“ALK’s great mapping tools, with weather and traffic overlays, give us access to a whole a new set of capabilities,” he added. “Now we have a new platform for innovation, for developing things the industry has never seen before.”
One urgent industry problem that PeopleNet hopes to help address - in part with the new mapping tools from ALK - is the driver shortage.
“The industry has seen driver shortages in the past, but this time it is different,” Kessler said, noting that this time, the driver shortage is going to persist due in part to the upcoming ELD mandate, the number of drivers retiring and tighter screening requirements, such as hair follicle testing for drug use.
"We want to deliver services that enhance the driver’s lifestyle by making it easier to manage challenges on the road such as Hours of Service, traffic and bad weather," he told Fleet Owner. "We also want to make it easier for drivers to get home for family things such as a little league baseball game, a birthday. If we can help make the job of being a driver less stressful and more rewarding, we hope we can help keep drivers in the industry and attract new people to it."