Want to have a pizza dropped off in the middle of nowhere? There’s an app for that. 

Want to share what you’re grilling with other barbeque aficionados? You guessed it. There’s an app for that. 

Want help blowing out your birthday candles? Yes, there’s even one for that.

Apps are ubiquitous. Trucking is considered a late adopter of consumer tech trends, but the industry is changing quickly. What used to be “nice-to-haves” for your more digitally minded staff has become “must-haves” for road warriors and desk jockeys alike.

Apps are solving some of the biggest headaches that have plagued the industry for years: locating available parking, comparing fuel rates, truck-specific navigation, and more. Apps with these and other single-purpose functions are the tip of the iceberg. To transform work, fleets and drivers need one app to do it all.

A driver app integrated with a transportation management system can make the job easier for everyone involved. The right technology can simplify processes and make communications instantaneous — the equivalent of “swiping right” to improve business efficiencies.

Below are six ways a mobile app can deliver immediate operational benefits for motor carriers:

1. Improving Dispatch Details – For many years, in-cab communication units had text displays that forced drivers to scroll through lines of instructions for each load. Specific information was hard to find. Responding or asking questions was equally challenging. A gate code or appointment time buried among dispatch details could zap driver productivity, increase job frustration, and negatively impact on-time service. 

The Magnus Driver App, for example, provides an organized screen with all load details in an easily readable format. Driver responses only require a simple text that goes directly to dispatchers. The app also untethers drivers from the cab, allowing them to access dispatch details anywhere, anytime, for better quality of life on the road.

2. Eliminating Manual Keying – The likelihood of drivers making errors when typing information, like a bill of lading number, is high. One wrong number could erode shipment visibility, create dispatch errors, delay a delivery, prevent proper billing, or create a costly claim.

One way the Magnus Driver App saves time and removes the possibility of typos is by allowing drivers to scan documents with their smart devices. The feature ensures the right documents are routed immediately to the right locations to streamline communications and invoicing.

3. Automating Load Updates and Tracking – Your customers want round-the-clock updates. Done manually for every load, the process consumes hours of staff and driver time. California-based vehicle hauler Pasha Automotive Services uses the Magnus Driver App to update drivers' pick-up and delivery times directly—no phone calls are required. The information automatically feeds into the TMS and the OEM’s tracking system, providing current information on every load without manual work. For Pasha, reducing the need for check calls allowed the company to double the number of drivers on each dispatcher’s board without compromising quality.

4. Creating Custom Workflows – Trucking operations require strong attention to detail. Drivers are responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in cargo. The job requires attention to detail when choosing trailers, following route details, conducting equipment inspections, and following customer-specific procedures. It is a lot to manage for even the most experienced road pros.

The Magnus Driver App supports custom workflows with load-specific tasks drivers must complete for each movement. The workflow accompanies dispatch details sent through the TMS. The process ensures no step gets missed by the driver. The workflows also benefit office teams by ensuring compliance with customer requirements to complete loads and bills without disputes.

5. Capturing Documents Digitally – Remember when drivers used truck stop scanning, mailed in paperwork, or dropped off documents at the office? The archaic process wastes drivers’ time and delays billing when cash flow is king.

The Magnus Driver App captures high-quality images of documents using a smart device’s camera. Submitting BOLs, PODs, and expense receipts requires a quick snap. The documents are stored digitally and accessible via the TMS and accounting platforms. Digital document scanning significantly speeds up driver pay and invoicing.

6. Bringing Precision to Pay – Any trucking company tracking call volumes will see a spike on driver payday. A lack of compensation transparency or delays in receiving physical settlement sheets prompts many driver questions and frustration. An integrated TMS and mobile driver app can eliminate pay confusion. The Magnus Driver App has a settlement feature fed by the Magnus TMS that gives drivers direct access to their pay for each load. No guesswork. San Diego-based carrier Extreme Transportation experienced a 32% productivity boost by streamlining driver and owner-operator pay through the app.

Moving More with Magnus

Ready to modernize your truckload operations and move away from manual, time-consuming work? There’s an app for that. 

The Magnus TMS and Driver App offers a powerful end-to-end dispatching solution. Magnus brings automation to every step, from assignment to load fulfillment, via an easy-to-use interface and cross-platform mobile application. Fleets can ditch paper and embrace the possibilities of a platform that eliminates errors, increases productivity, and drives efficiency — over the road and in the office. 

Discover how Magnus can put your fleet in high gear by adding one of the industry’s most powerful and fully integrated driver apps.