Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/14583
Sponsored Information Life On The Road Made Easier With The Touch Of A Button W hen you make your living on the road, you learn to become a multitasker. While delivering a safe and secure load on time is your first priority, you also need to record your miles properly, communicate with the folks who keep you moving and stay connected with friends and family back home. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could do it all with the touch of a button? Schneider National is making this a reality for its drivers with a fleet-wide installation of the Qualcomm MCP 200, a new, user-friendly, mobile communication device. Schneider’s new in-cab technology provides drivers with the ability to receive text-to-voice driving directions, load assignments, access to the Internet and much more. The new system also enables electronic logging, which saves drivers’ time and increases productivity. “Electronic logging is one of the biggest benefits of the system,” says Schneider driver associate Gerry Chapa. While on the road, drivers no longer have to keep a constant tab of the stops on their route. With the touch of a button, the MCP 200’s electronic logging function monitors it for them. Schneider drivers immediately recognized an impact on their daily productivity, saving, on average, 20 minutes a day when not required to fill out paper logs. Chapa says the system is easy to learn for anyone familiar with using a cell phone or e-mail. Drivers enjoy a large, color touch screen that easily navigates among functions like GPS directions, load assignments, Internet access and electronic logging. The message system acts like an e-mail inbox, sorting messages and making it easy to delete them once they’re read. S t a y i n g connected with family and friends when you’re on the road is a challenge for every driver. With the new system, Schneider drivers can keep in touch via e-mail. The personal unit’s GP S - e n a b l e d n a v i g a t i o n provides drivers various tools to explore their route. According to Chapa, it’s especially helpful when he’s delivering to a new location or when he’s driving at night, since it offers a visualization mode to preview the route. He also takes comfort in the fact that the new system allows him to toggle between Schneider’s directions and street-level directions, which are similar to those on a consumer-purchased GPS device. The text-to-voice capability ensures that drivers keep their eyes on the road and drive safely while using the system. Drivers no longer have to fuss with a map or scroll down a hard-to-read monitor that’s common in older in-cab systems. Making sure every driver feels comfortable with the new technology is a core principle of Schneider’s safety-first-and- always culture. All drivers receive training on the new system while it’s being installed in their cab. A training video (installed right on the unit) illustrates how the technology works and drivers practice using the device with a training instructor. Each function has a help option with a video for review in case questions arise after drivers complete training. “The main hesitation anyone has with the new system is the change,” Chapa adds. “People by nature are hesitant to change, but when drivers become familiar with the system and start using it they truly like it.” Schneider understands the needs of today’s professional drivers and the importance of having the most up-to-date resources at their fingertips. It means more accurate directions, mobile communication that matches their lifestyle and less wasted work. After all, wouldn’t we all like our jobs to be made just a little easier — simply with the touch of a button? If you would like to learn more about driving for Schneider National, please visit www.schneiderjobs.com or call 1-800-44-PRIDE. Visit www.truckersnews.hotims.com and enter 235