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Haulage companies, like most businesses, thrive on being able to receive and respond quickly to accurate data. Logistics managers are always on the lookout for anything that can help them source and react to information about their business. The new Truckfile digital recording system has the potential to change the way fleets are managed. Read on to find out more about this new technology. What is Truckfile? Truckfile offers haulage companies an integrated means of managing their fleets. Its simple display means managers can view all relevant information with just a glance. And there’s a lot of information to view. Any defects and alerts are logged, along with on-the-road information. The linked app allows technicians to enter data as easily as they would with a pen and paper, but with the added benefit that everything is automatically uploaded to a central storage hub. What’s more, all this updates in real-time, meaning firms can view and address problems as soon as they arise. What can it Record? The system’s developers pride themselves on its ability to record and store a vast range of information. Haulage companies using the system can record: • All vehicle safety checks and workshop inspections. • Details of any job, from start to finish. • Allocation of jobs to technicians or drivers. • Drivers’ walkaround checks. How can it Help? The biggest selling point is that the system captures all this information easily and stores it in one place. These electronic files are easily searchable and avoid many of the pitfalls of keeping physical copies. Issues like storage space, perishability and difficulty finding information could become problems of the past for haulage companies. Herefordshire-based firm ABE Transport recently switched to the system, and their response has been very positive. Compliance manager Jeff Pryce was especially enthusiastic. ‘I love it’, he said. ‘I have full visibility of everything that happens.I can see when jobs are being started and follow them right through to completion, while all the relevant records are updated automatically.’ Pryce also praised the ease of searching, noting that nothing is further away than the click of a button. What do Workers Think? Of course, haulage companies rely on workers in a variety of different areas to keep their business running. Many managers are rightly sceptical of new technologies that promise to make life easier and wind up confusing and frustrating frontline staff. Thankfully, this doesn’t seem to be an issue in this case. Concerns about practicality led ABE to request a second demonstration, this time including workers from all areas of the company. This project met with overwhelming success, with all involved impressed with the new system’s functionality. It seems that Truckfile has a lot to offer haulage companies. Its intuitive interface puts everything managers need at their fingertips and its ease of use enables drivers and technicians to input data quickly and easily. Pryce says ABE is looking to extend its use of the technology, noting the potential to use it for billing third-party work and even get detailed breakdowns of cost per vehicle. In an industry that moves fast, managers would be well advised not to fall behind with this new technology. Author Plate Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching haulage companies or self-employed drivers with jobs in road transport and haulage work. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.
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