Multimodal Cargo Tracking with Theft Alerts

I’m putting together a straightforward location-tracking system for loads of non-perishable goods that move through warehouses, trucks, and rail cars. The core requirement is real-time position updates from departure to storage, with automatic alerts if a device signals potential theft.

The hardware can be either single-use—so the receiver never has to return or recharge the tag—or a reusable unit that we can redeploy after each trip. I’ll need your help scoping both variants and producing an estimated cost per device for each.

What I expect from you
• A concise technical proposal outlining the recommended tracker form factor, network technology (e.g., GSM, LTE-M, NB-IoT, LoRaWAN), and back-end platform or API you plan to leverage.
• A table or brief breakdown comparing unit cost, battery life, and accuracy for single-use versus reusable models.
• A proof-of-concept design or working demo that shows location updates on a simple dashboard and triggers a theft alert when the device’s motion profile or geofence suggests unauthorized removal.
• Any assumptions about data plans, SIM provisioning, or gateway coverage clearly stated so I can budget accordingly.

Acceptance criteria
1. Live location visible on a web or mobile interface throughout warehouse handling, trucking, and rail transit.
2. Theft alert reliably received within 2 minutes of trigger during a bench test.
3. BOM and per-device cost estimates delivered in editable format (Excel or Google Sheet).

If you’ve built similar IoT asset trackers before and can move quickly from concept to a demo, I’d love to review your approach and timeline.