Survey: Truckers eager to adopt tech, but only if it helps earnings

The results of a truck driver survey conducted by Chicago-based Sleek Fleet LLC also indicated that improving the load-acquisition process and securing greater rate transparency are prerequisites for enhancing drivers’ earning potential.    Owner-drivers in the U.S. transportation industry are willing to embrace mobile technology, and want solutions that directly connect them to freight, according to the results of a recent survey conducted to gain insight into current methods of connecting to the internet and acquiring loads as well as functionality preferences.
   The survey of truck owner-operators, conducted by Chicago-based Sleek Fleet LLC, a developer of cloud-based technology, found that, among other things, over 90 percent of owner operators prefer to access the internet on a mobile-enabled device; and that any mobile technology needs to be easy-to-adopt and focused on core challenges, like route-planning and optimization tools.
   “The survey confirmed what we’re hearing in the market,” Sleek Fleet Client Relations Manager Tony Sanchez said. “Drivers are eager to adopt technology, but it needs to be easy to use and improve their earning potential.”
   Survey results also indicated that improving the load-acquisition process and securing greater rate transparency are prerequisites for enhancing drivers’ earning potential, according to Sleek Fleet.
   Ninety percent of respondents expressed interest in working directly with shippers to book loads, but only 13 percent of respondents listed this as a current load source, according to the survey results.
   Additionally, online security and keeping their information private was the foremost concern cited for drivers with mobile technology.
   “We are hearing loud and clear from drivers that they’re anxious for a straightforward solution to direct access and fair pay,” Sanchez said.
   The survey, Sleek Fleet said, was conducted of 223 owner-operators across the industry.
   One of them, Jason Costa, president of Green Bay, Wisc.-based freight shipping and trucking company Miles Decosta LLC, said that any platform delivering a fair rate for work performed and payment within a matter of hours would be a huge benefit to his bottom line.
   “The ability to access loads directly from shippers without interference from brokers would be a game-changer for my business,” he said.