Perhaps one of the most tangible benefits that fleets can offer their drivers is same-day pay. Mobile apps that capture images and integrate with payroll and billing systems in the back office have become essential to make this a reality.
Drivers at Packard Transportation use the XMC app from EBE Technologies to transmit images of paperwork for same-day pay.In 2002, Packard Transport, a flatbed carrier comprised of 209 owner-operators, put the infrastructure in place to pay drivers on the same day they delivered. It gave drivers the option to use truck stop scanning services or their own laptops and scanners to transmit images of delivery documents to the office.
Drivers can now use their phones to instantly transmit images from any location. Packard Transport uses a custom software system from EBE Technologies to automate its settlement process. Drivers can choose to have their same-day pay wired to them through Comdata or have a check mailed to their house, says Chris Checca, IT manager for the Channahon, Ill.-based fleet.
The company never misses a payment if drivers get their paperwork turned in on time, he says. Drivers have a number of convenient options to submit paperwork: the Xpress Mobile Capture app from EBE and the Transflo Plus mobile app along with Transflo Express truck stop scanning from Pegasus TransTech.
With the custom system from EBE, the company has reduced administrative costs as well. It used to have three full-time billing clerks; it now has one even though its order volume has increased three fold, he says.
Using mobile technology is not the only way to differentiate yourself from the competition in the minds of drivers, but it can certainly narrow the field.
Efforts to improve fuel economy have traditionally been met with fierce headwinds. Drivers quickly lose interest if they feel penalized by factors they do not control like load weight, weather and topography. New apps give drivers immediate feedback and score them fairly to increase engagement.
Businesses often use loyalty programs to influence their customers’ buying behaviors. Some in the transportation industry use similar programs to increase driver engagement.
Carriers are using the amount of data they have available on driver performance to create sophisticated performance-based pay packages. These efforts are a way to increase engagement by putting drivers’ income in their own hands.
For fleets, one of the advantages of Android and Apple devices is that most drivers — and especially the younger generation — are already familiar with the technology and appreciate the many conveniences provides.
