New tech startup connects carriers and brokers with review platform

Technology Shorts

Technology news and briefs for the week of Aug. 7, 2022:

Former G2 employees launch new tech startup

A new tech startup has entered the trucking scene.

CarrierSource, launched by former G2 employees, is an online review marketplace that combines FMCSA safety and insurance information with verified reviews to help brokers/shippers find the best carriers and help carriers build their business.

Carriers can post a free listing on the platform where they can share their preferred lanes and load types, gather authentic reviews and elevate their online presence. This data helps brokers and shippers better understand potential carriers while saving them time from making calls to find a suitable carrier.

“In an industry that hinges on relationships, bringing trusted data to logistics will skyrocket supply chain efficiency,” said Tim Handorf, executive chairman of CarrierSource and co-founder of G2.com. “Peer reviews are the backbone of so many fields, and we believe that by creating more transparency, CarrierSource will revolutionize the logistics space.”

The new company also includes Rob Light as CEO, G2 co-founder Mark Myers as chief design officer, and early G2 employees Hamed Asghari as chief technology officer and Clara Flaherty as head of growth.

Verizon Connect offers new dashcam options

Fleet management software provider Verizon Connect has launched a new safety solution.

Its advanced artificial intelligence dashcam alerts fleet managers of potentially dangerous driving events in real-time and provides in-cab coaching with real-time driver alerts when drivers exhibit high-risk behaviors.

The advanced driver assistance system helps monitor tailgating, pedestrians and cyclists, while the driver-monitoring system tracks distracted driving, phone usage, fatigue and more.

The Cloud-based AI distills data into insights, and video footage is automatically analyzed for severity and tagged with context so managers know what is important and actionable. Customers can automatically send video footage of the incidents to the platform so it can be reviewed by the appropriate people and managers and used to coach drivers.

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Integrated video is available to new and existing Fleet and Reveal customers with two new camera models: a dual-facing camera and a road-facing only option that can be upgraded with a driver-facing camera add-on.

The recently launched single and dual-camera model hardware features include a modular design, making it easy to upgrade; a smaller device that is easy to self-install with fewer cables and wires; hardware that enables enhancements for future use; a lens cap for privacy; and real-time, in-cab audio alerts when unsafe driving habits occur.

Rand McNally adds wired asset tracker

Rand McNally has expanded its asset tracker lineup.

A wired option is now available in addition to a solar-powered tracker and a battery-driven version.

TrueTrack W110 connects and supplies pings every two minutes as a standard offering. The industries’ average ping rates on wireless trackers can range anywhere from once every 30 minutes to once per day.

“We have customers who transport very high-value cargo and need to know where it is at all times,” said Rand McNally Vice President of Product Adam Ricketts. “We were able to develop this wired solution and get it running on the Rand Platform, which enables even more access to key information such as external temperature and humidity readings.”

Detroit-based Voyager Express has been using the Rand McNally wired tracker on the new Rand Platform. It allows the company, which uses drop-and-hook trailers that transport automotive parts, to see where its trailers are at all times and know whether they’re on schedule for their deliveries.

Updated and new products will be integrated into the new Rand Platform in coming months.

Drivewyze integrates with Verizon Connect

Verizon Connect Reveal customers will now have integrated access to Drivewyze weigh station bypass and Drivewyze Safety+ services.

The integration provides those customers with access to Drivewyze through the Verizon Connect marketplace, allowing vehicle and driver data to automatically sync to Drivewyze applications, simplifying the onboarding process and delivering real-time bypass opportunities at more than 800 locations in 45 states and provinces.

Drivewyze operates the largest public-private weigh station bypass network in North America.

“Drivewyze provides seamless access to its services that help improve operating efficiencies and enable companies to focus on driver safety,” said Verizon Connect Director of Product Management Erin Cave. “Weigh station bypasses are an easy and effective way for fleets and owner/operators to reduce operating expenses, fuel costs, and improve driver productivity.”

With the integration, Drivewyze provides the weigh station with data like safety scores and registration in addition to Verizon Connect’s driver and vehicle information. The data is then calculated against the bypass criteria established by the state or province, giving the driver permission via their mobile device one mile out to bypass the site if the carrier and vehicle meet the criteria.

Activating Drivewyze on the Verizon Connect platform can be done quickly and easily because no transponders are required.

Angel Coker Jones is a senior editor of Commercial Carrier Journal, covering the technology, safety and business segments. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and kayaking, horseback riding, foraging for medicinal plants and napping. She also enjoys traveling to new places to try local food, beer and wine. Reach her at [email protected].