Efficiency is one of the most crucial qualities for any fleet, but it's also one of the hardest to attain. High truck detention times are among the most significant barriers to fleet efficiency, even though this problem is complex.
Truck detention, where drivers must wait while their trucks are being loaded, is a problem that practically every company in the sector faces. The experts researched and discovered that a 2020 poll found that 87% of truck drivers spend between 17 and 29% of their potential driving time in detention. If logistics organizations want to operate as efficiently as possible, they must handle this problem.
Our experts compiled 6 simple ways how you can minimize your truck detention time. So let’s find out.
“This fleet idle time is not only frequent but also expensive. Many organizations levy fees for excessive delays since waiting time reduces drivers' per-mile pay. These normally cost $25 to $50 per hour, but they can go up to $250 per hour”- experts opened the brackets.
The effectiveness of the supply chain is significantly impacted by detention time. It can delay a driver's arrival at their next destination and potentially cause them to miss delivery windows if they wait more than two hours to load the truck. The client experience may suffer from these delays. Unhappy clients can stop doing business with you if they do it often enough.
Truckers, already in short supply in many places, are also impacted by these delays. Long periods of inactivity for which drivers may not be compensated may cause them to feel exploited, which lowers engagement and increases the likelihood that they may leave the sector early.
According to the experts, truck driver detention time is a real problem that has worsened as the world's supply chain has grown more intricate. Driver detention, for those of you who are not familiar with the word, refers to the period of time a driver is held up at a stop while they wait for the dock team to load or unload the trucks. For the purposes of HOS, it denotes a driver who is more than two hours late for a pick-up or delivery. Most fleets will impose a detention fee
beyond this two-hour "free time" period, which typically ranges from $35 to $75 per hour, to make up for the disruption to the driver's and carrier's schedule.
"Over $3 billion is spent annually by the trucking sector on excessive detention time expenditures. A dispatch plan might be off track for days as a result of unpredictable delays, according to the experts. "We've entered a time when technology can help us understand more specific patterns and shape daily choices that directly affect our bottom line.”
Although frequent, truck detention time may frequently be avoided. Logistics organizations and their partners can take the following actions to reduce fleet idle times and increase their agility.
1. Clear communication
One of the most critical steps in lowering jail time is communication. All parties may collaborate more effectively if they know what to anticipate with each shipment in advance.
For their partners to make the necessary plans, trucking companies should be clear about their detention time expectations and rates. Similarly, warehouse managers ought to make their procedures, plans, and personnel levels known to help create more accurate expectations for wait times and scheduling. An early and thorough discussion of these issues will help avoid misunderstandings that cause delays. Additionally, it's crucial to let all partners know if something unexpected happens so that everyone can make the required adjustments.
2. Use routing and scheduling software
Other technologies may also contribute to shorter truck detention periods. Routing and scheduling software is among the most beneficial, and some of it may be connected to IoT monitoring data to benefit from these in-the-moment insights. This software lets fleets manage their schedules more skillfully to reduce the danger of delays even without this connectivity.
The most effective routes for each individual shipment can be highlighted by routing software using artificial intelligence (AI) characteristics, taking into consideration varying circumstances like traffic and other deliveries. By ensuring drivers arrive on time, these AI insights stop detention caused by missed pick-up windows. The scheduling procedure can also be automated with scheduling software to guarantee that vehicles pick up and deliver shipments at the most convenient times.
3. Stagger schedules
By staggering arrival times, you can reduce fleet idle time even more with scheduling software. Although it may be tempting to plan the majority of pickups during periods of peak output and personnel availability, doing so will strain the available employees. It is preferable to plan each shipment for when another should end.
Scheduling in stages allows a more balanced workload throughout the day. In turn, this distribution guarantees that each pickup has enough workers to oversee it and aids warehouse staff in maintaining productivity. Delays and detention are less frequent when there are no sharp peaks.
4. Account for truck detention time
There are other options besides expensive machinery and investments for reducing fleet idle time. Incorporating detention time into delivery schedules and route design is one simple method to solve the problem.
Logistics businesses should plan delivery timetables with extra time provided then they anticipate it would require to pick up and move shipments. Any unforeseen detentions and delays won't result in significant disruptions because of this cushion. This tactic can also assist in avoiding the significant costs associated with these delays because detention fees normally apply to wait durations that are longer than anticipated.
5. Set clear goals
Setting clear goals and giving frequent feedback are essential for maximizing productivity. A clear sense of direction and purpose is established among truckers through efficient communication of the organization's goals and vision. Employees are driven to work toward success when they know what is expected of them. Setting short-term goals can help employees stay on track to meet their objectives by allowing them to control their pace and progress.
6. Have a backup plan
Finally, as experts noted, it's critical to develop backup plans if something unforeseen occurs. An average of one in ten stops for drivers results in jail time. These delays are still likely to occur occasionally even if carriers and warehouses lower that number, but having a backup plan will lessen their impact.
Establish a clear, step-by-step procedure for modifying other routes and bringing in staff to make up for lost time or lost production during an unforeseen delay. Protocols for interacting with other stakeholders should be part of this plan to foster cooperation and control expectations.
Experts always highlight that reduced truck detention time makes fleets more productive, economical, and worker-friendly. Those advantages are crucial to gain as the logistics industry becomes more fiercely competitive. Any fleet's productivity will increase by using these 6 procedures to minimize their idle time and maximize productivity.
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