As technology continues to advance and competitors continue to emerge, you find yourself looking for ways to stay ahead of the game. Offering your customers visibility into their freight movement is one way to stand out among the crowd. Freight visibility, or load tracking software can be an affordable way of improving efficiencies, customer experience and your overall bottom line. 30% of Shippers are currently requesting that they have visibility into their freight and that percentage is only expected to increase.
Although the benefits may be a clear value to the business, getting drivers on board and participating in load tracking can prove to be a challenge. Providing education around the technology behind tracking can help put their minds at ease and actually show them the value of load tracking participation. Let’s take a look at some common questions and misconceptions.
How is information captured?
Myth – The app lets brokers track me even when I’m not carrying a load.
Fact - Location information is only shared with your broker while you’re actively hauling a load. As soon as you’ve dropped off, or 24 hours after the drop-off time has passed, the app automatically shuts off and no more data will be transmitted.
What is captured?
Myth – Precise details surrounding the trip are captured and transmitted to whoever wants the information.
Fact – The only information that is transferred from a load visibility platform is the location and check call status update. No speed, hours of service or other personal information is transmitted.
When does tracking start and stop?
Myth – Once a tracking session starts, every move that is made is relayed and will always be available.
Fact – A driver must first opt into any tracking session. The request includes date and time in which the location updates occur.
Myth - Even when I uninstall the app, it can still track me via cell towers.
Fact - Cell phone manufactures take your privacy very seriously and don’t let apps leave residual code on your phone once you’ve deleted or uninstalled. The only way to use the Load Tracking functionality after uninstalling the app would be to reinstall the app.
How this will affect my job?
Myth – Load visibility solutions do nothing to create efficiencies and make my job easier.
Fact – Load visibility services can help prove detention time issues and reduce the number of calls regarding the location of the driver and load. Load visibility services remove some of the micromanagement issues that surround the industry giving freedom back to the driver. Many tracking solutions even offer document sharing where the driver can upload their PODs, BOLs, etc.
Driver retention is an ongoing issue with trucking companies as well as within the trucking industry. Providing an open dialogue and insight into the driving force behind your decision to participate in load tracking can increase driver moral and decrease driver turnover. They still may not agree or want to be tracked, but they will be more willing to participate in tracking requests when they better understand the company direction.
