Company: Holland (Holland, MI)
Operation: Regional LTL carrier with approximately 4,200 tractors and over 7,100 trailers servicing 12 states and two Canadian provinces from 57 service centers
Problem:
Making thousands of deliveries every day is a logistical puzzle not easily solved. Trying to do so with older equipment—especially in-cab equipment that is unreliable—makes the job that much tougher.
The older system used to handle the pickup-and-delivery operations for less-than-truckload carrier Holland was not as intuitive, easy to use, or efficient as Holland wanted. Driver workflow and information gathering at the office were also concerns. In addition, the carrier faces the same challenges many do when it comes to recruiting millennial drivers.
“We are set to attract a new generation of young drivers with best-in-class technology that will make their jobs easier,” says Scott Ware, president of the Holland, MI-based carrier.
What technology, though, was the question.
Solution:
Holland turned to Honeywell’s Pickup and Delivery solution. The android-based software runs on Honeywell’s Dolphin CT50 mobile computer and allows drivers to navigate through their workday, communicate with dispatch, and update shipment status in real time. Drivers can also scan labels and take pictures of shipments when necessary.
“The new solution provides improved connectivity and reliability, an in-cab charging solution that keeps the battery charged all day, and a more efficient workflow-based P&D application,” says Ware.
The solution was rolled out to Holland’s city drivers first. Because it includes an option for an app, it will be added to the tool belt for linehaul drivers as well.
Already, Holland has seen a number of benefits. “One of the major benefits is the foundation that this system has laid for future applications,” Ware notes. “The Honeywell CT50 paired with the Honeywell Transportation Workflow Mobile platform will run all of Holland’s in-cab and driver-facing applications. With this foundation in place, we were able to quickly install and begin testing our ELD solution in a matter of a couple of weeks.”
The Dolphin CT50 features a smartphone-like experience and can be carried in a driver’s pocket. The system ties directly into Holland’s dispatch system, giving both dispatchers and customers more visibility into the pickup-and-delivery process.
