Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/993011
commercial carrier journal | june 2018 33 BETTER PLANNING Predictive maintenance and actionable information mean greater equipment uptime and stronger compliance. Contact Us: tmwsystems.com phone: 1.800.401.6682 gent way to control cost on our end," Pippen said. Prior to using ShiftPixy, ZDS dispatchers were contacting drivers manu- ally to see who could cover extra routes as demand and service needs arose. The first willing driver to answer was dispatched, which often resulted in paying drivers overtime to cover extra shifts. ShiftPixy keeps track of hours and shifts worked through its driver mo- bile app. ZDS dispatchers have visibility to drivers' hours and are given recommendations through the platform for which drivers they should contact, in what order, to cover shifts while minimizing labor costs. Keeping up with Amazon One of ZDS' largest customers is Amazon Logistics. Every day, Am- azon sends delivery route plans to ZDS that show hours associated with each route. ZDS uses this information to create schedules in ShiftPixy's web platform. Using the mobile app, drivers have visibility to opportunities to work extra shifts and "can make themselves available," Pippen said. Pippen expects to see ZDS increase productivity and reduce costs by using the platform for internal operations and employee engage- ment. He said the technology and employee outsourcing make it easier to "focus on what we know how to do" and help ZDS stay in compliance with employee and contractor laws, manage costs and meet employee expectations. Pippen said that as ShiftPixy gets a larger pool of qualified drivers, he sees a benefit from drawing from that pool to "fill our ranks." ShiftPixy's digital platform includes a private blockchain ledger to record and track sensitive employee information as well as financial and insurance transactions. The technology also streamlines the hiring process by using IBM's Watson artificial intelligence engine to power a "chatbot" named Pixy to guide driver employees through the application and onboarding process, Absher said. AARON HUFF is Senior Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail ahuff@ccjmagazine.com or call (801) 754-4296. INTERESTED IN TRUCKING TECHNOLOGY? Scan the barcode or go to www.goo.gl/Ph9JK to subscribe to the CCJ Technology Weekly e-mail newsletter. Jeremy Pippen, ZDS president, expects ShiftPixy's workforce manage- ment plat- form to lead to increased productivity and reduced costs.