-time platform that covers the C.H. Robinson trailer pool as well as a growing number of contract carriers. Built in-house and integrated with Navisphere, the system combines GPS tracking, telematics data, geofencing, and facility mapping to give shippers and carriers a complete view of trailer activity.