Posted by Ben Comer on Mon, Feb 13, 2012 @ 10:43 AM
Social media has recently become more influential in shaping and improving the trucking industry. As driver turnover rates increase, social media is no longer a fad but an effective medium for voicing truckers’ needs and concerns.
Case in point was The First Annual Truck Driver Social Media Convention, which MTI’s President Chuck Melton attended in October. Chuck attended this convention to gain a better understanding of driver’s issues including tougher compliance regulations and low pay. Allen and Donna Smith organized this event to not only discuss social media but also to more importantly advocate for drivers.
Allen has continued to spread awareness about truckers’ hardships, having recently interviewed Lynsay Caylor, the Social Media Marketing Manager for Pilot Travel Centers. During the interview on Allen’s Truth About Trucking radio show, Lynsay shared that social media should be truthful and personable for truckers. She described how social media has helped to improve drivers’ experiences at Pilot locations by listening to their concerns with shower cleanliness and food options.
Lynsay Caylor
Just like Lynsay addresses truckers’ needs through social media, MTI’s social media reinforces its exceptional customer service. While our team provides trucking fleets with comprehensive software, we also have live humans who can explain how our technology benefits you. Learning how our products can increase your bottom line either over the phone or through social media, MTI wants you to join the conversation.
Like social media, we understand that the sales process is a two-way communication channel. Rather than talking to you, our team strives to talk with you by listening to your needs. MTI realizes that people drive the trucking industry, not the trucks themselves.
Like us on Facebook by clicking here, follow us on Twitter by clicking here, or simply give us a call today to learn how we’re building the trucking industry one conversation at a time.
Posted by Chuck Melton on Thu, Jan 19, 2012 @ 12:34 PM
The trucking industry had a better year in 2011 than many expected. Generally the forecasts for 2012 are cautiously optimistic. We still have concerns with housing, Europe and the banks and what disruptions these may cause, but it seems we can also be reasonably optimistic that our economy is recovering.
Industry forecasts, however, do not necessarily apply to your business. Are your customers in a growing industry or a declining industry? Where is your business concentrated? What is the outlook of your top customers? How is the supply chain or the distribution model changing for your customers?
North Carolina need only look at its own history - furniture, textiles and tobacco as examples of wholesale changes in manufacturing and distribution and yes, the trucking industry as well. McLean Trucking, Carolina Freight, Pilot Freight Carriers (my old employer), Thurston Motor Lines, and Johnson Motor lines – huge carriers – all gone.
But in the last few years we have seen a revolution in distribution that is just as powerful, quicker and far reaching – the digital revolution.
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Kindle Fire (books, music, movies)
Mail, movies, books, music and newspapers can all be delivered electronically. We knew a company who was very successful in the 90s carrying video tapes, cd’s and dvd’s. Time Warner was a major account. They are no longer in business.
How does the digital revolution impact your business? How can it help? Have you considered on board computers, customer web portals, business intelligence or document imaging?
Lots to consider these days but we still believe there are some great opportunities.
Posted by Chuck Melton on Thu, Jan 12, 2012 @ 03:03 PM
Dispatch Optimization and better Hours of Service integration are key areas that we at Melton Technologies will focus on in 2012. Recently, Ben Keller and I met with our old friend, Markus Egger, in Dallas, Texas to discuss key features. Markus, who owns the software firm, EPS, is one of the leading third party experts in Microsoft technology and a renowned software architect. He was also the designer of our NetTrac (TM) product.
Ben and Markus discuss dispatching
Markus was in Dallas at Microsoft’s invitation to spend the afternoon at their facility giving well over 100 developers his periodic State of .NET presentation, which this time focused more on an overview of Windows 8. (Just today, the Washington Post is quoting Microsoft personnel that Windows 8 will be launched in October of this year). As a trusted Microsoft “regional director”, Markus is privy to more inside information than most of us.
Markus Egger at Microsoft
We were able to meet with Markus in the morning to discuss his engagement to design our next generation Dispatch system. Of course, our interest in talking to Markus is to ensure we are employing the best technology to do this. As with everything, we want it to be more web friendly and we want the dispatcher to be able to view a variety of scenarios as he considers hours of service, least mileage solutions and customer considerations to match the right load with the right driver and vehicle. We feel Markus is an exceptional talent to head up the design of this product.
Stay tuned because as soon as we get a working prototype we would like to invite selected users in to offer their feedback and suggestions. If you are interested in being on a next generation Dispatch User Design Team, please let me know.
Posted by Chuck Melton on Wed, Dec 07, 2011 @ 08:01 AM
The cost of EOBR’s seems to be a big concern among many of the carriers we talk to every week. It seems Qualcomm is hearing the same message.
Ben Keller and I met yesterday with John Anderson, our new partner contact with Qualcomm. John offers a strong background in mobile computing and understands the challenges and the benefits of integration. We look forward to working with him to improve the customer experience for our mutual customers who have Horizon integrated with Qualcomm. (click here for more information).
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John Anderson and the MCP50
John gave us a quick demonstration of Qualcomm’s latest offering - the MCP50 due to be released in February and we were impressed. It is a friendly low cost easy to use device that incorporates hours of service and messaging with emphasis on CSA requirements.
The Qualcomm website offers the following Features and Benefits for the MCP50
Manage CSA requirements.
Become compliant with the FMCSA regulations on driver hours. Improve performance related to the CSA Safety Measurement System (SMS) scoring methodology.
Manage your fleet’s safety.
Critical Event Reporting helps you identify and respond to unsafe driving behaviors to proactively manage the safety behavior of your drivers.
Increase visibility to your fleet.
Monitor your vehicles’ locations with fleet tracking and landmark management. Enhance driver productivity with the ability to send and receive messages in near real-time.
Install and adopt quickly and easily.
The MCP50 is easy to install and intuitive for your drivers.
Improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Experience how mobile computing can streamline your operations and reduce cost.
As I have indicated many times on this blog, whether EOBR’s are mandated in our immediate future or it’s several years down the road, there are many reasons to have real time communication with the vehicle and the driver. This is a device you may want to investigate.
Posted by Chuck Melton on Tue, Nov 08, 2011 @ 03:03 PM
We (Ben Keller and I) had the opportunity this week to talk with Dave Hauser, Executive Director for the North Carolina Center for Global Logistics. Dave considers himself an evangelist on the subject of logistics and what it means to the state of NC and the Piedmont Triad Region. He did not disappoint us.
Dave Hauser Executive Director NCCGL
Dave is passionate about what our region in NC brings to the table logistically for companies who may want to locate here - an international airport, a central location on the East Coast, two Fedex hub’s (air and ground), easy access to four major container ports and a thriving trucking industry. Tobacco, textiles and furniture - North Carolina's BIG Three - may not be what they once were but there is no doubt those industries have helped create one of the most efficient logistics networks in the world. He knows how important the NC trucking sector is to this vision and is determined to see them grow. He had our attention immediately. There are many possibilities of mutual benefit with MTI, our customers and NCCGL if we share information.
The North Carolina Center for Global Logistics is a "collaboration between twenty three colleges, universities and community colleges, fourteen local and regional economic development agencies, five work force development boards and a multitude of local, regional, state, national and international transportation and logistics businesses located in the Piedmont Triad region".
A new 93,000 square foot facility is currently under construction on Guilford Technical Community College’s new 100 acre Transportation and Logistics campus northwest of Piedmont Triad International Airport.
Hauser also states, "This will be the most comprehensive logistics educational and research facility in existence..... We are committed to developing the highest skilled workforce in the transportation, logistics and supply chain management industry."
How can we not get excited about an initiative like this!
New website coming soon...
The exciting thing about what NCCGL is doing is this. Practically every effort is aimed at supporting and growing the transportation and logistics industry. As our discussions continue on how MTI and our customers might contribute to this effort, we will keep you informed. In the meantime, if you have an questions, concerns or ideas, please let us know.
Posted by Chuck Melton on Thu, Nov 03, 2011 @ 02:40 PM
Retaining and recruiting truck drivers are up there among the major concerns for most every fleet manager or owner these days. Aside from the economy and government compliance worries, I can think of no other issue that keeps fleet owners and managers awake at night like “How do we make sure we keep drivers in our trucks”?
Happy Truck Drivers are Critical to Your Success
As I have said in several other articles I have posted, the relationship the carrier has with its drivers is a critical element in the carrier’s ability to grow going forward. I continue to focus on this subject because I think it is something we can do something about. As most of you know, the average turnover rate for the industry exceeds 75%. This is absolutely an amazing number. So to put that in its simplest terms, “the average carrier” has 100 drivers today and next year at this time 75 of those drivers will have moved on. How costly is that factor to the industry. How costly is driver turnover to your company?
So what can you do to improve driver turnover? Here are some suggestions that come to mind after hearing from some drivers recently.
1) Make sure they are paid fairly and accurately. Do you have an automated Driver Settlements program that clearly and accurately displays the trips they were paid for?
2) Avoid making drivers wait at shippers or receivers docks without being fairly compensated.
3) Sincerely listen to their concerns.
4) Start a driver recognition program that profiles a driver periodically on your website. Heck, with video technology now available on cell phones you could post videos of drivers. A “Stories from the Road” series for example.
These are just a few examples and I am sure you can add to this list. Lets honor this most important resource – the American Truck Driver – and attack this very serious problem of driver turnover. It’s the right thing to do and it’s good for business.
Posted by Chuck Melton on Wed, Oct 19, 2011 @ 05:30 PM
I had a very interesting weekend attending the Truck Drivers Social Media Convention in Tunica, Mississippi. I flew into Memphis Friday and spent some time there before taking the drive down to Tunica. (I just had to see Sun Records).
Allen and Donna Smith present Hope Rivenburg with the "Making a Difference Award".
I would like to sincerely thank all the people who are trying to improve the quality of life for truck drivers. Allen and Donna Smith are very passionate about drivers’ issues and had a successful first convention. I heard many people say they hope this becomes an annual event so it will be interesting to see how this develops. Honestly, I was hoping to see more drivers there but the ones that were there were vocal.
I was pleasantly surprised to see Eddie Hardy there. Eddie is an MTI customer and owns Hardy Brothers Trucking. Eddie shares our view that driver friendly policies are not simply good business practices; it’s the right thing to do. It was definitely nice to spend some time with a long time customer and an old friend. For those drivers looking for a good environment for work, you might want to check out their site. (Click here) They have job application forms online.
Eddie Hardy - Hardy Brothers Trucking
Two strong women were honored for their work in “making a difference” in the industry. Hope Rivenburg, the widowed wife of slain driver, Jason Rivenburg, has created a national constituency behind Jason’s Law to create more and safer rest stops for truck drivers. Kylla Leeburg, head of Truckers Against Trafficking was recognized “for her never-ending commitment and dedication to educating the trucking industry about the human trafficking crisis in America”.
Drivers were educated on recruiting, legal rights, business practices, compliance issues and social media. Some expressed concern very passionately on the difficulties they face – including tougher compliance regulations, hours of service changes and stagnant pay.
Rich Wilson discusses compliance issues
It is evident to me that the small fleet owners and the truck driver face many of the same issues. I tend to think Allen and Donna have the right idea. As drivers and small fleets continue to adopt social media and the communication channels become more transparent, then you are likely to see change for the better.
Bonus Pic - Million Dollar Quartet (counter at Sun Records)
Hats off to the American Truck Driver – you are the backbone of this country.
Posted by Chuck Melton on Wed, Oct 12, 2011 @ 04:27 PM
Will collections of detention charges and fuel surcharges increase in 2012? More than two thirds of truckload carriers plan to be more aggressive with accessorial charges in 2012 particularly with detention charges and fuel surcharges. This is according to the transportation consulting firm, Transport Capital Partners. Click here to see the discussion on their study.
The detention issue has been a particularly troubling issue for carriers and drivers alike ever since I have been involved with the trucking industry. When the economy is tough and loads are hard to find, both carriers and drivers often suffer. The carrier doesn’t want to risk losing the customer. The driver spends too much time at the shipper or receiver’s dock inflating his on-duty but non-driving hours and may not be fully compensated. The Owner Operator and Independent Driver Association (OOIDA) in its opposition to the EOBR mandate have long held that HOS issues are more a result of this factor than anything else.
When talking to carriers, even when times are good, these charges often go unbilled and uncollected, because 1) the carrier doesn’t want to surprise the customer with an unexpected fee and 2) they often don’t have sufficient documentation that will compel the customer to pay. The screen below is an example of a simple back office integration with the truck’s mobile communication to solve both problems. It triggers an email that notifies the customer before the charges occur and it documents the time. Either the customer speeds up the process or the carrier gets paid for it and the driver should be compensated as well.
Mobile Com generated email
I plan to be at The First AnnualTruck Driver Social Media Convention on Saturday October 15th. I am really looking forward to this event. According to the organizers, Allen and Donna Smith, detention pay is one of the issues that is near and dear to the heart of the driver. One of my goals Saturday is to listen to drivers and identify their hot buttons and and attempt to develop a strategy where our technology benefits the carriers AND the drivers. In fact, with the looming driver shortage, I think its a critical strategy for the carrier as well.
Posted by Chuck Melton on Tue, Oct 04, 2011 @ 06:24 PM
On Saturday October 15th over 200 truck drivers will gather in Tunica, Mississippi to attend The First Annual Truck Driver Social Media Convention. I wrote about this earlier in the year when I first heard about the idea. (For that post, click here.) I plan to attend this event because I think it’s important for us who are developing fleet management technology to hear what drivers are saying. Driver turnover is approaching 80% and is one of the industry’s most significant costs. What can we who serve the industry do to improve driver retention? Well we can start with listening.
Allen and Donna Smith, the organizers of this event, are passionate about drivers’ issues and from my observations over the last six months they are tireless advocates for drivers. Appropriately, I was able to catch up with Donna today on the social media site, Facebook, to get some comments from her as the convention date draws near.
Donna and Allen Smith
“Yes, we are expecting approximately 200 people”, Donna said, “and since we know some drivers do not RSVP it could be more. We are hearing many say, ‘I am trying to get a load there so I can drop in’. Did you know BusinessWeek will be there?”
She went on to say, “Our goals with this convention are to get driver concerns out to the general public so they do not have a negative image of drivers, but instead understand all the hardships they face….lack of parking, anti-idling, low pay, unskilled classification, and detention pay. They are also facing proposed new rules with Hours of Service and mandated EOBR's and face new challenges from Mexico with the new cross border agreement. Never has their been so much uncertainty for the American truck driver. We believe if more people understand these issues we can create more empathy among the public." For more information go to this link: http://www.truckingsocialmedia.com/
As I have said before, my goal in attending is simply to gain a better understanding of driver issues. I often hear drivers say dispatchers don't really know what it's like to be a driver. As one who develops dispatch systems, I admit I have never driven a truck, however, I would like to do everything in my power to understand their issues. It can only help me and my company serve the industry. I look forward to next weekend!
Posted by Chuck Melton on Wed, Sep 14, 2011 @ 03:28 PM
Trucking Software that includes integrated dispatching, mobile communications, EDI capabilities, billing and trip settlements can be the great equalizer for small carriers. Click here to learn more about Horizon Dispatch.
Horizon Dispatch Screen
At Melton Technologies, we have seen a huge increase in interest in trucking software among smaller carriers. We had as many inquiries this summer as we have had in quite awhile. Although some of this interest can be attributed to a more aggressive compliance environment, there are other factors involved in my opinion.
First, regardless of what the media is telling us about the economy, freight seems to be moving. Just today, Transport Topics reported that “The Department of Transportation’s July freight transportation services index rose 3.8% from a year ago, DOT said Wednesday.”
Secondly, the small carriers are realizing that good technology allows them to provide a similar service to the shipping and receiving community as their larger competitors. In many cases, shippers are demanding more transparency. They want optimal transit times, up to date shipment statuses, and EDI capabilities.
A good technology strategy not only levels the playing field for the smaller carrier in the eyes of the shipper, it also can create operational efficiencies by reducing empty miles, increasing billing accuracy, and providing a better environment for drivers. It provides a basis to analyze profitable customers and routes leading to more strategic marketing.