Mobile Technology Gives Drivers New Opportunities for Growth

Technology has transformed the supply chain over the past two decades. Shippers, large asset-based carriers, brokers and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) all now have access to a wide range of tools to streamline day-to-day operations, improve performance and increase profitability. However, even with all of these advancements, there's been one group that's largely been ignored — drivers. Despite being the lifeblood of the supply chain, drivers have lacked solutions designed to meet their specific needs. As a result, owner operators have continued to be at a disadvantage by not having direct access to large shippers and being forced to work through carriers and brokers and, consequently, lose a percentage of profits in the process. But thanks to recent developments in mobile transportation technology, that's about to change. Finally Giving Drivers Direct Access to Shippers With approximately 350,000 registered owner operators in the U.S., it's historically been impractical for large shippers to work with them directly due to the need to manually communicate with and maintain compliance and safety records for each. As a result, drivers and small fleets have either missed out on the opportunity to haul that freight or have had to engage through brokers or other carriers. However, transportation solutions that manage backend driver data for the shippers are removing this roadblock and opening the door for drivers to work directly with shippers. And by making these solutions available on mobile devices, they can now have direct access to these loads wherever they are using their smartphone. That's critical for a workforce that spends a large amount of time on the road. In addition to connecting drivers with loads, these...

Technology Built to Improve the Profitability of Independent Truckers

Technology and Transportation Technology now plays a major role in the transportation and logistics space, and its influence continues to expand. After initially being heavily weighted in favor of helping shippers optimize their supply chain networks, technology is finally starting to address the needs of truck drivers. Yet, most of today's 'technologies' represent incremental enhancements to long-standing tools like load boards and routing guides. Sleek Fleet's technology is different — its solution provides independent truckers seamless access to freight bypassing the high cost of the middleman. Drivers Spoke and We Listened At Sleek Fleet's inception, we recognized that our success with owner operators depends on addressing the long-standing challenge of direct access to large shippers. With this in mind, we conducted a comprehensive survey of 223 owner operators to gain deeper insight into current methods of utilizing technology and acquiring loads. Several themes emerged: Simple is Better — Any mobile technology needs to be easy-to-adopt and focused on core challenges. Solutions with bells and whistles such as route-planning and optimization tools add needless complexity. Security is Paramount — Drivers cited the importance of online security and keeping their information private as their foremost concern. Focus on Direct Access to Freight — Improving the load-acquisition process and securing greater rate transparency are prerequisites for enhancing the earning potential of drivers. Eliminate the Middleman — 90% of the survey participants expressed interest in working directly with shippers to book loads. At present, only 13% of respondents listed this as a current load source. Streamline the Process — 83% of drivers cited expedited payments and relief from detention issues as important considerations. Combining...