The Best Trucking Technologies You're Not Using and Why You Need to Start

As a fleet owner, you know that there are tons of different technologies that are available to you. In fact, there are so many that it can be difficult to know which ones are essential and which ones you can wait on. Here are a few technologies that your business simply cannot do without.

Dynamic Routing

When delivery from point A to point B is the bulk of your business, the route that the trucks take is crucial. Optimizing the route to maximize profitability for each run is what keeps your company in business. However, what happens when something interferes with that route, such as weather or major accidents blocking the highway. In the old days, the driver would just have to wait things out or make a decision that possibly could have made things even worse.

These days, there is such a thing as dynamic routing software. This enables you to change the route on the fly if need be. You can come up with a route that goes around the blockage so that the driver does not lose time. If the truck is being used for picking up inventory, you can add stops along the way to avoid backtracking or going in a direction that makes the route less-than-optimal.

GPS Tracking

Out of all of the technologies listed here, this is by far the one you need to get first. GPS is perfect for scenarios where you need to track the truck. For instance, if the truck has been stolen and it needs to be located as quickly as possible. There are many other ways that GPS is useful, however, beyond security.

For instance, many private truck companies work with local sales campaigns to increase revenue. By having GPS on the truck, you are able to track exactly where that advertising is being viewed. This is data that the advertising company will gladly pay extra for. GPS is an excellent means to increase productivity and peace of mind. You can check out a guide on the best GPS systems right here.

Collision Mitigation

This is one of the most exciting forms of technology that has come out recently. Collision mitigation systems work to reduce preventable accidents. They usually employ features that can help the driver avoid blind spot collisions.

Radar is employed to avoid head-on collisions and also to aid in spotting obstacles in the road. The more advanced systems come with stability programs to help prevent rollovers and the ability to take corrective actions by themselves, without driver intervention. Collision mitigation systems are starting to come standard on many new trucks, but they are also able to be retrofitted on trucks that are older.

Temperature Control

When hauling a load that includes refrigerated or frozen items, the driver and company need to be able to show that the proper temperature was kept at all times. This can be done quite easily with electronic temp controls installed in each trailer. The great benefit of this is it will be that much easier to sign contracts with food companies when this technology is present.