10 Technologies Transforming the Trucking Industry
FEATURED POST
The trucking industry has rapidly evolved over the last few decades as a result of new technology.
This tech has been helping to make trucking safer, greener, more cost-effective and more efficient. Below are a few examples of technologies that are currently transforming the industry.
Telematics
Telematics is a way of remotely relaying digital information.
Using this technology, it’s now possible for trucking companies to monitor various vehicle information in real time - helping to detect vehicle faults and improve driver behavior.
Such information can include driver speed, fuel efficiency, engine health and even tire pressure.
GPS tracking
One of the most common examples of telematics is GPS tracking.
GPS navigation is essential for helping drivers find their way around.
However, GPS information can also be shared with fleet management staff to track the location of each driver, assign jobs or recommend routes.
Dash cams
Dash cams can help to record video footage of each driver’s journey.
This video footage can be useful for providing legal evidence in the event of an accident or incident, as well as being potentially used for training purposes.
It may even be possible to connect to cameras live to provide greater monitoring and support for drivers.
Fleet management software
Fleet management software can help centralize all telematic information in one place.
This software can also be used to organize drivers and track things like vehicle maintenance.
Much of this software is now cloud-based allowing information to be shared among different computers in different locations.
Digital freight brokerage
Digital freight brokerage is a way of automatically connecting shippers with available truck drivers.
As soon as an order is placed, the nearest available trucks can be identified via GPS and the shipper can choose which truck to use based on the best price.
It allows shippers to carry out orders quickly, while helping truck companies easily pick up work.
Online job advertising
There is a growing demand for truck drivers in all locations around the world.
The growth of online job advertising and online applications have helped to fill vacancies faster.
Budding truck drivers can also explore a greater range of available trucking careers including looking into the highest paid truck driver jobs in FreightTech.
Electronic logging devices
The driving time of each driver can now be automatically logged using an electronic logging device.
This is hardware that connects to the vehicle to track each driver’s hours on the road, so that hourly pay can be automatically calculated.
Blockchain freight factoring
The possibilities of blockchain technology have begun to be explored more within logistics.
Methods of receiving payment such as invoice factoring can now be processed and recorded using a blockchain - this technology can automate payments and provide a un-tamperable digital record of every transaction.
Electric vehicles
The trucks of the future are likely to be all electric.
This is likely to be cheaper and greener for trucking companies.
Right now range and load restrictions make electric trucking unfeasible, but as the technology develops in the future, these barriers may disappear.
Autonomous trucks
Another technology that is likely to transform trucking in the future is autonomous driving.
This may eliminate the need for truck drivers altogether on some routes, saving trucking companies a huge amount of money.
However, this does come with safety risks and would involve having to make many staff redundant.