FMCSA Wants to Know: Can Tech Reduce Dock Delays?

 Time is money, especially when you’re waiting to load or unload.

So, how is technology really reducing delays?

 The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is asking fleets, drivers, and logistics managers about how they use technology like ELDs, cloud-based computing, mobile apps, and trailer tracking to manage their time at shipping and receiving facilities. Specifically, the agency wants to learn more about devices that can record loading, unloading, and delay times; whether there’s a way to accurately compare the cost of loading and unloading delays; how carriers and shippers address wait times and delays in their contracts; and more. We’ve seen how technology can help carriers and drivers be more efficient and quantify their time. For example:

• An ELD with telematics can accurately account for the driver’s schedule and location, and help the carrier make sure the shipper or receiver is ready when the vehicle arrives.
• A mobile digital workflow management solution like Transflo’s cloud-based Mobile+ platform allows the carrier to communicate delivery instructions and digital documents well in advance.
• A GPS-based tracking system can automatically record when the vehicle arrives and leaves. It can also account for loading and unloading time and calculate detention into the invoice.
• The latest generation of trailer telematics is all about uninterrupted two-way communications, including data logging, GPS location, and active tracking. Two-way trailer telematics make it easier for shippers, carriers, and receivers to monitor the location and manage the condition of the goods inside the trailer so it’s ready to go—and easy to find—when the truck arrives.

How are you using technology to reduce delays? Send a comment to the FMCSA. You can find a complete list of questions HERE. To make a public comment, go to www.regulations.gov and search for Docket No. FMCSA-2019-0054. The deadline is Sept. 9. Additionally, you can learn more about Transflo’s ELD, telematics, GPS, and now trailer tracking services.

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