COVID-19 has had a drastic effect on the entire world, and the trucking industry is no exception. Trucking fleets are having to change and adapt to COVID and other trends affecting trucking fleet efficiency.
This article will outline shifting trends in the transportation business, including increased freight service demand, data management, and regulatory changes. Additionally, we will discuss what you can do to improve your fleet’s efficiency, including going mobile, switching to digital processes, and implementing automation.
We will also explain how courier route optimization software is a new top tool for enterprises and outline the best free route optimization software for your business.
Shifting Trends in the Transportation Business
The freight market is continuing to drive forward with technologies, efficiency, and savings. These changes are a natural evolution for the industry, mainly driven by demand, data, and regulatory developments. COVID-19 has heightened many of these transitions due to changes in consumer behavior related to the pandemic.
Increased Freight Service Demand
The high demand for rapid freight services hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down anytime soon. Overnight shipping and deliveries have continued to increase in popularity, and delivery and distribution fleets have been working around the clock to meet this type of demand.
Data Management
Fleet managers must keep up with the high volume of fleet data that drivers are now generating. As fleets adopt monitoring technology (such as telematics solutions and connected dashcams), it becomes easier for managers to understand their drivers’ behavior on the road. Some connected camera solutions include data packages that allow managers to locate vehicles via GPS, improve fuel efficiency, offer efficient dispatching services, and develop coaching opportunities for drivers. With so many connected devices, managing data is becoming more critical than ever before for fleets.
Regulatory Changes
The electronic logging device (ELD) mandate drastically changed how the transportation industry routinely operates. Since then, more major policies affecting fleets have gone under review. These include Hours of Service (HOS) regulations and Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) Scoring Guidelines.
Legislation such as the California Consumer Privacy Act also affects how fleet data is collected and stored. It pays for fleets to stay on top of new regulatory changes and make sure to remain compliant in advance of deadlines to avoid fines.
What You Can Do To Increase the Efficiency of Your Fleet
Ongoing efforts to keep drivers safe during the pandemic go hand in hand with increased fleet efficiency measures. The use of smartphones, paperless options, and automation have allowed companies to streamline processes and decrease exposure risks.
Go Mobile
Most truck drivers own a personal smartphone. With this device, they can submit paperwork from inside their cab using a mobile capture app.
Going mobile is especially prudent during COVID-19. Drivers and staff don’t come into contact with each other as much, and there’s no issue with having to exchange physical paper copies. The result is improved efficiencies and safer drivers.
Mobile paperwork has further benefits, such as cutting hardware expenses and initiating billing immediately upon delivery.
Switch to Digital Processes
Due to COVID-19, trucking companies have been changing up their processes. Many are implementing digital and paperless operations to enable remote work.
Companies are streamlining their processes by going digital. This shift in processes helps them handle invoicing, settlements, collections, and the storing of driver documents and carrier contracts. All of this has the potential to boost your fleet’s efficiency and boost your bottom line.
Document management and back-office automation software can help fleets digitize their processes and make them more efficient.
Implement Automation
Having more documents and data available in digital format makes it possible for fleets to finally automate tasks that have been taking up time for decades. Trucking companies can stop doing these processes manually and see an immediate and considerable return on investment from automating their fleets’ processes.
Workflow automation software lets fleet managers automate tasks such as tagging document types, indexing, repetitive data entry, and verifying amounts. Collection reminders, settlement sheets, invoice packages, and general ledger updates all receive the same software.
Route Optimization Software Is A Top Tool For Enterprises
Route optimization software involves creating efficient transport plans to cut costs, save time, and best utilize available resources. Manually planning routes is inefficient when your fleet drivers cover hundreds or thousands of destinations during a given period.
According to the American Transportation Research Institute, in many industries, drivers’ wages and fuel costs make up 33% and 24% of the total operational cost per mile of fleet vehicles, respectively. Even incremental improvements to drivers’ routes can help them serve clients faster and significantly impact your fleet’s bottom line positively.
Proper courier route optimization software can help your fleet save in mileage and improve its order capacity without increasing its size.
What's the Best Free Route Optimization Software for Your Business?
TruckRouter
TruckRouter is one of the best free route optimization software options for trucking fleets. Its main features are trucking routes, regulation information, and a trip cost calculator.
The trucking industry is dynamic and complex, and it has unique needs. TruckRouter’s creators had truck drivers in mind during their development process. Because of the software’s industry-targeted design, its routing software can specifically address truckers’ complex needs.
TruckRouter is by far the best free route optimization software for trucking fleets. It contains features such as weight/height restriction information, stops optimization, truck-specific routes, and a trip cost calculator.
The free software that TruckRouter provides is a great tool to keep trucking fleets ahead of schedule. It also features truck warnings, toll roads with cost information, and route elevation information.
The software is easy to learn, and your drivers can complete the registration process in minutes. If you are looking for the best free route optimization software, look no further than TruckRouter.
Despite COVID-19 and other threats to the trucking industry, fleets are still finding ways to improve their efficiencies, and Azuga is discovering ways to help in the process.
Shifting trends in the transportation business, including increased freight service demand, data management, and regulatory changes, have necessitated increases in your trucking fleet’s efficiency, such as going mobile and creating and automating digital processes.
Route optimization software has become a top tool for fleet enterprises, and TruckRouter has proved to be the best free route optimization software for your business.
