Courtesy Global Trade, November 3, 2020
The Logic of Logistics for the New Normal: How the Trucking Industry Is Changing Amid Covid-19
Like all businesses and sectors, the trucking industry has been forced to respond rapidly to the COVID-19 pandemic. The past year has demonstrated the importance of essential services preparing in advance for unforeseen catastrophes, and the need to be creative and flexible in industry operations. There are three key areas where trucking fleets’ daily operations could be positively affected by the pandemic:
1. The proliferation of contactless tech
Paperless and contactless technology has boomed during the spread of COVID-19. The highly contagious nature of the virus has forced industries, including the trucking sector, to implement new technologies to keep customers, clients, and drivers safe.
Experts predict that we will see significantly more paperless and contactless operations in the future. In terms of sales, virtual meetings will become the new norm, while electronic bills of lading are being normalized on truck drivers’ sides.
Contactless technologies are quicker, more efficient, and often more reliable to use, which could also save effort and costs during truck drivers’ orientation processes. The age of automation holds the potential to streamline trucking and delivery while minimizing the human margin of error involved.
2. The re-imagination of the traditional office
The traditional office structure has been turned upside down by the COVID-19 crisis, regardless of the industry in question. Many trucking companies have instructed most, if not all, of their office staff members to work from home. It has required only upper management members to remain in the office, either on an as needed or consistent basis. Remote work could allow companies to scale down their offices permanently, saving money that could instead expand their trucking fleets.
3. The development of new ways to onboard truck drivers
COVID-19 has forced companies to change the ways they classically onboarded truck drivers. Some companies are moving parts of their driver orientation processes online—especially the paperwork. Others adopted fully virtual orientation practices, which also proved to be successful. It’s expected that many more will use electronic document signatures and orientation videos in the near future to maintain social distancing and streamline their onboarding systems.
For More Information
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