One of the most certain things in the trucking industry is that the wheels of technological change will always turn. As a stakeholder, it’s prudent to embrace the emerging trends, or you’ll be swept away by them.
Technology has transformed various aspects of the trucking sector, from improving vehicle surveillance to boosting fuel economy and everything in between. These innovations have one primary objective – enhancing efficiency for truck drivers and fleet management companies.
In this article, we shall look at the five major technology trends driving efficiency in the trucking system.
1.Electric Trucks
The concept of electric cars might have been dismissed as a wild imagination only a few years ago. However, the dream has since become a reality.
Ongoing campaigns for sustainable production with a view to reducing carbon footprint, coupled with the ever-rising fuel costs, have done an excellent job at mainstreaming electric cars.
The trucking industry was not about to sit out the electric vehicle craze. Electricity-powered trucks have become commonplace in our freeways, signaling a potential end to trucks traditionally driven by fossil fuels.
Recent trucking industry news points to an incredible amount of enthusiasm for electric trucks among industry stakeholders, including drivers and fleet managers.
Trucking businesses are particularly keen on tapping into this innovation to boost their brand image. That’s an ingenious marketing strategy, considering many customers prefer to associate with eco-friendly companies today.
2.Self-driving Trucks In The Trucking Industry
Human error accounts for thousands of vehicle-related accidents annually on our freeways and expressways, with long-distance truckers among the most affected groups. Self-driving cars were born out of the need to reverse these worrying statistics.
Starsky Robotics became the face of self-driving trucks in February 2018 after it completed a 7-mile driverless trip in Florida. Many companies soon joined the fray.
Besides reducing traffic carnage, driverless trucks have also been instrumental in lowering overheads for trucking companies. That’s for the simple reason that self-driving trucks operate independently of a human driver in the cab. A few personnel are all you need to track your vehicles’ movements via remote control.
However, many pundits consider driverless truck technology still in its infancy.
One of the biggest challenges is identifying the ideal roads that trucking companies can use for maximum safety and convenience. Besides, the safety of self-driving trucks ultimately depends on the conduct of other road users.
3.Dash Cams For Trucking Industry
Dash cams have been around for quite some time. But it wasn’t until recently that these powerful camera installations made their way to the trucking industry.
Dash cams function primarily as surveillance devices. They help fleet managers assess the events preceding major road incidents, including auto crashes and road rage.
An adequately installed dash cam can protect your company from falling victim to false injury claims, which are regrettably increasing.
Dash cams also provide valuable insights into driver performance. Fleet companies can rely on these cameras to identify areas for improvement to boost human and truck efficiency.
For long-distance drivers, dash cams are excellent for capturing special moments in transit. These cameras have helped glimpse rare occurrences, such as solar flares, asteroid impacts, and certain elusive animals.
4.Load Boards
The advent of the internet revolutionized the job market by providing convenient online platforms that utilize powerful algorithms to match prospective employers with qualified job seekers. Most websites function as job boards where clients and service providers sign up for profiles.
The trucking industry has also embraced this technology by introducing load boards.
A load board is essentially a job board designed to assist truck drivers in finding steady shipping work. All a driver needs to do is sign up for an account and browse the jobs listed by shipping companies.
Note that, like most job boards, load boards aren’t free from scams.
Conducting your due diligence before applying for a job listing is best. That’s especially true if the supposed offer involves traveling several miles to take a practical test.
5.Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Without mentioning artificial intelligence, this list of the best tech trends in the trucking industry would be incomplete. In fact, most emerging trends in the trucking sector rely on AI’s transformative powers.
Many trucking companies have now integrated artificial intelligence into their trackers to enhance vehicular monitoring.
AI allows fleet managers to quickly collect and analyze more data than before. Trucking companies can leverage the collected information to enhance route mapping, boost fuel economy, and optimize driver performance.
AI may also help with predictive maintenance. The technology uses powerful algorithms to foretell when a truck may need servicing based on pre-fed data.
Predictive maintenance can be instrumental in forestalling vehicular breakdowns and accidents, ensuring timely shipment. It can also reduce huge truck repair costs often caused when minor problems are allowed to degenerate into significant issues.
Summary
The trucking technology can be quite disruptive. That explains why it’s always best to be an early adopter instead of a late adapter. While the above technological trends have undoubtedly revolutionized the trucking industry, they can only help to drive efficiency in your trucking business if embraced early enough.
It’s also prudent to remember that technology is an evolving concept. Therefore, staying updated on the latest tech developments in the trucking sector can play a key role in getting your trucking company ahead of the competition.