Pandemic solidifies need for contactless driver check-in

Long lines and daunting wait times confront drivers every time they arrive at a warehouse or shipping facility. Inefficiencies in the supply chain can often be pinpointed to the loading and unloading stages of the shipping process as drivers have to manually check in at every facility they visit. 

In an industry where time is money, time spent outside the vehicle eats away at drivers’ 14-hour clocks and ultimately at carriers’ profits. In addition, face-to-face checkpoints have suddenly become a risky activity for both drivers and warehouse staff due to fears of transmitting the COVID-19 virus.

Time factors and the ever-looming threat of the pandemic have intensified the industry’s cry for a better check-in process. One company, Truckerd-In, is on a mission to make instantaneous check-ins the industry standard. With its mobile app, drivers can check in with a simple tap of the screen and complete all the necessary paperwork from the comfort and safety of their cab — no need to handle a clipboard.

Truckerd-In co-founder Eli Soler and FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller discussed in detail the inefficiencies of in-person check-in and the ways it strains supply chains. Soler explained that bad communication at facilities results in drivers returning to the shipping office multiple times to ask about paperwork and for directions concerning loading and unloading.