Need Truck Drivers? GPS Trailer Tracking Can Help

Need Truck Drivers? GPS Trailer Tracking Can Help

The truck driver shortage continues to climb according to the recent data from the American Trucking Association. Large truckload fleets had a 97% turnover rate an increase of 7% over the fourth quarter. Smaller fleets had a turnover rate of 83% which is up from 76% over the fourth quarter. These increases are very likely to continue due the new hours of service rules that went into effect July 1.

The new HOS rules means that truck drivers will have a schedule to stick to that requires taking a 30-minute break in the first eight hours of driving as well as a new maximum workweek of 70 hours which is a decrease of 12 hours down from 82. Normally if you told most of the American working population that they had to cut their work hours by as much as 15% due to a new government regulation, there would be cheering and dancing in the streets. However, what those not in trucking don’t understand is that for truckers, every hour spent on the road equals more miles driven. More miles driven mean more money… and unfortunately for many truckers, money is earned only by working/driving as much as is humanly possible.

So hopefully these new changes will increase highway safety as they were designed to do by the FMCSA. But they will tremendously challenge the motosr carriers to keep the drivers they have and recruit additional drivers to fill their depleting ranks. The carriers will put more pressure on their recruiters to find available drivers which may mean spending more advertising dollars, increasing pay and providing more sign on bonuses. However my opinion is that the driver of today wants to work for the carrier that helps the driver maximize his time behind the wheel by employing technology that will increase operational efficiencies.

Trailer Tracking has already proven itself as a desirable technological money saving tool as industry statistics show that by installing a trailer tracking device a fleet can expect as much as a 10% improvement in operational efficiency as well as much as a 10% decrease in their insurance premium. Trailer Tracking can also help your fleet attract more drivers in three ways.

1.    All drivers want top pay and they want to maximize their time in the truck.

·       Trailer tracking will allow a fleet to know where a trailer really is not where it was. This will help the driver.

·       Trailer tracking can help a fleet to identify equipment needing maintenance before it is dispatched. This will help the driver.

·       Trailer tracking provides regular idle trailer reports to help keep trailers moving in the system which means more available loads for the drivers.

2.    Trailer Tracking with true real-time information lets a fleet know where their equipment is at all times

·       Trailer tracking with sensory real-time data capability will help improve trailer turns by advising when trailers are full or empty.

·       Trailer tracking with reefer sensors will help the fleet to keep track of refrigerated load temperatures to allow the driver to operate freely without additional stops to check the reefer.

·       Trailer tracking with door sensors will help the fleet to know that a trailer door was not opened when in the driver’s possession to keep him out of claims mitigation.

·       Trailer tracking that includes a reefer fuel sensor allows a fleet to know the fuel capacity of a reefer fuel tank before the reefer is dropped. This will prevent a driver from having to make an unnecessary trip for fuel.

·       More sensors are on the way to assist with tire inflation, air pressure that will further improve the drain on the driver time.

3.    Trailer tracking keeps you from wasting the fleet’s dollars and the driver’s time locating equipment.

·       Happier drivers won’t leave your employment.

·       Happier drivers will tell others of their good fortune.

·       Happier drivers will help keep a fleets customers satisfied.