The trucking business is full of rapidly evolving technologies. Drivers, brokers and fleet operators can struggle to keep up with major developments at this fast pace. You need to be aware of the following technology advances shaping the trucking industry.
Safety Systems
Automated systems are quickly increasing the safety of trucks. Systems now scan the area around a truck to identify vehicles that might potentially cause collisions. Lane-departure warnings are available to ensure drivers stay safe. Automatic emergency braking calculates how soon the truck might impact a vehicle or other object in front of it to avoid accidents. Driver alert systems monitor an operator for signs of fatigue to warn them that it’s time to pull the rig over to the side of the road. Safety is always a top priority in the trucking industry, which is why the DOT enforces strict requirements for drug testing for drivers. These measures along with advanced technologies can make our roads safer for everyone.
Analytics
Trucking operations generate tons of data. Even something as simple as a fuel charge or a trip log can yield valuable analytics. Companies can monitor the mean time between failures of their fleet vehicles to schedule preventative maintenance. Travel data can give an operation a better sense of the range of possible trip times for different vehicles and loads.
Analytics also allow companies to combine data sources into insights. You might want to economize fuel consumption by avoiding routes that frequently have steep climbs or construction delays, for example. Your analytics software can note which trips have these problems and then compare them to the fuel logs. In an industry with increasingly tight operating margins, this data can be the difference between profit and bankruptcy.
The Internet of Things
Computers permeate seemingly everything today. When you network these computers using modern 4G and 5G cellular connections, you can access what tech people call the Internet of Things. IoT devices are small-scale and low-power systems that allow you to monitor and interact with virtually anything.
Suppose a company needs to track a refrigerated trailer’s temperature. Thanks to IoT systems, you can get that data nearly in real time. If the sensors tell you there’s a problem, you can transfer the load to a new trailer and reduce the risk of loss. Especially in a challenging insurance environment, IoT tools can make a major difference.
Management Software
With all of this monitoring and data, you need a way to quickly make sense of it all. Trucking management software is quickly becoming ubiquitous. Management software allows you to follow real-time data about individual loads. It also can flag information about drivers and vehicles to ensure that you’re providing sufficient turnaround times between trips. Management software ensures that operations will be safer and more efficient.
Another benefit of management software is that it provides speedy answers. If a customer is on the phone asking where a load is, the software will tell you within seconds.
Proof of Delivery
Electronic systems make proof of delivery simpler than ever before. Drivers can quickly collect signatures and images to prove that loads arrived on time and in good shape. Collected data from telematics systems also provide further proof. A solid proof-of-delivery system reduces a company’s risk exposure to customers’ claims.
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