Simplifying Reports in Trucking

10/30/2012

At the end of a long trip, the last thing a truck driver wants to think about is filing paper work. But there are a number of government regulations that require specific forms and reports for each job. Connected technology can make trucking easier by providing an electronic solution.

Many of the regulations around trucking are governed by the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Admin.), www.fmcsa.dot.gov, which is an organization contained within the Dept. of Transportation. Regulations require drivers to create a DVIR (Driver Vehicle Inspection Report) at the end of each day of work and then submit those reports to their employer when they return back to headquarters. The goal of the reports is to catch any maintenance or safety issues before the next driving shift.

In many cases, these DVIRs are actual paper forms the driver submits, and the information is then manually entered into the overall system. This creates a two-step process. Cadec Global, www.cadec.com, wants to help drivers and administrators cut down on the time they spend on these forms. Cadec announced it is adding capabilities to its PowerVue fleet-management software that can speed up the process.


Cadec Global is partnering with Innovative Software Engineering, www.iseinc.biz, a software development and systems integration firm, to add integrated electronic capabilities to PowerVue. These eDVIRs (electronic DVIRs) will allow trucking companies to implement a paperless system. Drivers will be able to receive automatic alerts when vehicle and trailer inspections are required. They can also review eDVIRs to see the latest vehicle information and automatically transmit any issues to maintenance staff.

At the end of each day, the system will create a report for each vehicle and trailer. All the information integrates into the overall fleet-management system so inspection data is available to drivers, fleet managers, and maintenance in realtime.

With Berg Insight, www.berginsight, predicting the number of fleet management systems deployed in commercial vehicle fleets in North America to grow to 5.9 million by 2016, it’s clear there is a market for the systems. M2M solutions can provide a number of ways to improve efficiency and help customers work more quickly, including systems like Field Force Manager from Verizon, www.verizon.com, which offers the workforce management solution.

Systems such as these can cut down on paper and ultimately help truck drivers to get home sooner at the end of a long haul.