On the Road with TVC: Industry Events

Join TVC for an recap from industry conferences and tradeshows.

The TVC team attended the National Tank Truck Council Annual Conference and the ATA Safety, Security, and Human Resources Annual Conference this week. We know not all our fleet customers have the opportunity to attend these events, so I would like to share some of the highlights and key takeaways from the informational and engaging past few days.

One of the main themes at both events was how to leverage technology to not only improve efficiencies but also to help build a better employee culture and improve retention. From new ELD technology and onboard safety systems like event recorders to collision mitigation and employee development applications, the technology is growing and changing rapidly. There are so many ways now that you can implement technology to improve your operations. However, beyond the initial hurdle of implementing technology and encouraging adoption of these tools within the organization, one of the biggest challenges we hear from fleets is how to consume and leverage all the data coming from these tools.

Experts at both shows agreed that turning a blind eye is no longer an option. Everyone in the industry is aware that there are resources and tools that can help document and address issues with driver behavior and safety, so failure to embrace and leverage available tools may open a fleet up to more risk, especially in the event of a catastrophic accident that could lead to criminal and civil charges. Additionally, insurance providers are proponents of fleets implementing some of the safety tools and technology available, so there is much to be gained from considering the options available to you. As you determine the right tools for your operation, it is critical to work with the partners who will give you the right tools to achieve a rapid return on your investment in technology. While the data captured from multiple resources can be overwhelming, there are providers out there to help you manage and consolidate the data to increase visibility and reduce your overall risk. When choosing your partners, it would be wise to consider the whole picture and how these disparate tools might work together to provide valuable insight for your organization.

Though technology was absolutely a primary topic at both industry events this week, the primary focus continued to be on driver satisfaction, retention and recruiting. Many experts suggested that technology can actually assist with this, as they shared examples of how technology served to improve the experience for the driver and, in some cases, even saved lives. Many spoke to the fact that engaging and communicating with the drivers regarding the tools provided and how they can be used to the benefit of the driver is key to adoption and acceptance.  Brian Runnels from Reliance Partners stated, “New tech is not going to stop coming.  Fleets that embrace continuous innovation and have driver buy in will have a competitive edge.  The key will be how carriers communicate these changes with their drivers.” Listening to drivers, sharing peer experiences and building processes which ensure the driver feels the benefit of technology were suggested methods to the best overall experience for the fleet.

The investment—both in time and resources—to properly choose, implement and utilize technology within your fleet can be substantial. However, the overarching message at both NTTC and ATA SSHR was that it is time to consider all that is available to you and develop a plan to make technology work for you and your drivers. We hope you have the opportunity to attend one of the many informational and helpful industry conferences this year. However, if you are unable or if you have questions about the partners and resources available for your fleet, please do not hesitate to reach out directly to me or sales@prodriver.com.