Today, the average person keeps their phone within reach 22 hours a day 79% of the time, and checks it over 150 times throughout the day. With 2 out of every 3 adults now using a smartphone, and 20% using it as their primary device to access the Internet, it’s easy to see why just about every industry is turning their attention to mobile. The transportation industry is no exception. In fact, 60% of carriers already use texting to communicate with their drivers.
Thanks to this shift, mobile driver onboarding solutions have now been developed to address the particular pain-points of this traditionally lengthy and tedious process. After experiencing the advantages of mobile onboarding, drivers have often expressed that they won’t go back.
Here are our top 4 reasons why having a mobile onboarding solution is now more important than ever to a carrier’s success.
Reason #1 – A Mobile Solution Opens Up Access to the Majority of the Driver Market
As of January 2017, 62% of drivers submitted applications from a mobile device. This comes after several years of steady growth in the amount of mobile submissions. Just between 2013 and 2015, mobile application submissions jumped from 13% to 48%. With apps like Driver Pulse, drivers are finding it much easier to apply for new trucking jobs on their mobile devices. What used to require sitting down at a computer, can now take place while a driver waits in line at the grocery store. Simply put, carriers who don’t have a mobile solution in place are essentially isolating themselves from over half of the driver market.
Reason #2 – Mobile Solutions Help Expedite Communication and Document Sharing
An obvious benefit of mobile onboarding is that it opens a new line of communication between carriers and drivers. Rather than spending time to make the necessary photocopies (e.g. CDL, social-security card, TWIC card, and other medical/miscellaneous documents), drivers who have access to mobile onboarding can simply take a picture on their phone and securely upload these documents to a requesting carrier. Driver Pulse also allows free, in-app texting so drivers can communicate directly with recruiters.
In many cases, drivers were actually arriving to orientation without completed DOT-compliant applications. A mobile onboarding solution can also be used to take care of corrections and signatures in a matter of minutes, before a driver even gets on a bus.
Reason #3 – Mobile Devices Let Drivers Access the Internet from Anywhere
Over a quarter of a million applications were submitted to Tenstreet clients in January 2017. Of those 289,000+ applications, only 38% were submitting using a desktop or laptop computer. Mobile devices made up the other 62%, with smartphones accounting for 57% of the total applications and tablets comprising the final 5%.
The results prove that drivers are around their smartphones far more often than their desktops or laptops, should they own them at all. In fact, many drivers find themselves forced to use a truck stop or find a library just to gain access to a computer. If trends remain consistent, the number of drivers who prefer or require an onboarding solution through their mobile devices will only increase. Meaning the talent pool for carriers without a mobile onboarding solution will only continue to get smaller.
Reason #4 – Mobile Solutions Allow for Off-Site Training, Offers More Meaningful Orientations
Carriers have often cited painfully long and redundant orientation sessions due to the varied preparation levels of different drivers. A mobile onboarding solution enables carriers to be proactive about training their applicants before orientation even begins. By making training videos accessible to drivers on their mobile devices, drivers can arrive at orientation with a solid base of industry- and carrier-specific training. Quizzes can also be used to ensure that every new driver arrives at orientation with their testing complete, making them that much closer to getting on the road. When each driver is showing up to orientation armed with knowledge, they’re primed for a more meaningful experience.
In summary, adopting a mobile onboarding solution opens the door to a more technology- and mobile-driven driver market, as drivers more and more are relying on their smartphones to replace traditional land-locked computers. Being able to share documents, easily update applications, and communicate directly with their recruiters in just a few clicks is easy, convenient, and preferred. Allowing drivers to train and test from their smartphone allows carriers the opportunity to save money and time on orientation, dramatically improving the experience on both sides.
Interested in learning more about mobile onboarding solutions? Reach out to us at [email protected], or download the free Driver Pulse app (available for Android or iPhone) and try it out yourself!
