Let’s start this article with a true story. One that is not an isolated event. One that happens to drivers and carriers alike every day. Multiple times a day.
July 2020, I parked my truck at my house in North Carolina and loaded up my Expedition with ‘Grammie’ stuff and headed to my daughters in Southeast Georgia. Mind you, I still had my operating authority active. I arrived in Georgia and picked up two daughters and six grandbabies and headed on the road again to spend three days in Jacksonville, Florida to the Zoo! Sounds fun so far right?
We enjoyed the first day and half of the next day. But my phone kept ringing with weird numbers and I figured somebody sure wanted to talk to me about my car insurance. I also noticed some emails the first night. I ignored them. But then that one number came up again, and I answered it!
And it went like this:
“Hey, just giving you a call to see if I can help you with that truck you have had in Jacksonville since yesterday. I have a good paying load going back up to North Carolina. Loads just as soon as you can get to there” (smoke out my ears)
HUH? WHAT? …. Long pause, after I hit the red button on my phone while wishing I was swimming with the otters.
I use my personal phone for most everything especially while I was running my own authority. I even do now just like most drivers do. Anyway, so I looked on my phone and yep I had tracking turned off for my logbook, all tracking apps deleted from it and last load complete with invoice and BOL. So how in the world did they know I was in Jacksonville? Lightbulb moment!
The moral of this story is one most of you who are brokers, shippers and even some consumers may know, but most drivers aren’t advised that their information is actually never released from the data collection system. It stays in the system so lanes can be monitored and data continually collected. Some say “yeah, the number is kept but no personal information is.” It’s funny how when I uninstall or DON’T install I’m told by brokers “Don’t worry I have your number and you are right here we can see you, you’re good to go.”
I know we are all tracked if you own a cell phone no matter who you are. But the difference is the reason and to what extent does personal tracking go? Additionally, the continual phone calls that come along with tracking are endless. Some larger brokerage’s are well known to make calls every few hours through numerous agents and even start calling 24 hours prior to a driver being committed to their load. That service isn’t a luxury given to a driver; I can promise that.
This is where it gets interesting!
Ninety percent of brokers’ rate confirmations now have a clause included stating, “If tracking is not accepted there is a $200.00 penalty.”
I am scratching my head because it should be brokers who are paying me and drivers $200.00 to download and track. Why? We, the driver, pay for the data collected, provide the equipment, we are the ones that get the phone calls over and over at all hours and most don’t even look or aren’t utilizing the tracker. AND, we are the ones still providing the services afterward for future data and just like my experience, lane capacity. I believe this is a little twisted. Shouldn’t carriers be paid $200.00 to download requested tracking?
It’s said shippers require tracking. Ok, so let me know when is the last time your shipper has a driver steal a load? Not hearsay, not from a third party but how and when?
A common argument for the use of tracking is the visibility for “on time and location.” Ok, I understand that.
But if those requesting trackers on carriers are unsure about that carrier’s service, then why put freight on that specific truck? That should be part of choosing a carrier base. There are more reliable carriers than those who can’t be depended on. If you’ve been in the industry long enough or have been educated on the quality of carriers it’s not that difficult.
I don’t believe in going on and on about problems unless you can find ways for a solution. That solution would be to track the freight! It’s not the driver that actually matters in this tracking fiasco, unless it’s a blame game.
It’s the whereabouts of the freight that matters not the whereabouts of the driver. The driver can be in the shower or going to the bathroom and the shipper’s freight is in the parking lot.
If this is about the timing of freight and not security then this industry has a bigger problem. Keeping tabs on a driver 24/7 deserves the equal opportunity of having access to the decision maker on the other end available 24/7 as well. Will brokers download a tracking app?
It’s easy to fix. Shippers invest in trackers that are located with the freight in the trailer. Problem solved. Freight location known, transportation time known, temperature on temp-controlled loads tracked and no personal invasiveness to a driver. That is my solution.
I know I would feel safer because not everyone is a good person so not everyone needs to have my personal location and information. Have you ever realized it even makes my home an unsecure place? And, it reaches to my childrens’ homes as well, seeing as no location is private from tracking apps.
That’s it for my little tracking rant and …. That’ll be just a mere $200.00 for my services please lol
Until next time, from me to you, drive safely, be somebody’s smile and don’t forget your prayers!
If you have some cool adventures that you would like to share in a few words and a photo, please email me at [email protected]
