Meet the Logistician!

Meet Wally (Matthew Wall), Team Lead, Driver Engagement! How would you describe your current position to someone that doesn’t work in the transportation logistics industry? I manage a team that brings in carriers (individual truck drivers and larger trucking companies) to use our app to book freight that customers (shippers) tender over to us. How did you end up working in logistics? Well the job market wasn't really great when I graduated from college in 2008. I worked construction for a year and then I found a job application for a carrier sales position. I read up about the role and thought it was something I would be good at, so I applied and ultimately got the job after a couple of interviews. How many years have you worked in logistics? 11 What are some of your favorite things about working in logistics? No two days are ever the same. Each day brings you something that you haven't dealt with before. What surprises do you encounter? Too many to list! Do you have any fun work stories you’d like to share? I’ve had the great fortune of meeting a lot of truck drivers. They are some of the greatest people in the world. One driver brought me a full Thanksgiving turkey in 2020 when some of my family members got Covid and we had to cancel our Thanksgiving. Do you have a favorite saying? “Logistics is not an expense, it’s an investment.” What do you like to do in your spare time? Travel to different countries. I’ve been to over 50! What advice would you give your 21yr old self?...

Why Tracking Apps Benefit Drivers

Truck driving as an industry has changed a lot over the years. One of the most recent changes involves customer requirements when it comes to tracking shipments. Customers have always wanted to know where their freight is and liked to be notified of any delays when occurring. About 10 years ago, to track, you had to call up a driver or dispatcher and ask them where the truck was. Although most trucking companies were pretty good at giving accurate updates, some were not. Miscommunications between drivers and dispatchers were common. In other cases drivers would be unresponsive and this led to a lot of misinformation and supply chain disruptions. Thankfully today with our Sleek Fleet App it is pretty easy for just about any shipment to get accurate tracking data. This has led to fewer appointments being missed and has also made it easier for customers to get a heads-up when a shipment is going to be late for whatever reason. While certain carriers require their drivers to allow tracking, there are still a lot of drivers that I talk to that don’t understand why they should have to download an app for tracking. I hear truck drivers say things like “I’ve been around for 30 years and have never been late…why do I have to download an app?” or “It should be illegal for you to see where I am.” One thing that I think the industry has failed to do as a whole is to explain to drivers why it benefits them to get on board and allow tracking on their shipments. First off, when a driver uses...