Pharmaceutical fleets have unique needs. It can be tough to manage a large mobile workforce that needs to make many stops. Problems with temperature control can result in considerable lost profits as well as quality concerns and health hazards from end users.
When transporting drugs and medical goods, fleets must keep the trailer temperature within the specified specifications. With trend reports on fuel usage, speeding, idling, and other essential fleet indicators, a fleet management platform increases awareness of fleet operations while maintaining cost control.

Because biopharmaceuticals are costly medical items, they are a tempting target for thieves. The high cost of brand-name drugs, along with endless hours of research and development, makes them immensely valuable. Cargo security has long been a priority in cold chain logistics. This means that pharmaceutical businesses must increase their investment in security solutions, both for storage and transit.
Pharmaceutical companies can ensure the safety and security of their fleet operations by employing a fleet and asset management system that has the following features:

• Real-Time Alerts: This is the defining characteristic of a pharmaceutical fleet tracking system. Various location-based alerts have the potential to improve pharmaceutical logistics.
• Route Deviation: As a fleet manager, you can plan a safe route for your vehicle to take. This route was designed with road conditions in mind, as well as safety issues in some sections in mind. The Fleet Solution's Route Deviation notifications can warn the manager immediately if the
• Idling: Is another potential issue that location tracking can assist detect. When a vehicle sits inactive for an extended period of time, it exposes the cargo to safety issues. Idling notifications from The Fleet Solutions can tell the manager, who can then contact the driver to resolve the situation.
• Tampering: A tamper alarm must be present on the pharmaceutical fleet tracking device. If the equipment becomes broken or removed, the manager must be notified immediately.
• Geofencing: Some regions may be more vulnerable to pharmaceutical theft than others. You may avoid theft-prone locations by employing a pharmaceutical fleet tracking system, and you will also receive notifications whenever any vehicle enters that area.

Here are the 5 best practices for successfully managing a pharmaceutical fleet

1. Pre-Trip Inspection
   All transportation operators should be required to begin each trip by checking the vehicle. Special attention should be paid to the refrigeration unit and the vehicle itself. Especially when the cargo's temperature, such as medications, must be tracked and maintained. It is likely that the temperature requirements will fluctuate depending on the load.
2. Pre-Cooling
   When there is a link between the storage unit and the vehicle, it is critical to pre-cool your cargo at the correct temperature to ensure that the quality is not compromised during shipment. This is especially crucial while shipping medications.
3. Proper Loading Practices
   The primary issue when packing perishable materials, such as medicinal products transit, is to ensure proper airflow and circulation. If airflow and circulation are hindered, hot patches may form, affecting the overall quality of the cargo if not identified.
4. Constant Temperature Monitoring
   The purpose of a temperature monitoring solution is to capture temperature data and provide you with the ability to view that data remotely. It also eliminates potentially dangerous temperature fluctuations by warning office personnel and the driver in real time.
   Any delays could cause irrevocable harm to the cargo and cost your company a lot of money in terms of cargo loss and claims from end users.
5. Employ Telematics
   An integrated software provides real-time surveillance, alerting fleet management when the temperature of the trailer exceeds the predefined parameters. It is the difference between addressing an issue before it becomes a problem and completely losing a load.

The first step to training your pharmaceutical fleet’s drivers is to observe current driving practices. By using driver scorecards and on-road and in-cab video footage from dashcams, you can accurately identify the knowledge gaps.

This information can be used to train your drivers by showing them where they are lacking and also rewarding top performing drivers to incentivise good driving habits.