Stop and think about the vital role over-the-road drivers play in the supply chain. Out on the highway, you might get annoyed at the semi that’s right on your tail, pushing hard toward the next stop. But consider this: More than 70% of all freight in the U.S. moves by truck, according to transportation research nonprofit TRIP.
As these men and women are such a vital asset in the world of cargo-hauling B2B logistics, companies that rely on trucked freight for their very existence appreciate the importance of the driver experience. They know the relationship with drivers and carriers is a two-way street. If you treat them right, they’ll deliver for you, especially when capacity is tight. But earn a black mark by providing a poor experience, and it could come back to bite you.
Operators of facilities (warehouses and distribution or fulfillment centers, manufacturing operations, etc.) play a crucial role in shaping driver satisfaction. It’s in their own self-interest, therefore, to strive to create a driver-friendly environment that builds on and strengthens carrier relationships and long-term loyalty.
The driver lounge is one way that many facilities seek to cater to road-weary drivers with a bit of downtime between stops. They can include everything from sofas and chairs, restrooms, Wi-Fi, and charging stations to vending machines and microwave ovens. Some even go above and beyond, offering showers, laundry, full kitchens, flat-screen TVs, and sleeping areas.
While all of these are nice, thoughtful amenities, many drivers today, especially younger ones, would rather get in, drop their loads, pick up a new one, and take to the highway. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) mandates that drivers must take a 30-minute break after eight cumulative hours of driving – and electronic logging devices (ELDs) are there to keep them honest. These folks want to keep rolling as much as possible, stick to the schedule, and earn their pay.
How do you improve the driver experience? The best way is to remove as many roadblocks as possible at the gate, in the yard, and at docks. Now, innovative AI-enabled technology can automate processes and optimize yard processes in ways that benefit shippers and drivers, boosting carrier loyalty.
How a Poor Driver Experience Impacts Costs
Even for drivers who aren’t itching to skip the lounge and move on, backups at the gate caused by inefficient check-in/checkout and poor communication are a major annoyance. At many facilities, yard staff still use manual processes and physical paperwork to verify drivers and loads at the gate.
Dock personnel likewise often rely on exchanging actual documents such as a bill of lading (BOL) and proof of delivery (POD) before accepting a delivery or releasing a load and sending the driver on their way. Drivers must wait for the paperwork to be printed, signed, and verified. If multiple parties need to review and sign, it adds more waiting time. Handwritten mistakes and lost or incomplete documents require corrections, also causing delays. Drivers may have to wait while a new BOL or POD is generated.
At the gate or the dock, these manual processes often require drivers to get out of their vehicles to interact with yard personnel. In a busy facility, with trucks constantly flowing in and out, this can prove to be a safety risk. Drivers need to be continually aware of the specific safety protocols required for walking around every yard. Forget your safety vest or hard hat and you may not be invited back to that facility, a bad result for all parties.
Not every driver, of course, wants to just get in and out. Some may actually prefer interactions with yard staff and enjoy relaxing in the driver lounge to get rested up. So providing various amenities is still necessary, but it’s important to find ways to optimize workflows for those itching to move on.
Whether it’s a lack of lounge amenities, poor communication, or a slow, cumbersome yard process, drivers aren’t shy about expressing their opinions about facilities where they’ve had a bad experience. And today they have many channels for doing so, from forums like TruckersReport, the truckers sub-Reddit, and Facebook groups to Google reviews and Yelp and apps like Dock411 and Trucker Path. Old-school methods include CB radio and truck stops.
If a facility is notorious for long detention times or poor treatment, drivers may refuse loads from that location. Carriers track “bad shippers/receivers” and may charge higher rates or stop servicing them altogether.
Key Areas for Enhancing the Driver Experience
The ability to provide faster check-in/checkout through digital solutions is a key way to improve a facility’s reputation among time-crunched drivers, which spills over to carrier management.
Providing clear yard signage and an intuitive layout that directs drivers where they need to go is another plus, minimizing confusion and unnecessary delays. And of course driver amenities are still an important feature, including ample parking, restrooms, Wi-Fi, and food options.
The ability to provide effective real-time communication with drivers, including the use of digital tools that send push notifications and directions – and critically, break through language barriers – is another experience-boosting plus.
How Technology Can Give Your Yard a Digital Makeover
By eliminating manual paperwork processing with mobile-based solutions, drivers can quickly scan their devices at a gate kiosk for verification and facility access. This increases throughput, optimizes truck and freight flow, and reduces emissions caused by excessive dwell time.
The ability to create digital documentation (BOL, POD, pick list, etc.) via integration with existing systems not only speeds up dock processing but creates an electronic paper trail for load verification, inventory management, and other processes. Drivers can quickly drop and pick up loads, and issues with lost documents and manual errors disappear.
These types of tools for gate and dock processes and digital documents can integrate via API with TMS and YMS. This provides real-time visibility into truck movements, dock availability, and load status. Instead of manual data entry or delays in updating arrival/departure status, automated solutions instantly sync truck and load data with the TMS/YMS.
Real-time updates and automated instructions quickly guide drivers through the yard. Universal communication tools overcome language barriers, providing clarity and reducing the risk of miscommunication. This not only enhances operational efficiency but improves driver satisfaction.
The Business Case for a Driver-Friendly Facility
By implementing digital tools for gate access and dock processing, facilities can reduce dwell time, resulting in faster truck turns, increased throughput, and greater supply chain efficiency. An ancillary benefit is a reduction in carbon emissions. In addition to contributing to sustainability goals, this helps companies in California meet the state’s indirect source rule (ISR) that makes facility operators responsible for third-party emissions.
Faster processing also means less exposure to detention fees that result when drivers remain at a facility beyond the one or two hours of free time agreed to by the carrier. Detention fees typically range from $50 to $100 per hour. A 2024 study by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) found that driver detention contributed to higher truck speeds. The report also found detention occurring at nearly 40% of stops, totaling 135 million driver hours in 2023. Detention also cuts into driver hours of service (HOS) requirements and limits their earning potential.
Through a combination of lounge amenities, plus a smoother, more efficient digital yard workflow, companies can achieve the unofficial “shipper of choice” designation from drivers and carriers. This not only results in greater loyalty and access to capacity, but can also lower your freight costs. Data from top rate tools shows that companies identified as “shipper of choice” typically pay rates that are 10% to 12% less on average for the same lane.
In addition to all these benefits, the use of digital tools for gate and dock access helps companies transition to paperless operations. This not only reduces paper and printer usage but cuts down on labor costs as well as human error.
How Facilities Can Take Action Today
Companies can begin this process by conducting a driver experience audit to identify pain points and find out what works and doesn’t work for them.
From there, implement solutions in a phased manner – for instance, starting with digital check-in/checkout and a real-time driver communication tool. Once they have been proven and results achieved, consider expanding into e-documentation to optimize dock loading/unloading operations.
Look for a technology partner with a proven AI-enabled platform designed to streamline and digitize driver workflows. The focus should be on increasing efficiency, reducing manual tasks, and enhancing safety and transparency with a touchless, self-service experience.
The Digital Path to Greater Driver Satisfaction
With carrier loyalty such a critical piece of supply chain flow, companies need to find creative ways to improve the driver experience. Having a well-appointed lounge is certainly an attractive perk. But given today’s demanding schedules, many drivers would rather drop their loads, pick up a new one, and move on.
FreightRoll, an innovator in AI-enabled yard orchestration, has developed a platform designed to streamline and digitize driver workflows. The FreightRoll digitalGUARD solution lets drivers scan their phones at the gate, complete their check-in, and receive instructions on how to proceed.
FreightRoll’s digitalBOLhelps facilitate the transition to paperless operations. Users can interact with the BOL via their devices, creating a digital paper trail for audit and compliance purposes. This reduces errors and speeds up dispute resolution.
FreightRoll’s digitalCOMMS allows for post-check-in driver orchestration from the palm of the hand. This includes dock assignment, yard spot assignment, loading started, loading complete, documentation ready, inspection instructions, and several other options.
To learn more about how we can streamline and optimize your yard operations, contact FreightRoll today.
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