Making use of our truck app offers Modality customers various benefits. Planners can better monitor the progress of the transport, and drivers are less dependent on the office in the evenings and weekends. Perhaps the biggest advantage is that less data needs to be processed manually. This article describes the advantages of the truck app and explains which developments we are currently working on.
Benefits of the current truck app for planning
In its present form, the truck app offers advantages to both the driver and the planners at the office, although the latter benefit the most. The planner sends the trips scheduled for that day to the relevant driver, who can view his orders in the app. During the trip, the driver confirms the status moments via so-called ‘time stamps’. This means that the driver reports every arrival, departure, loading and unloading via the app. As a result, the planners at the office can monitor when a driver arrives at the destination, the moment a container has been unloaded, and so on. This gives the planning department up-to-date insight into the progress of the transport. Using the time stamps makes it possible for the Modality system to calculate waiting hours automatically. Because the driver can have papers signed digitally, colleagues in the office have direct access to signed CMRs. Trips can be invoiced more quickly, and documents no longer need to be manually scanned and linked to the correct file. In addition, planners can use the Modality system to directly provide the customer with any additional information that the driver enters in the app, such as the container number of an empty pickup and the seal number and weight after loading. Some Modality customers like to track the location of the various drivers on a geographical map. To facilitate this, drivers download our connect app on their phone or tablet. The connect app transmits the location of the mobile device to a website that not only shows the location of drivers on a map, but also other customisable information such as the driving speed, for example.
Benefits of the current truck app for drivers
Although some drivers might need to get used to working with an app, it offers them numerous benefits as well. Where previously trip instructions were sent by email or text message, the detailed trip information is now clearly displayed within one digital environment. The driver can easily enter additional information such as the container number. Furthermore, the app not only shows the loading and unloading addresses but also the characteristics of the cargo, container details and other data relating to a trip. Drivers can also use the app to chat with the office, report road congestion or delays and submit EDI pre-notifications. This last option is beneficial when the driver is carrying out trips outside standard working hours; they are not dependent on the planner to send an EDI pre-notification. Furthermore, the driver can have the CMR digitally signed in combination with an E-CMR module. Because fewer printed documents need to be carried, the chance of paperwork being damaged or lost is minimised.
Functionalities of the current truck app listed
In summary, these are some of the functionalities the current truck app offers:
| Planning | Driver |
|---|---|
| Send truck order/trip instructions via truck app | Confirm transport progress using time stamps |
| Calculate waiting hours | Supplement data |
| Communicate container number and seal number to customer | Digitally sign documents |
| Graphical representation of truck location on map | Submit EDI pre-notifications |
| Signed documents are digitally available right away | Report congestion and delays |
| Chatting | Chatting |
Further optimisation of the truck app
Based on the feedback we receive from users, we are continuously improving the current truck app. We are currently enhancing the user interface so drivers have fewer steps to confirm and can navigate through menus quickly. In addition, work is underway on developing a ‘native’ truck app for IOS (Apple) and Android (including Samsung). This app can directly access the functions of a phone or tablet, for example, by making use of the GPS function. As a result, customers who use a geographical map no longer need to rely on our connect app. This will improve the app’s connectivity and make installation more accessible – particularly useful if foreign drivers are frequently used to carry out trips.
If you have not used the truck app yet and want to experience its benefits, request a quote immediately via sales@modality.nl!
NB As soon as the native app is available, existing users will be contacted to discuss switching options.
