Technology
Commercial freight transportation businesses rely on data, intelligence, and novel solutions for operational efficiency. Transport Topics technology coverage investigates available technologies, real-world applications of business solutions, and the strategies necessary for advancement. News topics focus on the latest applied science, and issues range from autonomous vehicle and robotics innovations to management software, tracking and transparency, data analytics, blockchain, and the internet of things.
Energy Group Calls for Truck Productivity Changes, Greater Support for Nat Gas, Autonomous Vehicles
WASHINGTON — The Energy Security Leadership Council, co-chaired by FedEx Corp. founder Fred Smith, called on the United States to take steps to improve truck productivity, offer alternative fuel credits and promote development of autonomous and platooning technologies.
Port of Oakland App Tells Truck Drivers Wait Times
An old-line business, the Port of Oakland, is using one of the world's newest technologies, an app that helps truckers cope with busy cargo gates at the shipping hub, the port said May 18.
Ex-Google Engineers Form Startup to Develop Kit for Autonomous Driving Trucks
Otto, a startup led by former Google engineers, is working on getting the millions of trucks already on the road to drive themselves.
May 18, 2016Fleets Use Software to Better Plan Home Time for Drivers
Home time is a key factor for driver satisfaction, so carriers are using transportation management software to remind them when drivers want to be home and find the best routes to get them there.
ELD Vendors to Self-Certify Devices as Compliant ELDs
Certification of electronic logging devices has been left to the device manufacturers under the federal ELD rule.
Sleep Apnea Programs for Truck Drivers Enhanced by Data, ‘Workflow’ Systems
Advances in technology are making it easier for fleets to screen drivers for a medical condition that’s believed to be a significant contributor to preventable crashes, while also enabling health care providers to monitor treatment while drivers are on the road.
Driver-Friendly Dispatching
Driver pay is a key factor in attracting and retaining drivers, but fleets said just offering a competitive per-mile rate is no longer enough.
ELDs from A to Z
Carriers that haven’t yet implemented electronic driver logs will be sifting through a plethora of different hardware and software options as they plan how to comply with the upcoming federal mandate of the technology.
Mobile E-Mail is King
A new report has uncovered a startling statistic with enormous implications for the way trucking companies communicate electronically with customers and drivers: More than two-thirds of all e-mails — 68% — now are opened on mobile devices.
May 12, 2016ITLC Corner: Big Data, IoT Poised to Transform Trucking
It might astound you to realize that Apple’s iPhone has only been around for eight years. In that time, it has revolutionized not just the market for mobile devices, but also the very manner in which people consume information. The question of what — if anything — could bring that level of technological change to the trucking industry in the same period of time was recently posed to a group of industry insiders, and the results may not be what you expect.