Monthly blog about trucking, transportation and logistics topics.

1. Volume 5,April 3, 2018
From the Eagle’s Nest
Transportation and the Tech Revolution
Technological advancementis nothingnew and the same goes for technology in transportation sector,
though ithas grown substantially over the last20 years.I don’t think that’s by accident. You can’t turn on the
television after work without hearingabout the latest iPhone, about AI changingthe future, about automation or
about Google Assistant helpingyou with everything from grocery lists to turningoff your lights and much more.
Accordingto Observer, by 2014 Google was putting 80% of its $569 million U.S.marketing budget on T.V.
commercials.Other tech giants aren’t far behind. In only 2 months in 2016, Amazon spent $135 million on T. V.
spots versus the meager $8 million they spent total in 2015 on T.V. and radio and the listgoes on.
So you are probably wonderingwhere I am going with this.“Hey, Joey, we aren’t seeing Omintracs
advertisingon Fox News or McLeod TMS Software commercials on ESPN?” Well,of coursenot, that is not their
target audience. Now, open up Internet Truckstop or browse through the latestedition of TransportTopics…catch
my drift.Virtually every ad you see on any transportation related website, magazine, load board,subscription,etc
is tech related.
So now you are probably thinking,“Yea, okay Joey, so what is your point?”. My point is that technology
has become as fundamental to the transportation sector as rubber trees to tiremanufacturers. In the not too
distantpast,you could run a truckingcompany with a truck, trailer,a set of paper logs,a road atlas and enough
change in your pocket to make a call to get your reload at the next truckstop (obviously,there was more to it than
that, but followme here). Now, you have to know how to work an e-log, you need to be familiar with your GPS and
make sureit is up-to-date, have a subscription to at leastone load board,understand how to accept loads from
your customer via Retalix,Lean or some other web portal,have the capability to digitally upload and submityour
billselectronically and thelistgoes on.
Today’s truck drivers have to be more tech savvy than ever before. As much as technology has helped us
on so many fronts, it has also become a burden in others. Long are the days of buildinga relationship with your
shipper over the phone or in-person.Now, all of the loads aresent through a TMS system where you accept the
ones you can do, set your appointments and the only interaction you have is when something goes wrong. How
does that build any sortof bond?
As we continually build newand innovativeways to market our servicewhilesimultaneously adaptingto
the ever changingmarket and regulations,one thing is goingto help us stay ahead of the curve and that is
technology. Rather you are an owner/operator or largefleet, broker or factoringcompany, freight forwarder or
anyone alongthe supply chain,there is a need to hireand retain technologically competent individuals.Thatis the
future rather we likeitor not. Personally,I spend a good portion of my time researchingthe best solutions for my
company, understanding all of the tech that we have in placeand trainingand developing our staff on each
resourcewe have. Even duringthe interview process,I inquireon past projects and computer literacy because
those individualswill bethe ones that bringEagle Transportation into the future. If the barriers of entry areset to
where personal relationshipsarea thingof the past,then the only way to break through is provi dingthe best
serviceavailable,which will requirethe best tech available.I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to hangit up
justyet.
In conclusion,remember technology is only as good as the people that use it. You have to put the right
people, in the rightenvironment, with the right tools to succeed. As Steve Jobs once said,“It’s not faith in
technology. It’s faith in people.”
Joey Holder, DML, CTL