RESTON, Va., and OMAHA, Neb. – Trucker Tools has announced that Werner Enterprises is now live on the Trucker Tools platform. Werner joins Beemac, Schneider and other logistics services in using the app to match truckers with available loads.
The Trucker Tools app provides a variety of services to drivers, including routing and fuel optimization, truck stop guide, and food and services lookup.
Drivers can also use the “Book it Now” features of the app to find and book loads from participating brokers, now including Werner. The carrier must be approved by the broker before the ability to see loads from that broker is activated, but once that’s done, no phone calls are necessary to book loads. Additionally, the driver can access loads from multiple brokers to find the best fit and rate.
Check-in calls are eliminated, too, since the app reports truck location to the broker (and customer) every five minutes. The Trucker Tools app provides many of the same services offered by expensive satellite tracking subscriptions, at zero cost to the driver.
Using the app, drivers can check parking availability on the route ahead, compare fuel pricing and even read reviews of truck stops, restaurants and other businesses.
More than 130,000 owner operators and small carriers are active on the Trucker Tools app, according to the company’s website. That number includes a total of more than 750,000 participating drivers.
Werner-approved carriers will now be able to access loads, and can also make their trucks visible in the Werner system so they can be matched with loads available in the area. At the same time, Werner’s logistics operation will have access to more independent owner-operators and truckers, expanding the company’s base of carriers.
Although many small carriers prefer to access Trucker Tools through smartphones, the system does integrate with transportation-management system (TMS) software used by some carriers for dispatching and communication. Several TMS vendors are listed as partners on the Trucker Tools website.
The number of apps available for truckers can be overwhelming. Many drivers and carriers have multiple apps downloaded and must go through each of them to obtain different information. The Trucker Tools app is designed to provide enough information that other apps aren’t needed. That’s something that isn’t lost on Andy Damkroger, Werner’s associate vice president of logistics.
“We are very conscious of app-fatigue, it’s a common complaint from truckers,” he said. “So, while people are tired of constantly getting asked to download another app, they’re not tired of great apps. We are taking advantage of Trucker Tools leadership in the market in that regard.”
Finding that next load, and the one after that, can be a confusing and time-consuming chore for a small carrier or owner-operator. Multiple phone calls are often necessary to find the right load; even then, it’s possible to miss out on a better load listed elsewhere. With Trucker Tools, drivers can have exposure to more loads by offered by more brokers. Free to download, Trucker Tolls is another tool in the small business trucking arsenal.
Cliff Abbott is an experienced commercial vehicle driver and owner-operator who still holds a CDL in his home state of Alabama. In nearly 40 years in trucking, he’s been an instructor and trainer and has managed safety and recruiting operations for several carriers. Having never lost his love of the road, Cliff has written a book and hundreds of songs and has been writing for The Trucker for more than a decade.
Werner Enterprises goes live on Trucker Tools platform
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