Trucking Software Blog

When I was a kid, one of the local TV stations – when it started the late night news – would say, "Parents, its ten o'clock, do you know where your children are?" A similar statement could be made by many trucking company owners and dispatchers each morning, and particularly on Monday morning – "Dispatchers, its eight o'clock, do you know where your trailers are?"

With the right software, determining current location for trucks and trailers is a snap.

Quite a number of years ago, we, at TruckMaster, rolled out our trailer proximity and utilization process to our valued customers. I recall at the time that one of our customers discovered that a trailer they were sure they "had sold 6 months" prior was actually sitting at a military base not far from home. It was the trailer’s last load and no one had followed up on it. To make matters worse, the trailer was still loaded. Have you ever tried to pull a trailer loaded with product from a government installation 6 months after they have paid you for delivery of said product?! No, it isn’t pretty, not at all.

Dispatchers, wouldn"t it be nice to know which trucks are pulling which trailers? Wouldn't it be nice to know if you have the right trailer for a given load close at hand and that it will be available in time to load? Wouldn’t it be nice to have all trailer licenses and/or permit renewal information close at hand in a system that would warn you when renewals were getting close?

Owners, wouldn't it be nice to know where the trailers are and how effective your dispatchers are at keeping them moving and in the rotation (for those companies with the luxury of more trailers than tractors)? Wouldn't it be nice to know what trailers are in the shop for repairs, etc?

With TruckMaster software, dispatchers are reminded when a trailer is placed on a load if it is not in the correct position or is not available; dispatchers are notified of permit and license expiration dates prior to and after the dates have arrived. Trailers can be grouped into user defined types that allow dispatchers to quickly search for and find the right trailer for the job. Owners and dispatchers can easily discover if a trailer is not "pulling its weight" in loads. And since TruckMaster Software also interfaces with a variety of tractor and trailer GPS services and is ACE compatible, dispatchers have the ability for accurate and real-time pinpoint locations not only in the US but in Canada and Mexico as well.

"Dispatchers, its eight o'clock, do you know where your trailers are?!" With TruckMaster software the answer is a resounding YES! Call us today 888-891-9550 or visit TruckMaster on the web for a free demo. Find out how you can have the power of TruckMaster at your finger tips!

Dale Clark
TruckMaster Solution Provider
TruckMaster Your Trucking Company™