THE FINDINGS
What the industry said
We began by having an honest discussion with our customers.
In summer 2024, we surveyed load givers, carriers and logistics service providers across the globe to share their experiences with real-time visibility and to comment on their perceptions of its value and its challenges. We wanted no-holds-barred truth and honesty, so that we could address their concerns openly and accurately. And the industry was honest in its responses.
It turned out that most users are strong evangelists for real-time visibility. But some are not.
Here is a selection of direct quotes from our survey:
“Problems connecting third-parties to our visibility provider.”
“Compliance - we are a 3PL and some are reluctant, or refuse to use our tracking tools.”
“We do not own trucks so integration with hauliers is difficult.”
“When it comes to external assets tracking, nobody wants to share data.”
Survey results at-a-glance
What the numbers really say
40% of carriers told us that “inaccurate estimated arrival time (ETA)” is an invisible cost driver. Those minutes disappear when the map itself is vehicle-right. Fleets that switched to Trimble’s predictive traffic and HGV routing cut fuel and mileage by up to 10% while hitting tighter delivery windows.
Reasons for using real-time visibility applications
Most respondents said that they used them because their customers required them to.
Prime motivations to use real-time visibility
Customer satisfaction and retention, cutting operational costs and increasing on-time deliveries
Downsides and barriers to adoption
Data sharing and privacy, integration issues, operational challenges.
Upsides and benefits
Good recognition of economic and competitive advantages.
of respondents either use real-time visibility or have used it in the past
Necessary
operational tool
Additional cost
Market differentiator
Revenue generator
Statistics spotlight
What is your perception of what real-time visibility is?
Necessary operational tool
Additional cost
Market differentiator
Revenue generator
Source: Oct, 2024, Transporeon Survey "Real-time Visibility Solution"
vs.
Do you agree that real-time visibility provides a competitive advantage?
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree
In summary, based on the survey, the majority of carriers welcome and believe in real-time visibility because it brings in more business, it serves customers more attractively, and it cuts time and costs across key business areas.
Yet a small but significant minority remains convinced. So let’s explore those concerns in more detail.
Before we tackle the objections, it’s worth noting how the leaders solved them.
Nestlé reduced European transport spend by 12% and DHL improved delivery accuracy by 15% by using Trimble Maps’ truck‑legal routing and geocoding APIs (application programming interface) as part of their logistics systems. Their takeaway is clear: when visibility and planning are built on data designed for HGV vehicle reality, the usual cost, compatibility and data‑sharing fears fade fast.
© 2025 Trimble Inc.
© 2025 Trimble Inc.