Abstract: A communication system, includes a trailer bridge disposed on a cargo trailer, the trailer bridge comprising a power line transceiver for communicating with a tractor module when the trailer and a tractor having the tractor module are electrically connected; and a locator module for communicating with the trailer bridge, the locator module comprising a mobile or cellular transceiver for communicating with a mobile or cellular communications network external to the trailer. The locator module is to communicate making of the electrical connection between the trailer and tractor to a remote datacenter of an owner/operator of the trailer in response to a signal from the trailer bridge indicating that the electrical connection has been made.

Abstract: A communication system, including: a trailer module disposed on a cargo trailer, the trailer module including a trailer identification number for the cargo trailer; a tractor module disposed on a cargo tractor, the tractor module to electrically couple to the trailer module; and a communications bus to couple the trailer module to the tractor module when the trailer is coupled to the tractor, wherein, when coupled to the tractor module, the trailer module communicates the trailer identification to the tractor module.