Mobile technology has changed the way transportation companies operate. In today’s competitive marketplace, fleet owners are faced with a growing array of regulatory compliance challenges, and also must satisfy customer demands in an efficient, cost-effective way. Thanks to advanced onboard mobile technology and in-cab mobile printers, savvy fleet-based transport companies are not only surviving, but thriving.
With the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) implementing new rules for commercial motor carriers, leading carriers and trucking firms are facing these challenges head-on. To comply, they are installing an onboard electronic logging device (ELD) which tracks a driver’s Hours of Service (HOS) and Record of Duty Status (RDS). And, they are empowering fleet drivers with convenient, easy-to-use wireless mobile printers.
The following examples illustrate how commercial fleets can leverage automated systems to reduce driver downtime, improve door-to-door efficiency, boost customer service, and decrease fuel costs ‒ in addition to complying with FCMSA rules and regulations.
Englander Transportation specializes in refrigerated transportation of freight from Virginia and North Carolina to the West Coast, where it picks up mixed produce loads for markets back East. With two qualified drivers aboard, each truck makes the coast-to-coast turn every 5 or 6 days. The company replaced its manual logging and communications system with OmniTRACS a leading automated onboard fleet management system designed to help improve mobile asset management, driver safety and operational efficiency.
In each of its 22 truck cabs, Englander installed a laptop computer and screen and location-based software system enabling real-time, bi-directional communications between drivers in transit and the company’s Virginia headquarters. Completing the set-up is a Brother PocketJet® full-page mobile printer, a compact, easy-to-use wireless thermal printer which allows drivers to print clear, legible documents virtually anytime and anywhere. The firm anticipated a return on the investment in the first year of operation.
Learn more about Brother Mobile Printers.
Rolfson Oil delivers fuels and drilling fluids to companies engaged in oil drilling and hydraulic fracturing operations in the Bakken Shale region of North Dakota. The firm has over 150 drivers and field technicians and supports about 40 delivery trucks with capacities ranging up to 11,000 gallons. Rolfson customers require timely, round-the-clock delivery across multiple locations, as drilling crews move swiftly from well to well across the region. To keep pace and ensure accurate accounting, Rolfson drivers issue a proof-of-delivery ticket each time an order is fulfilled. Before implementing mobile technology, tickets were pre-printed at a central office before each fuel run. So, if an order was changed or re-routed to a new destination, the driver had to recalculate the receipt at the site, a process prone to human error.
Rolfson’s IT team designed an automated mobile system which enabled each driver to calculate the load and distance and create an accurate proof-of-delivery ticket at the site, using an Apple iPad mini tablet. Each driver also had a Brother RuggedJet wireless mobile printer with AirPrint to generate clear, crisp 4-inch wide tickets without the need for downloads. According to a Rolfson Oil director, the new mobile system resulted in more accurate and efficient billing and also gives drivers greater flexibility to respond to unplanned and re-directed deliveries.
As these examples illustrate, onboard mobile printing solutions can save time, reduce costs, and boost driver and customer satisfaction by making time on the road more efficient and productive and ensuring on-time deliveries.
Brother: Best-in-Class Mobile Printers
Why do transportation leaders specify Brother PocketJet and RuggedJet mobile printers? Because they value Brother printers’ best-in-class printing performance, over-the-road reliability, compact size, ease of use, and compatibility with all major operating systems and computing platforms.
With Brother mobile printers at their side, your drivers will be prepared to present e-log information upon request. Using a mobile computing device ‒ laptop, tablet or smartphone ‒ and in-cab wireless printer, they can quickly create and print a certified HOS report, as well as other documents needed during the run, including permits, bills of lading, delivery receipts, incident reports, and regulatory forms.
Learn more about Brother Mobile Printers today. Call 800-543-6144, or visit www.pocketjet7.com. Request a Free demo unit at: www.brotherdemo-transportation.com.
