Canada’s first: a 5-axle tanker with trailer intelligence

A gleaming red petroleum B-train tanker emblazoned with the Flying J logo demanded attention from fleet professionals at Truck World 2026 just outside Toronto, Ontario. And as they gathered around the exhibit and leaned in, they learned the trailer was like anything shown before.

That’s because the Advance Engineered Products tanker displayed April 16-18 at The International Centre in Mississauga was Canada’s first five-axle B-train with fully integrated smart trailer technology, including the first complete five-axle independent inflation and deflation control system and a four-camera “vision suite” covering every angle of the vehicle.

Drōv Technologies, working exclusively with the TerraVest Industries group, which owns Advance Engineered, supplied the intelligence by integrating their Tank Ai system powered by the AirBoxOne—a comprehensive smart trailer solution that turns an ordinary tanker into a fully connected, data-driven commercial vehicle. And Canadian manufacturer Advance supplied its proven Fusion 406 Petroleum B-train platform, which is renowned for its structural integrity, weight optimization, and regulatory compliance across Canadian road networks.

“With Tank AI, the end user will be able to take their business to the next level in a very competitive market,” Doug Kee, Advance vice president of sales and marketing, told Bulk Transporter. “At Advance, we focus on total cost of ownership, longevity of the products we build and the relationships with our customers. The published and proven cost savings, efficiency of fleet, and overall fleet safety Tank Ai provides is something we are honored to be pioneering in Canada, along with Drōv and Flying J. The feedback we are getting from our customers is positive and we believe this is going to be a big part of the future of the tank trailer industry.”

Industry-first five-axle control

The tanker commissioned by Flying J Canada, the Canadian arm of Pilot Company, is something the Canadian industry has been waiting for: a five-axle trailer with complete inflation and deflation control across all five B-train axles. Where previous systems were limited in scope or required manual intervention, AirBoxOne integration allows fleet operators to remotely control every tire pressure set point through a single web interface—all in real time.

The practical impact is significant: better weight distribution reduces tire and mechanical wear; pressure optimization by surface type cuts fuel costs; and compliance with variable provincial axle weight regulations becomes far more manageable when operators have precise, automated control at their fingertips.

Tank Ai—a full-feature suite

The Tank Ai system integrated into the Flying J B-train tanker is powered by Drōv’s flagship AirBoxOne—an advanced electronics and pneumatics control system that serves as the nerve center of the entire smart trailer ecosystem. AirBoxOne transforms an ordinary tanker into a fully connected, data-driven commercial vehicle. Here is what the system delivers on this tanker:

Intelligent tire management

• Automated tire inflation and deflation per the tire manufacturer’s load-based PSI recommendations across all 5 axles—an industry-first in Canada
• Real-time tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) integrated for all wheel positions
• Instant driver and fleet manager alerts when tire pressure deviates from target PSI and autonomously corrected pressures
• Proven to extend tire life by more than 51.7% in Pilot/Flying J fleet trials in the United States
• Prevents overloading by correlating axle weight with tire pressure values in real time

Four-camera vision system

• Rear-view camera: provides full visibility behind the vehicle, assisting with safe backing, parking, and rear proximity monitoring
• Driver-side camera: eliminates blind spots during lane changes and turns
• Curb-side camera: eliminates blind spots for urban and tight-quarters maneuvering
• API/hatch camera: monitors hatch and loading/unloading activity, with images captured on door open/close events and percentage-loaded calculations visible across selected dates, times, and locations

Wheel-end and brake monitoring

• Wheel-end temperature and vibration monitoring via SKF TraX integration detects early-warning thermal events before they become costly failures
• Brake air tank pressure monitoring for both parking and service lines
• Smart brake chamber integration monitors each individual wheel end for brake faults
• ABS fault notification with fault codes and actionable information delivered to driver and fleet
• Disc brake pad wear warnings generated proactively to enable planned maintenance
Parking brake status monitoring

GPS, telematics, and asset tracking

• Real-time GPS location and route tracking when vehicle is running; live trips monitored and stored for retrieval
• Accelerometer monitors vehicle movement even when disconnected from tractor power or air supply, and detects harsh impacts and extreme G-forces
• Secure cloud communications transmit alerts, status, and location data to authorized web, mobile, and desktop users
• Open software API allows integration with existing fleet management and logistics platforms
• Door position sensors notify fleet and driver when tanker hatches or compartment doors are opened, closed, or unlocked

Load and weight intelligence

• Axle-load weight sensors correlate cargo weight across all five axles for precise load distribution management
• Prevents regulatory overloading across varying provincial weight limit requirements
• Enables optimization of fuel load quantity, maximizing gallons per trip while maintaining compliance
• Load security monitoring detects shifts or anomalies in cargo during transit

Power, connectivity, and expandability

• Solar panel backup energy source keeps AirBoxOne powered during yard storage or disconnected operations
• Wired and wireless technologies provide redundant connectivity for data transmission
• Open and agnostic platform architecture: connects to a wide variety of third-party sensors and smart solutions, both analog and digital
• Vehicle health display in the cab, mobile app, and web dashboard deliver a unified view of all trailer systems
• Supports virtually unlimited sensor expandability for future technology additions

Documented ROI: the Pilot/Flying J proof point

The numbers behind Tank Ai are not theoretical, Drōv points out. Pilot/Flying J conducted real-world fleet trials of the system on Heil Trailer petroleum tankers in the U.S. Brent Hickman, Pilot director of equipment, maintenance and fleet sales, documented a 51.7% increase in tire life, improved fuel loading optimization—allowing more gallons per load—and measurable reductions in maintenance cost and unplanned downtime. The deployment of this same technology on the Flying J Canada B-train tanker—now expanded to full five-axle control in a Canadian first—delivers those proven results to fleets north of the border at scale.

Two showings, one clear message

The smart B-train debut was structured around two formal presentations on the Truck World show floor, each drawing a substantial crowd. Hickman spoke from the operator’s perspective, drawing on Pilot/Flying J’s real-world experience deploying Tank Ai on petroleum tankers in the U.S. Bob Davis, Drōv VP of business development, walked attendees through the full AirBoxOne feature set, including the four-camera vision system, five-axle control, tire life data, brake diagnostics, GPS telematics, and load intelligence.

“For fleet decisionmakers in the audience, the combination of Advance’s engineering pedigree and Drōv’s technology platform—backed by documented results from Pilot/Flying J’s U.S. fleet—made for a compelling case,” Davis attested.

Behind the scenes: the team that delivered

A debut of this scope does not happen by accident. Kee drove the commercial vision for the partnership; and Agnes Marasigan, Advance VP of procurement, supply chain and parts sales, ensured every logistical and operational element of the build and exhibition was executed flawlessly.

“Their leadership gave both Drōv and Pilot the confidence the launch would deliver,” Davis concluded.