Several companies within the supply chain that had plans to develop a mobile app for their terminal gate are re-evaluating their decision and questioning the value that yet another app would bring. As it turns out, there’s probably already “an app for that.” Too many, in fact. And truckers are getting lost in a sea of apps, each delivering marginal value at best.
There Is No Universal Gate App
The sheer volume of apps is a large part of the problem for truckers. It is not uncommon for them to have to switch back-and-forth between several open apps, just to do their jobs. They have the apps the carrier requires them to use. Then there are the terminal apps. If they’re servicing 3 or 4 different terminals, each having their own proprietary app, the workday can get a little complicated.
Many proprietary apps do not integrate well with other systems or applications, either. It is far too common that a driver must manually enter information into an app that should already be available from a “connected” system. But in the absence of a universal — or even market-leading terminal app — the result is a trucker repeatedly having to duplicate information. This manual data entry, of course, slows him down. In many cases, the driver will pull over (hopefully), pull up the app, and type a bunch of information into the app just to obtain a code, barcode, or QR code that he can use at the gate.
App Challenges Can Slow Gate Velocity
Truckers dealing with multiple apps can affect your gate. As a gate provider, we’ve watched & timed truckers pulling over to deal with their mobile app(s) at the gate many, many times. The duration of their work is routinely 5-6 minutes long. Now multiply the number of truckers idling there by day, month and year. That’s a lot of wasted time.
What started out as an attempt to streamline workflow, has backfired. In some cases, with the onslaught of so many mobile apps, gate velocity has slowed down. And, in an environment where every second counts, that’s a serious concern.
When it comes to the use of mobile apps to speed up the gating process, we have moved on. The hype is over and we, like many of our clients, have come to terms with the facts that a mobile app isn’t always the best solution.
What’s the Alternative? Image Analytics
Transcribing trucking information onto a terminal gate app is entirely unnecessary today: you learn nothing that isn’t already known in cyberspace, either from the trucking company or by the terminal via the appointment system. The information needed to complete the transaction is already there. The challenge is to harness that information in the most efficient way possible.
If you truly want to maximize gate velocity, forgo the app business altogether. Consider NASCENT’s enVision Portal, which makes use of the data that’s already there.
NASCENT’s enVision®, powered by state-of-the-art image analytics, scans and identifies the equipment and instantly matches it up to pre-existing data, eliminating the need for human intervention and duplication of effort. No data entry. No fiddling with apps. Simply a non-stop, no-touch, no-hassle gate experience that streamlines the transaction and lets the driver roll through without even tapping his brakes.
So, forget about the apps and embrace modern technology with Image Analytics. You can put an end to fat finger errors, safety hazards, and most notably eliminate the need for anyone to stop.
