In a few short years, the trucking business has evolved with mobile apps that make tasks easy for drivers. Whether it is about route planning and expense management, these apps have made the journey smoother, efficient, and safe. Here are the must-have trucking apps that every truck driver must have in their smartphone, whether they’re owner-operators or part of a large fleet.
Actually, the most problematic issue for any truck driver is to find truck- friendly routes as well as rest places, parking spots, and fuel stations. Here, I would like to highlight the importance of an app called Trucker Path, which comes in handy for searching purposes. This application provides the users with real-time updates on where they might find the nearest truck stops and weigh stations as well as the availability of parking. To help you make efficient travel plans, users are sharing information regarding the availability of space for parking and the road conditions through this community-driven feedback system. Determined with trucking routes, its GPS will ensure that you stay on roads that can accommodate your vehicle size and weight.
One of the most used ELD apps is KeepTruckin, now known as Motive, which also makes compliance with the Hours of Service Regulations easy. One of its features allows the driver to log driving hours electronically, thus keeping away paper logs. The interface is user-friendly and would allow the driver to track mileage, follow HOS, and comply with FMCSA rules. Moreover, KeepTruckin connects with other fleet management companies in such a way that gives the dispatcher control over what is happening on the vehicles-the real-time tracking and ensuring the safety and efficiency of their operations.
- Waze
While it is primarily designed for everyday drivers, this can be a very useful tool for truck drivers. It supplies them with real-time traffic updates and alerts for other hazards on the road or gives them an alternate routes when necessary. It differentiates itself with a community-based model where one can report accidents, speed traps, and road closures, allowing you to adjust your path in real-time. Truckers often use Waze while trying to drive around congested areas and save both time and fuel, so it’s a necessary addition to one’s arsenal of apps.
- GasBuddy
Fuel is one of the biggest expense items for trucking companies, and cheapest fuel stations along a truck’s route are something vital. GasBuddy offers real-time fuel prices at thousands of stations across the country. Users of the app can filter their results by location, type of fuel, and price to get the most savings. It is a perfect utility for drivers to reduce fuel usage by sharing pertinent details of fuel prices, fuel-saving tips, and reviews about gas stations through the Fuel++ application.
After all, weather conditions can make or break a trucking trip. A good weather app is indispensable for this. MyRadar offers real-time weather radar, giving drivers warnings about what’s coming with rain, snow, or stormy conditions. The easily readable radar map helps drivers plan the routes to avoid the bad weather and possible delays or safety issues. Beyond mere forecasting, MyRadar offers real-time severe weather alerts, so as to give drivers enough time to act before such dangerous conditions are met.
- CamScanner
As a truck driver, paperworks are inherent in the job. These include several forms such as a bill of lading, receipt, or logbook. CamScanner can scan directly from your phone into your cloud storage so you can email it or share it. Thus, no bulky scanners would ever be necessary again, and drivers would be able to submit their necessary paperwork from anywhere. The scanned documents can be converted to PDFs and stored in a respective storage, which can be retrieved later on.
If you are an owner-operator or independent trucker, then finding loads will be what keeps your business running well. DAT Load Board is one of the best applications to find freight loads, as it allows you to see available loads in real-time, and share information about the load rate, its origin, and destination. DAT also offers market rate information, which helps the drivers to negotiate better pay for hauling. With real-time updates and a vast database of loads, this app is a necessity for anyone who wants to maximize their earnings on the road.
Similar to KeepTruckin, BigRoad is one of the many electronic logging apps that supports truckers with the hour of service compliance. You can track your hours of driving hours, rest periods, and most other key metrics easily with its easy and intuitive interface. BigRoad’s dashboard makes record-keeping simple, which reduces violations for drivers. Other key functionalities in the app include route tracking and messaging wherein drivers can quickly send updates to dispatchers and fleet managers. BigRoad’s true audience is smaller fleets and independent drivers who don’t want complexity and need a lot of reliability.
That’s what you get with the all-in-one app of Transflo Mobile+: manage loads, scan documents, and deliver them as needed. As a matter of fact, many fleet management systems are integrated into Transflo Mobile+, hence giving the driver the means to both communicate with dispatch and submit paperwork in addition to getting hold of load information all in one place. When you need to capture and send proof of delivery, fuel receipts, or any other vital documents, the document scanning feature comes in handy. This app helps make operations more streamlined, making it an important resource for drivers who wish to stay organized on the road.
- Trucker Tools
This app, as the name suggests, is especially for truckers. It comes with functionalities such as load tracking, real-time updates on the prices of fuel, parking availability, and weather forecasts. It further integrates load boards from different companies to ensure that the driver can easily find loads. One of the greatest benefits that Trucker Tools offers is the freight matching service. This way, drivers can be matched with loads that best fit their location and availability. This app pretty much caters to just about everything that a truck driver needs all at one time.
Life as a truck driver would get much easier with these apps on your phone. There are trucking apps that make things easier for compliance with regulations, save money on fuel, and the rest. So, depending on your needs-from simplifying your route planning and better management of hours, or you’re simply looking to begin to navigate loads with better pay – the following types of trucking apps are as essential to a truck driver as a brushfire is to a wildfire. The open road is full of challenges, but with apps mentioned here in your toolkit, you are adequately prepared for whatever comes your way.