Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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technology: Dispatch Software sions get made with profitability being the primary concern," says Sean VanDyck, vice president of sales. Besides filtering information quickly, TMS systems can notify managers instantly of decisions that stray from the plan. McLeod Software's Rapid Alert Notification System for its LoadMaster TMS platform continuously monitors transactions such as driver-load assignments. It sends an alert up the chain of command the instant a transaction falls outside custom-set parameters for areas such as deadhead miles and revenue per mile. McLeod also has a report scheduler that its customers use to automatically query LoadMaster database transactions more periodically. Some exceptions to key operating metrics take more time to develop, such as weekly revenue from a key customer. In addition to providing real-time information to fleet management, TMS systems also can help with communicating new strategies and initiatives to employees and drivers. Included in Aljex Software's cloudbased Vision TMS system is a driver portal for viewing payroll information and accessing other job-related information. One option is to use the login page as a corporate blog for announcements and to notify drivers of key plans. Aljex also is adding a feature in its dis- The Driver Feasibility feature in McLeod Software's LoadMaster TMS platform displays scheduling conflicts for potential driver-load assignments. 60 commercial carrier journal 0713_TECHFeature.indd 60 driver's current and projected HOS, location, load status and availability. "The idea is to allow customer service people to take a driver and anticipate if they are able to take an assignment based on a number of factors," says Robert Brothers, director of product development. "It is a front-end strategy to eliminate service failures." Using the integration between TMS systems and onboard computing platforms is a main customer service strategy for Oak Creek, Wis.-based Preferred Carrier Logistics. If all of its load assignments aren't compliant with HOS rules, a service failure may result. The 29-truck expedited hauler has real-time HOS information available within its cloud-based Sylectus TMS system. With drivers' HOS status visible, dispatchers have everything they need to make decisions on one load board. "You have to have a way to look at hours of service," says Craig Aimers, general manager for Preferred Carrier Logistics. "If you go back a year, I don't think shippers cared as much as long as you could pick up and deliver freight the next day. Now they care if it is happening legally." Besides using technology to prevent scheduling conflicts, carriers can boost customer service by having accurate information for when drivers will be available for the next assignment. When planning future loads, dispatchers use projections for when drivers will become available – otherwise known as the projected time available, or PTA. Most systems rely on manual input of this data from drivers and dispatchers; that's because a projection may not be acIndianapolis-based Celadon uses its centralized load planning system to help implement its new refrigerated service. patch planning screen to facilitate communication with drivers. A message will pop up when a dispatcher assigns a driver to a load; this message can be configured by fleet management for a specific driver or group. The dispatchers will convey the message to drivers and record on the popup message that the conversation took place. Preventing failures In order to prevent customer service failures, TMS systems can identify current and future conflicts due to drivers' HOS availability and other potential problems. McLeod Software's Driver Feasibility decision support tool – accessible from within the LoadMaster load planning screen – gives users an instant graphical analysis of all possible driver-load assignments that are closest to a pickup location. The tool does not calculate the optimal driver-load combinations for an entire network. Rather, it displays driver schedules on a graphical timeline to show a given load assignment's feasibility given the | july 2013 6/19/13 2:30 PM