Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) announces enhancements to its Risk Management, Extended Pay and RouteSync modules that operate within the Innovative IES Transportation Management System (TMS) solution. The improved efficiencies aimed at dispatchers and billing departments, should prove a boon for drivers too, and therefore is another shot at increased driver retention. Anything that makes things easier is always a welcome addition. Trimble’s Innovative IES is designed to operate on an IBMi system as a full accounting and dispatching solution for trucking companies. The announcement was made at Trimble’s third annual in.sight user conference + expo.
Mark Botticelli, CTO of Trimble Transportation, tells FreightWaves at the in.sight conference that a strategic part of Trimble’s plans is to integrate their acquisitions as seamlessly and efficiently as possible. They continue to pursue industry-wide adoption from being a “transportation exchange,” which leads to a unique opportunity to bring in all levels of connectivity and compliance.
Their hopes and ambitions concluding 2018 and rolling into 2019 are nothing less than “world domination,” says Botticelli. Trimble wants to “integrate every capability in transportation and have every transaction running through our transportation platform so that we can optimize it, and we feel like we have an unfair competitive advantage because of the companies that we bought.”
“Now, we’ll see how well I execute,” adds Botticelli.
In particular, the Innovative IES Risk Management tool offers customers the ability to manage their accidents, incidents, cargo claims and workers comp issues from within the Innovative IES product. The redesigned claims management screen makes it easier than ever to find key information within one mouse click, which makes sorting, positioning and filtering search criteria easier and enables users quicker access to find open claims and information. This allows customers more time to work on their claims rather than searching for information.
An additional benefit of the enhancements is better visibility into current risk exposure, which can help customers manage future costs from accidents, incidents, workers comp and cargo claims. Users can now more efficiently view important statistics that insurance companies might ask for, such as the number of accidents per year or number of incidents in a certain state.
“The new dashboard really simplifies how our customers use the module,” says Sejal Kadakia, vice president of IBMi, one part of the Trimble Transportation Enterprise. “But, perhaps the best new feature is the ability to track driver performance. Our customers can understand things like how many accidents a driver has been in or the number of cargo claims that were filed for a certain driver. This will really help our customers improve their ability to reward drivers for good behaviors.”
The Extended Pay module adds new features designed to increase efficiencies and expand customers’ payment options. The all new functions include: paying drivers a rate per mile that is dependent on weekly miles driven; performing a one-time quick payment for an owner or driver without going through the trial/final payroll/settlements steps; and, enabling the ability to import drivers work hours and pay an hourly rate based on months of service.
These new functions help enhance the relationship between drivers and owners with the ability to quickly make a one-time payment, which can help boost driver retention by adding additional methods to calculate pay. With the quick payment option, the payroll department can save time when making a one-time payment is required. And, with payment features based on weekly mileage or hourly pay, the calculations are automated after a one-time setup.
“Before, a lot of these processes such as updating employee records or changing pay rates had to be manually done,” says Kadakia. “With the Extended Pay module, back office employees can work more efficiently and ensure that payments are completed in a timelier manner.”
RouteSync is a new module that operates within the Innovative IES solution and integrates with ExpertFuel, MobileComm and ALK PC*MILER to provide turn-by-turn directions to drivers based on mileage trip options and routing preferences. It includes all defined stops for a load along with fuel solutions.
RouteSync is designed to help ensure stricter route compliance and in-vehicle consistency. It provides the crucial link between the planned route in the back office and the navigated route in the vehicle. This link will help Trimble customers save money on fuel costs by adhering to optimized routes, increase on-time arrivals, limit liability by strict routing for hazmat loads, respond to out-of-route conditions quicker with increased visibility and improved ETAs.
“RouteSync is an exciting new feature that factors in information from ExpertFuel and PC*MILER that benefits both drivers and back office employees,” adds Kadakia. “The module provides visual turn-by-turn directions for drivers rather than text descriptions, which can reduce out-of-route miles.”