{"id":13817,"date":"2022-06-04T16:46:25","date_gmt":"2022-06-04T14:46:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/?p=13817"},"modified":"2022-06-04T16:46:25","modified_gmt":"2022-06-04T14:46:25","slug":"tms-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2022\/06\/04\/tms-10\/","title":{"rendered":"The impact of TMS on driver success"},"content":{"rendered":"

Automation can help fleet managers unlock greater efficiencies. Their most urgent responsibility, however, is taking care of their drivers.<\/p>\n

President and co-owner of Houston-based Clark Freight Lines<\/a> Danny R. Schnautz refuses to put \u201cjunk\u201d in front of his drivers. As a former professional truck driver, Schnautz can spot junk when he sees it.<\/p>\n

Over the years, that driver-focused mentality has made Clark Freight Lines particularly selective about the transportation management systems (TMS) and software that its professional drivers are asked to use.<\/p>\n

The for-hire carrier runs a fleet of flatbeds, vans, specialized trailers, and a continuously expanding collection of intermodal chassis. The company hauls petrochemical products as well as imported lumber, plywood, stone, and other specialty cargo like warehouse materials, large statues, and even Grand Prix cars at one point.<\/p>\n

\u201cDrivers are people who have a name. Trucks are objects; they have numbers,\u201d Schnautz told FleetOwner<\/i>. \u201cThat\u2019s a big difference for us. Technology aids us; it doesn\u2019t replace us. Drivers are not interchangeable, and neither is our office staff. Using technology to complement their strengths and compensate for human weaknesses is the best place for the technology.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Photo: Clark Freight Lines<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"Regardless<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
Regardless of advancements in technology, Clark Freight Lines relies on that “irreplaceable human touch” from dispatchers, drivers, and fleet managers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

To assist dispatchers and drivers, Clark Freight Lines, which has a TMS app of its own under development, uses LoadMaster from McLeod Software<\/a> to help dispatchers plan loads and provide input for driver miles in real time.<\/p>\n

Operational information is entered into the TMS so all departments within the company know where drivers and loads are at any given time.<\/p>\n

Running that fleet is a mix of company drivers and owner-operators, many of whom have been with Clark Freight Lines for more than 20 years. Co-owners Schnautz and his brother\u2014also a former truck driver\u2014have found that automating certain aspects of the business, like safety training, dispatch, and payment settlements, have been a major timesaver for drivers. Schnautz is quick to point out, however, that regardless of advancements in technology, the business won\u2019t work without that irreplaceable human touch.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have an obligation to the drivers to deliver the best of what\u2019s available\u2014whether it\u2019s the best run, the best days off, the best equipment, the best maintenance schedule, or the best trailer situation,\u201d Schnautz said. \u201cWhether a trailer is red-tagged or whether a run has increased in rate, we want to get that information in [the TMS] and share it with the driver.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clark Freight Lines also uses TMS to capture safety information from roadside inspections as well as anything related to drivers\u2019 regulatory certifications and expirations\u2014think hazmat or medical certifications and commercial driver\u2019s license renewals.<\/p>\n

The carrier, without a ton of effort or bandwidth, has been able to go through those driver records and give drivers plenty of notice when, for example, their hazmat certifications expire, according to Schnautz. Fleet managers also are leveraging these systems to help walk drivers through some of those certification processes as needed.<\/p>\n

The business case for TMS<\/h3>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think anybody ever buys a TMS because it\u2019s cool,\u201d noted Mark Cubine, VP of marketing for McLeod Software. \u201cFleets had a business outcome in mind that caused them to make the investment because it\u2019s a lot of work to internalize a TMS.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Cubine, optimizing fleet management software comes down to a few value propositions. The first, he said, is improving a company\u2019s operating ratio.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are all kinds of inefficiencies in every trucking company,\u201d Cubine said. \u201cInformation and automation are the keys to unlocking all those efficiencies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s fuel costs, network, or profitability in a lane, Cubine urged fleet managers to regularly question whether they are pricing freight correctly or leaving money on the table. Their most urgent responsibility, however, is making sure they are taking care of their drivers.<\/p>\n

TMS software might assist fleets struggling with driver capacity, which is defined today by federally mandated hours-of-service regulations. Another value proposition of TMS is the ability to constantly manage that capacity, driver detention time, and conscientiously know how trucks are being utilized compared to how well the company and driver will be paid.<\/p>\n

Automation can play a role in simplifying billing and settlements for all parties involved\u2014drivers, back-office staff, fleet management, and shippers.<\/p>\n

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The impact of TMS on driver success<\/h1>\n
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