CCJ

June 2015

Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal

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F leet owners and ex- ecutives expect a lot from their information technology systems and the people responsible for keeping them up to date. Last month, a panel of IT leaders at the ALK Transportation Technology Summit in Princeton, N.J., said they have been given a directive to use technology to help attract, recruit and retain drivers. "This is the year of the driver," said Tom Benusa, chief information of- ficer of Transport America, an Eagan, Minn.-based truckload carrier with 1,450 trucks. John Reed, CIO of AIM Natio- naLease, is following the same marching order. "Our executives are looking for efficiencies and to keep drivers pleased and how we can retain them long term," Reed said. "Recruiting and retention are huge." The panelists agreed that mobile applications are the best way to ac- complish those employment goals. John Paape, vice president of technology for Roehl Transport, said drivers between the ages of 24 and 29 are an important demographic to recruit and retain. "They have grown up with a screen in their hands," Paape said. "A lot of younger employees are coming in wanting to do work on their phone." Roehl provides dry van, refriger- technology 38 commercial carrier journal | june 2015 ated, flatbed and dedicated services, but Paape described the Marshfield, Wis.-based carrier in different terms: "We are a technology company that does transportation." Going mobile In April, Google announced it was changing its algorithm for mobile searches to make mobile-friendly websites better positioned in search results. To align with this change, Roehl has initiated a "mobile first" strategy. All of its websites and applications are developed to be mobile-friendly, especially those intended for driver interaction. IT demands: Fleet owners and executives expect a lot from their information technology systems. PrIme dIrecTIve: IT directors are using technology to help attract, recruit and retain drivers. enhancInG drIver mobIlITy: Perhaps the biggest challenge is protecting their off-duty time. Making the latest technology developMents work for your fleet by AAron HuFF Apps key to recruiting, retaining younger drivers Mobile is on the way From left, bill cassidy, Tom benusa, John Paape and John reed participated in a cIo panel discussion on mobile apps at last month's alK Transportation Technology summit.

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