There’s more to compliance than just the cost of doing business. While accounting, payroll, or expense mistakes might cost someone a job, problems with compliance could put an entire company out of business.
As regulations become more expansive, fleets are increasingly trying to find new ways to handle the burdensome level of meeting and tracking compliance measures. This is where third party servicers are coming in to relieve carriers of the load.
Logbook Management
It’s no secret that hundreds, if not thousands, of fleets have ditched paper in favor of digital logging. As the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) gets set to mandate their use, electronic logging devices (ELD) will wind up in every rig.
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To further the transition, companies are outsourcing compliance to third-party providers. They take in the paper and electronic records and use them to develop fleet-wide solutions through a single portal.
These advanced systems also provide greater visibility and control over assets, no matter where they are. They can also seamlessly integrate with systems that manage compliance.
Data Analytics
Where before fleets got buried under vast mounds of paper, now they are drowning in data. By integrating systems that provide ELD data, these providers are using real-time software to single out exceptions, compliance violations, or risk. These systems can also take the lead on managing a response.
One of the largest providers in this sector offers a web-based solution with multiple sets of compliance tools. Fleets use this online portal to manage their data. Proprietary systems analyze the data – along with vehicle inspection and miscellaneous activity information – and generate reports.
Some servicers have even gone further in offering in-house consulting for fleets looking to get some assistance remediating exceptions. This one-stop-shop service setup provides carriers with the peace of mind that crucial operations are being managed effectively and efficiently.
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New Truck Drivers
Another area in which these companies are increasing their reach is in the hiring process. Recruiters are always looking for ways to speed up the application and qualifications process. After all, delays equal missed opportunities.
Also, let’s not forget that compliance is also a big part of hiring truck drivers. The FMCSA requires instant pre-employment checks. Third-party providers are stepping up with online portals that make the screening process quick and painless.
In addition to handling pre-employment checks, online portals can also retrieve MVR and other employment records. Some offer tracking tools that can monitor changes in the MVR on either an individual or fleet-wide level.
When recruiters can combine applications and pre-employment checks into one easy-to-use digital solution, time is saved, and time is money. Being able to access tools that help manage the hiring process at all levels provides a competitive edge.
A Paperless World
There’s no doubt that this represents a big change. Trucking is only just now hopping onto the digital bandwagon.
The process by which this may happen is simple. First, the servicers creates an online application that’s suited to the client’s need. Then, the potential truck driver fills out the application. Pre-employment screens are integrated.
The on-boarding process – from maintenance of employee files to management of background checks – is completely automated. In some cases carriers can even overlay their own logos and information over the portal.
One company provides a screening solution through an online portal that can be customized with a fleet’s logo and link to their application. These links can also be sprinkled through other websites and recruiting media.
The application also has specific compliance fields that the applicant fills in, such as the past three years of employment history. The application interacts with the information contained within a pre-employment screening database. Suddenly, hiring decisions become instant.
In the past, handling compliance – whether in-house or third-party – has been a laborious process, with all the paper files that need to be managed. Now, we have digital solutions that allow us to combine multiple facets of the employment process. It seems easing the burdens of compliance are merely a mouse click away.
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