The trucking industry has been subtly transformed since the advent and continuing growth of the eCommerce industry. Many major corporations have recognized that lucrative opportunities exist to either improve the current supply chain issues or make it easier for truckers and logistics firms with new discoveries and innovations.
In 2017, Tesla announced how they are accelerating their semi-truck project to replace the current trucking model with a more sustainable one. “We actually see the energy storage business, stationary storage, growing more like 150% to 200% a year, much faster than cars by a lot,” said Elon Musk. With the potential to expand into other regions as well, Tesla is planning to deliver its first batch of trucks in North America. While somewhat more focused on consumer vehicles, the signs are clear enough that a new kind of player is entering the filed Sure enough, in a similar vein, Microsoft, another tech behemoth, has begun introducing technological solutions for the automotive industry after recognizing an opportunity in the trucking sector.
Tapan Chaudhari, CEO of TruckX, recently discussed how he, as a cloud engineer, identified inefficiencies in the current system, such as poor driver management, inadequate data collection, etc., in one of his interviews. As a result, over 50,000 truckers’ lives and freight have been transformed by TruckX’s one-stop-shop solutions.
In the sections below, we have highlighted how these technologically savvy individuals’ interest in trucking led to a permanent transformation of the trucking industry.
What Sparked the Interest in Trucking?
Regulatory Mandates from the Government
The first technological advancement to have a significant impact on the trucking industry was driven by the 2015 government mandate requiring ELD installation in trucks. Trucking has frequently been criticized for being risky. According to the FMCSA, in 2020, there were 13.49 fatal large truck crashes per million people in the US.
As it stands, the safety of trucks and truck drivers is promised by upcoming government mandates to introduce more solutions to address this issue. As a result, technologists have developed a keen interest in the sector.
Increased Footprint of Trucking in Economy
The entire digitization boom, spanning the pandemic and post-pandemic era, has been built on faster and better deliveries for habitual online shoppers. Trucking has, as such, become the lifeline of the nation’s economy. The constant shortage of drivers in the sector is enough evidence that this soaring industry will not reach a plateau anytime soon.
Another factor drawing the attention of major tech companies to trucking is the long-lasting impact that the industry is having on the relative aspects that eventually fluctuate the economy.
A Never-Out-of-Fashion Industry
Trucking is never out of fashion and it’s a critical employer. Be it for vets or civilians, the industry has been welcoming experienced and worthy drivers to meet the increasing demand. Not only that, but the sector also serves as a crucial link in the supply chain that enables other industries to operate efficiently, making it a prosperous segment.
How Can Technology Benefit the Trucking Industry?
Trucking and technology are now deeply interconnected, and this combination can help realize excellent outcomes.
Increased Efficiency
With the right technology, the entire trucking sector can benefit from a range of use cases, including smart route management and timely routine check-ups. The use of an effective operations management system not only improves efficiency but also helps save time and money. Fleet and driver management tools help carry out the backend and frontend operations effortlessly.
Better Safety
These days, the fleet must have door sensors, cloud dashcams, and other similar technology devices to be street safe and as an extra cover against fraudulent insurance covers. Such tools always guarantee the drivers’ safety and enable the backend operations team to be alerted if they are ever in doubt about the drivers’ behavior or driving patterns. This can guarantee a well-formulated communication channel for enhanced safety and timely deliveries.
Advanced Operations
Managers’ lives have become much easier thanks to smart fleet management solutions like temperature sensors and IoT trackers that provide real-time information about the vehicles. Now, even if the contact is lost due to bad weather or other reasons, there is no way a truck will be lost on the road or stranded in unfamiliar locations without help. Office managers can access an integrated dashboard with smart tracking interfaces to learn the location of each truck and guide the drivers as needed.
The team at TruckX is setting high standards by bringing in the best technological advancements for the trucking industry and truck drivers, thus, mitigating a host of fleet management and driver safety challenges.
Equip your fleets with the best sensors, trackers, and ELDs today. Contact us to learn more.