Logistics companies face many difficulties including increasing transportation costs, tracking inconsistencies, and limited visibility into shipments. Fragmented communication and unexpected delays also make it difficult to manage fleets efficiently. Trucking dispatch software helps streamline operations. Yet deciding on the best option can be a challenge. This article shares factors to consider and benefits you can expect from the right truck dispatch software.
6 factors to consider when researching dispatching solutions
Despite the benefits of integrated dispatch trucking software, many logistics companies still rely on manual tracking or multiple software solutions. The traditional or hybrid approach can limit visibility and lead to inconsistencies and inaccuracies. To support streamlined logistics operation, you’ll want to consider dispatching software that has the following six attributes.
1. Scalability
Select dispatching software that can scale with your trucking fleet. You may only have three or four trucks now, but the tight supply chain is bringing many new opportunities to logistics operators. As your business grows, the volume of data also increases. The best trucker dispatch software will make it simple for you to add drivers, vehicles, equipment, and other assets. Gaining transparency into your entire operation, wherever and whenever you need, will simplify planning, billing, budgeting, and compliance.
2. Integration with other systems
Save your team the time and hassle of consulting paperwork or switching between digital tools. Switch to a centralized dashboard from which they can access dispatching data and GPS tracking and telematics. Your transportation dispatch software will have greater value if you can integrate it with other essential systems.
Many fleet management solutions will also connect your maintenance history and compliance reporting with the dispatching software. This all-in-one access can help reduce the time between analysis and action.
3. Real-time visibility tracking
Improve productivity, support profitability, enhance customer satisfaction, and boost employee engagement with real-time visibility into where fleet vehicles are and when they’ll reach their destination.
Reduce or avoid idle time, delivery delays, and empty miles with dispatching software built to help you plan, control, and monitor the movement of commercial motor vehicles. This also cuts fuel costs and reduces negative environmental impacts.
With access to dynamic ETAs and real-time GPS tracking for trucks, you can also communicate better with customers about when to expect delivery. This can drive increased customer satisfaction and bring you repeat business.
Additionally, the tracking data supports route optimization to keep your drivers busy and compliant. In the midst of the driver labor shortage, keeping drivers happy is the best way to retain your skilled labor force.
4. User-friendly interface
Consider ease of use when differentiating between trucking dispatch softwares. Your dispatch managers and drivers need to be able to quickly access what they need. Reducing their administrative burden can help you earn their buy-in.
Look for an offering that allows drivers and dispatch to access and manage vehicle and equipment inspections, compliance, dispatches, and messaging in one place. Give preference to a cloud-based software that also enables managers and drivers to easily upload essential job documents to specific work orders and dispatches.
5. Customization options
Ensure that the solution you choose offers the flexibility to tailor it to your fleet’s specific needs. Your business shares many characteristics with other logistics companies, but that doesn’t mean you want to settle for a cookie cutter truck dispatch software. Your drivers or dispatch managers may have their own custom information they want to access or report. Perhaps your business wants to gather data against a particular routing KPI.
When you demo software, look to see that the solution lets you set your own search filters and custom dashboards. This could let one person sort, filter, and search based on Dispatch ID or vehicle, while another focuses instead on destination to suit their individual preferences for optimized workflow.
6. Support
Look also for strong software support and continued development. Longevity in the industry area can help provide confidence that the company is fully invested in not only developing but also supporting and securing the trucker dispatch tool. You want to partner with a company that is dedicated to continued development and regular updates to drive your business success.
Ask about access to customer support as well. You’ll want to know you can get in touch with helpful customer success teams when you or your drivers have questions or concerns.
Motive’s trucking dispatch software
Dispatchers plan workflow and routes, and communicate with drivers, brokers, shippers, and receivers. It’s a lot. Motive Dispatch & Workflow provides command-center visibility into daily fleet operations.
In ongoing consultation with partners across industries, drivers, compliance officials, and inspectors, we’ve continued to update and upgrade our solution to best suit your needs. Our efforts empower your efficiency by providing an all-in-one fleet management solution to improve productivity, increase profitability, and support road safety.
Benefits of using Motive Dispatch
Motive’s trucking dispatch solution offers scalability through its cloud-based architecture and API integrations. With our one-stop fleet management solution, dispatchers don’t have to worry about disparate data sources and switching between tools to find the information needed to act and decide. Drivers can install an integrated electronic logging device (ELD) in less than 10 minutes without the help of a mechanic.
Integrating Motive Dispatch with our ELD and Driver App also counters driver churn due to cumbersome processes. Do away with time-consuming communication with in-app messaging and the simplicity of cloud-based workflows and added process automation. For instance, save drivers from reporting in on arrival with dynamic ETA alerts that can also be communicated directly with customers to enhance their satisfaction.
Motive’s next-gen integrated GPS tracking technology also lets dispatchers quickly identify where drivers are and which ones can receive new dispatches. With our Fleet View, dispatchers have the visibility they need to dispatch efficiently and keep freight moving effectively. Motive Dispatch offers features such as:
- Proximity Search which shows vehicles nearest to a pickup location, with information on their estimated travel time and distance
- HOS integration to let dispatchers see hours of service information on the live dispatch map
- Weather and traffic overlays to support smarter planning, prompt rerouting drivers, or prepare the customer for delays if necessary
Dispatchers can also customize workflows and reporting from our intuitive dashboard to eliminate inefficiencies and free up time to focus on more mission-critical tasks. No coding know-how is needed.
Should your drivers or dispatchers encounter any challenges along the way, Motive’s customer success agents are available to help. Our Motive Chat, available right in the Motive Fleet Dashboard, can also help solve problems quickly.
Real-world use cases of Motive’s technology
For Southland Steel Fabricators, Motive’s digital dispatch and automation solution meant smoother operations but also a savings of $25,000 in just the first month after their transition. With the “complete visibility” offered by Motive Dispatch, logistics manager Gary Overturf says Southland saved 40 hours per month on dispatch reporting and saw a 20% increase in driver productivity. “Motive frees up so much of my time for higher-value work,” he says. “We’re about to double our amount of drivers, and it’s going to be a dream dispatching these trucks with Motive.”
Real-time visibility helped Flying Star Transport in Amarillo, Texas improve efficiency. “Motive’s geofencing and detention time reports helped us realize a 10 to 15 percent improvement on our efficiencies, measured by hours per load. We’ve gone from roughly 5 hours, last year, per load on a 130-mile haul and now we’re running about 4 hours per load on a 120-mile haul,” said CFO Jayson Boydstun.
Increase fleet efficiency with a new dispatching solution
With over 120,000+ companies — from small businesses to Fortune 500 enterprises — you can select Motive’s trucking dispatch software with confidence. With the right truck dispatching solution for your fleet, you can transform the safety, productivity, and profitability of your operations.
See how Motive Dispatch can meet your needs. Our cloud-based dispatch management solution can help you organize, assign, and optimize for on-time deliveries. Request a demo.
Want all the specs? Download the Dispatch product brief.
