Technology discussions were in the air at the American Trucking Associations’ 2023 Management Conference & Exhibition, held earlier this week in Austin, Texas.
The annual meetup assembles trucking’s top thought-gurus to discuss pertinent matters impacting the industry and what sort of solutions can be imagined for it going forward. No other industry event attracts as many trucking executives and decision-makers as the one hosted in Austin this week.
The following are a couple of key takeaways from this year’s conference.
A reality check on EV technology
In previous years, technological advancements were one of the more exciting topics. There was a pure curiosity on how snazzy tech, like electric vehicles and renewable fuels, could transform trucking into a more efficient and greener industry.
While there’s no doubt that excitement still exudes from stakeholders, this year’s conference was one of more pragmatism when proceeding over these technologies.
Greg Treinen, an executive at Daimler Truck, a heavy-duty vehicle manufacturer, assured attendees that the company is fully committed to a zero-emission and carbon-neutral future, however he stated: “…in the meantime, diesel is still our primary source of fuel and looking to continue. We’re not done delivering on improvements to our diesel technology as well as just trying to continue to make that as clean as possible where our customers operate.”
Treinen’s comments came during a panel discussion focused around a smorgasbord of EV-related challenges—infrastructure development, operational costs, and truck life cycle uncertainty.
Admittedly, the course of this discussion wasn’t a rose-tinted ode to service improvements EVs may unlock, but rather a reality check on the uphill battle the unproven tech faces.
Even Salim Youssefzadeh, CEO of charging infrastructure developer WattEV, threw a checkdown when addressing the higher associated costs: “Usually the early adopters [of EV] are the ones that can afford to put charging behind the fence and afford to pat that price to operate more expensive assets.”
He went on to identify that the challenge is making it more “economical” and affordable for other industry professionals, notably independent drivers, or owner-operators.
Central to accomplishing this, Youssefzadeh stressed the price per mile must be competitive with diesel. He asserted that over time the total cost of ownership will be lowered by using EVs if drivers work “very closely with the shippers…and to create a schedule where you can get more lanes per day and get more out of [EV] asset.”
The WattEV boss claims by following this savvy operating regiment “actually allows us to bring down the total cost of ownership to something that’s nearly on par with diesel.”
In conclusion, the panel discussion buoyed the outstanding question about EVs—what will the total cost be?
Virtually all stakeholders are aware of the upfront purchase costs of these vehicles, but it is anyone’s best guess on their life cycle, necessary infrastructure capacity, and regulatory relationship.
Trucking app launches new feature with women drivers in mind
Technology found its way to another corner of the industry as well.
Trucking tech platform Trucker Path has partnered with the ATA’s Women in Motion group and will add features to its transportation network application to help women truck drivers find comfortable and safe truck stops. The collaboration was announced by the company at MCE.
In the world of professional truck drivers, Trucker Path is more beloved than apple pie and Sunday football combined. The technology vendor offers an app for mobile devices which allows drivers to better locate truck stops with amenities they need.
Since its release in 2013, the app has become exponentially popular among drivers. This growth has enabled Trucker Path to add even more features over the years. And, as the October 15 announcement suggests, the company has narrowed its focus to enhancing the app with women drivers in mind.
Fellow partner Women in Motion was started by the ATA with the goal of promoting and supporting the advancement of women in the trucking industry.
“This partnership between Women in Motion and Trucker Path is a way to address one of the persistent concerns women in trucking express — safety,” ATA President Chris Spear said.
The app will receive functionality for women drivers to better identify truck stops with certain amenities, like lighted parking, bathroom access, and on-site personnel. The new feature will allow app users to check seven separate boxes to signal whether a stop has a preferred amenity or not.
The seven boxes that users can check: lighted parking; lighted bathroom access; lighted lounge areas; lighted shower facilities with all-day access; lighted laundry facilities with all-day access; around-the-clock maintenance; and on-site security.
Facilities that meet all seven criteria will be marked with the Women in Motion logo. However, any truck stop with this distinction will still be subject to updated user reviews on conditions and amenities.
No exact installation date of the new feature was specified, however it appears the app may have already been updated. During the panel, Trucker Path Chief Marketing Officer Chris Oliver noted, “They’re becoming available on the app, and the truck stops that have those seven amenities…will be there.”
Final Thoughts
Technology was prevalent at MCE. Like any other industry, trucking will only see this matter further discussed going forward.
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