In a wireless world, truck dispatchers could get lonely

By: Dan Keegan

Date: Tuesday, 13. January 2009

Going wireless with your fleet can pay big dividends, but drivers have to have fun and dispatchers won't get phone calls.

One of the big benefits of fleets going wireless is that voice interactions will be replaced with data, consultant Mark Licht of C.J. Driscoll and Associates told a recent conference on Fleet Telematics in Miami. This, says Licht, will save an awful lot of time and it has the potential for major efficiency gains and a handsome return on investment.

However, getting the new technology accepted by drivers, back office people and dispatchers presents challenges. And when a company's information technology guys go to the board of directors with a proposal to try out the technology the task isn't easy. The return on investment (ROI) isn't always obvious and the early stages of trial and implementation may be difficult to explain in terms of dollar advantages.

Kathi Laughman, Vice President of Business Systems for SCG, the Select Carrier Group, put it this way. "The long term strategy is not wireless but business." Nevertheless, she adds, it may be necessary to approach a board of directors with a variety of options for trying out wireless systems. "Don't just present them with a yes or no option. Give them manageable alternatives, and don't go in with a load of technical jargon."

By way of example, Laughman cited a case where a company needed to commit substantial funds to installing access points for a wireless system. This was work that had to be done before a pilot project could be implemented, but the ROI was non-existent at that stage.

The February 7 - 8th conference on Wireless and Mobile Technology for Trucking and Delivery fleets was organized by eyefortransport.com, a UK-based group who provide Logistics and Transportation information and services, including free newsletters and executive level conferences. It was attended by 180 fleet executives and IT Executives from wireless equipment manufacturers, vendors and trucking related businesses.

The goal, said conference organizer Dave Thomas, was to provide a forum for experts and implementers in industries and organizations related to wireless technology and trucking. Networking and exchange of information was the theme and the focus.

Conference sessions included a presentation on effective strategies from Debbie Blanchard, Director of IT for Con-Way Transportation Services.

In the background movement of information in the transportation industry the goal is more data and less voice, Blanchard told conference delegates. The return on investment is difficult to assess and the technology is changing rapidly, she said. "A pilot wireless project has to look to the back office. Companies should take a broader look at ROI with long-term strategy in mind." And drivers and dispatchers must be included as part of the design team.

The latter sentiment was echoed by Kent Szalla and Scott Sullivan who presented a case study on Pitt Ohio Express's experience in implementing a wireless system.

To sell wireless, Szalla said, "make sure to plug everybody in." There are particular challenges in three sectors, he added ... drivers, back office and dispatch.

Szalla is Director of Business Systems at Pitt Ohio. His team used video games to help drivers and dispatchers get up to speed on computer use. They emulated the manual system in developing their interface so the learning curve would be less - and they kept tweaking the system!

Making the entire operation fun kept everyone interested and onboard as the system was evolved. Drivers got interested. Both drivers and dispatchers got email, which they became adept at using and had fun with. This also speeded up their keyboard learning and familiarity with the computer system.

Drivers were proud of not having to call the dispatcher and competed with one another to see who would make less calls, says Szalla. Dispatchers began to complain about getting lonely, he joked.

In discussions about implementing wireless systems, there was one point of general consensus at the EyeForTransport conference - it's not just about ROI at the initial stages.

For Kathi Laughman of SCG it's all about "aggressive positioning." For Laura Johnson, Senior Director of Business Solutions at Singular it's customer satisfaction. For John Lankes, VP of Major Account Sales with @Road, it's a question of hard metrics and "show me the money." Deadlines need to be set, Lankes said, and the business process prioritized for best ROI.

However, on the way to ROI, most of the panelist seemed to agree, it's also about organizations recognizing the future and finding their way through the maze of technical and organizational obstacles, exploring how these mix with their business culture and learning to partner with vendors and other stakeholders.

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