If you own a transportation trucking company, you might have come across truck driver management software as a means of improving fleet management. Or, if you're new to this concept, you may be wondering how it can assist shipping logistics companies in streamlining their operations. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, there’s much to learn about how this software can benefit your business.
For starters, it can reduce churn and improve driver satisfaction. That's right: incorporating a software tool into your operations can be an effective truck driver recruitment strategy. In today's competitive job market, where finding and retaining top talent is difficult, the importance of adopting truck driver management software cannot be overstated.
We’re here to guide you through utilizing truck driver management software to help individuals in the transportation, trucking, and professional driving industries streamline their operations and reduce churn.
The Importance of Truck Driver Management Software in the Transport Industry
In the transport industry, efficient management of truck drivers is critical for the timely delivery of goods and services. With the rise of technology, truck driver management software has become an essential tool for fleet managers to track, monitor, and optimize the performance of their drivers. That said, here are some of the top reasons a platform to simplify your drivers’ lives is worth adding to your tech stack.
Makes It Easier for Your Fleet to Get the Job Done
The first reason software can help your fleet is that it can automate tedious portions of their role, such as time-sucking administrative tasks your team dislikes. By reducing the time your drivers have to spend completing manual tasks, the more time they’ll have to get their actual work done.
This will ultimately make your fleet more efficient—not to mention happier. Your team will also love it if the software offers a one-click invoicing tool, which is a win-win for drivers and your management team, as they’ll get paid quickly and more efficiently.
Another awesome feature truck driver management software offers? The ability to automatically indicate to the management team and the client what time the driver will arrive with the products. Less work for your drivers is always great news.
Start Their Day on the Right Note
Members of your fleet who do not have access to truck driver management software can experience a lack of direction. By using this tool, drivers can get a clear picture of their day ahead and information about where they can get cost-effective fuel and weather alerts to stay safe.
Drivers Can Rest Assured They’re Being Evaluated Accurately
Because these tools provide invaluable insights into how drivers are doing, your fleet can be confident that their skills are being evaluated accurately when it comes time for a performance review.
Plan Out the Entire Week Seamlessly
There are too many perks to name them all, but one major reason investing in truck driver management software is worthwhile is because it allows your operations team to coordinate your drivers’ whole week. This is completed in one centralized place, so there’s no toggling back and forth between outdated spreadsheets.
Components of Truck Driver Management Software (and How They Improve Fleet Performance)
Though truck driver management software can make a big difference for both your operations team and your drivers, it’s imperative you choose the right provider. To do so, you’ll need to determine your ideal software's components.
To help, we compiled a list of some of the most important features you should look for when sourcing your software. Keep this list handy as you compare different truck driver management software options to ensure you pick the best one.
Route Planning and Optimization
Your truck driver management software should offer route planning and optimization. Not only is this helpful for your operations team, as they can better divvy up work for your drivers, but it’s also helpful for your fleet.
With just a quick glance at the platform, your drivers will know their route for the day ahead. This eliminates any frustration or confusion that may arise without an optimized plan.
Driver Behavior Monitoring
Drivers deserve to be recognized for what they’re doing well. Additionally, with driver behavior monitoring, you can help your fleet figure out where they need to grow and improve.
Driver behavior monitoring is just as valuable for the operations team as it is for the drivers, as it sets expectations. Plus, it helps you understand what a driver’s strengths are and where they fit into your fleet best. You can get insights into truck driver traffic patterns, too.
Fleet Maintenance and Management
You know how complicated fleet maintenance and management can be—from juggling multiple applications or spreadsheets just to find driver, load, and customer information. Luckily, truck driver management software can help eliminate any complications and simplify the industry's administrative side.
If you pick a truck driver management software created by a trucking company, you can rest assured you’re in good hands. This is because the team that created the software knows exactly how complicated fleet management can be. OpenRoad TMS falls into this category, as truckers created the platform.
Real-Time Tracking and Analytics
Your drivers have enough on their minds—they shouldn’t need to worry about updating the operations team or the customer with their ETA. Truck driver management software does this automatically so your drivers can rest assured their ETA is shared without having to do so manually. Again, this reduces stress, which reduces churn—and saves you money.
Fleet Compliance Management
Whether you have a fleet of 20 or a fleet of a hundred, compliance management isn’t anyone’s favorite part of the role—and it can feel like its own full-time job. You don’t have to tackle it alone, however.
The right platform will help you see how your fleet complies with safety standards. You’ll be able to easily learn more information about everything, ranging from hours of service to must-know expiration dates and more. With the help of a good platform, accessing maintenance records is a breeze.
Intelligent Dispatching
An effective platform allows drivers to use a mobile app to receive dispatched loads. This ultimately makes their lives easier—which, again, makes for happier drivers.
Easy Invoicing
It’s the end of a long workday driving. You know what your drivers don’t want to do? Manually complete an invoice. With the correct software, your drivers won’t have to anymore.
Instead, the invoicing process can be completed with just a single click. This reduces stress for drivers and ensures the operations team is happy, as you’ll get paid more efficiently. Now that’s a win-win.
Make the Most Out of Your Truck Driver Management Software
Now that you know how truck driver management software can make a difference for your fleet, you’re probably ready to start with a tool to help you reap these benefits. If you want to learn how to use truck driver management software to simplify your drivers’ days, give a free trial of OpenRoad TMS a go and see how it makes a difference.