Leveraging ELD Investment in the Final Mile for Greater Efficiency, Productivity, and Driver Happiness

Carrier Safety Administration forced widescale adoption of technology by for-hire and private fleet operators.

For most of our clients in final mile transportation logistics, these investments helped them to navigate and mitigate significant disruption brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic response in 2020.

Upgrades to ELD, telematics, and mobile platforms gave many operators better visibility and control over their fleet, which empowered operators to accommodate shifts in the flows, the volume of goods, and routes for the final mile.

Now is the time to keep your foot on the gas (forgive the pun) with additional enhancements and optimization.

WEIGH STATION BYPASS: LEVERAGE ELD AND MOBILE INVESTMENTS BEYOND COMPLIANCE

A simple enhancement to turbocharge the ELD is Weigh Station Bypass software.

Drivewyze is the market leader and can be used for bypass opportunities at over 800 sites across 47 states and Canadian provinces.

Their application PreClear, loads onto a driver’s ELD, tablet, or mobile device. It facilities legal weigh station bypass by sending (over a cellular connection) the carrier’s Inspection Selection System (ISS) score, license, vehicle identification number (VIN), and the vehicle’s weight. Most major ELD applications support PreClear.  Bypassing inspection and weigh stations means fleets can stay on the mainline, keeping drivers happy, while saving drive time and fuel costs.

One of the most underappreciated benefits of the FMCSA’s ELD mandate is that we now have better data and better tools to analyze/synthesize. Fleet managers can use this rich historical data to assess the likely impact of PreClear on their operations. A Return-on-Investment (ROI) calculation can be computed quickly with hard dollar savings expressed primarily as a factor of time. Here are some real-world customer results:

• After implementing a transponder-less bypass service, USA Truck Capacity Solutions saved more than $1,360,000 over six months and returned 12,576 hours of drive time to the operation.
• In an effort to move away from its transponder-based system, which only worked at permanent weigh stations and caused technical difficulties for drivers, Cargo Transporters transitioned to a software-based service. This resulted in a 748% ROI, including a cost savings of $36,000 in the first two weeks of use.
• Barole Trucking’s outstanding safety score had Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (CVE) officials recommend Barole invest in a weigh station bypass service to avoid time spent at inspection sites. The fleet has since reduced weigh station delays by 17 hours and increased the productivity of their out-of-state division trucks by up to four additional loads every month.

EMPOWER YOUR DRIVERS AND DRIVING HAPPINESS

The shortage of commercial drivers is one of the biggest issues facing transportation logistics providers in North America today and for the foreseeable future. Because of this, the ROI for weigh station bypass may be even greater when you think about driver retention.

Drivers love to drive. We think that very few of them love to hang out in line at weigh stations with roadside inspectors. Deploying PreClear like any employee enablement investment pays dividends in retention and stress reduction.

Drivewyze is a hands-free service that is compliant with FMCSA and state distracted driving laws. Automated audible & visual commands provide alerting, so there is no need for manual driver interaction.

Barcoding has the experience and expertise to help you improve your transportation and logistics operations.