Page 24 - ATR 4 2021 digital

the most success with new drivers like
Thompson who get hired directly into
the load board program and don’t have
to unlearn other systems.
He suggests other carriers consid-
ering a self-dispatch program for their
“THIS LOAD BOARD GIVES US AUTONOMY. IT GIVES company drivers start with a small pilot
US THE ABILITY TO CREATE A SCHEDULE FOR program to learn if it’s a good fit for
OURSELVES AND MAXIMIZE OUR EARNING POTENTIAL their drivers and their network. “If your
network is not built to facilitate this
WHILE BEING SAFE AND BEING EXPEDITIOUS. THAT’S kind of movement—meaning balanced,
WHY I LOVE THE LOAD BOARD.” well-defined and dense—then you’re
going to have a lot more troubles.” Ewell
—RICH DAMICO, adds, “It wouldn’t work in a dedicated
TRUCK DRIVER, USA TRUCK environment because of static load
count, static truck count, static lanes.”
He understands why other compa-
nies might hesitate to adopt a similar
program but says it has paid dividends
in unexpected areas. Driver managers
are now able to manage more driv-
it allows him to build in a rest period When she was deciding who to ers, increasing overall efficiency. And
between 7 p.m.–1 a.m., the most diffi- work for a year ago, Thompson says USA USA Truck doesn’t limit the use of
cult time of day for him as a driver. Truck’s new program was an important WorkHound for feedback from drivers.
Even though using the app is a factor. “I talked to several companies Office staff have the option to provide
simple process, using the load board as when I was looking for a job. There comments and suggestions too. Some
a company driver can be challenging were a lot of different things that made of the same results are proving true for
for other reasons. “It’s not a matter of me choose USA Truck, but [the self- non-driver employees—many of them
just picking loads,” he says. “You have dispatch load board] was one of them.” are also more productive and happier
to understand your vendors. You have She thinks the time management skills when allowed to set their own sched-
to understand hours of service. The she learned while running her own ules. The pandemic created the circum-
load board is very easy to use as far as business made her a natural fit for the stances for testing the effectiveness of
the interface goes. But what’s difficult self-dispatch program. working from home, and WorkHound
is time management.” He says the Both Thompson and Damico think provided the tool for capturing the out-
load board can expose a driver’s weak- of the load board as a way to make the comes of that test.
nesses or emphasize their strengths. most out of their time rather than as a The improved culture at USA
Organization and self-discipline are key way to pick easy routes. Both aim for at Truck and the innovative self-dispatch
factors in making it work for a driver. least 3,000 miles a week and approach program have created some welcome
Shiela Thompson, another com- working for USA Truck as if they were problems. Ewell says, “We’re growing
pany driver for USA Truck, agrees. Like working for themselves. now, especially with independent con-
Damico, she came to trucking after tractors, that we’re kind of like, how do
working for herself. She owned FedEx LESSONS LEARNED we go use somebody else’s trailers that
Ground routes before being deployed Recruiting drivers like Thompson has 2,000 trucks against the fence right
overseas as part of an eight-year stint in has been an important factor in the now, so we don’t have to buy trailers.
the military. Thompson has been driv- success of the self-dispatch system, Trailers are not available right now.”
ing for USA Truck for about a year and according to Ewell. “It’s hard to mea- Reflecting on the risky self-dispatch
is also a fan of the self-dispatch load sure who is capable of managing their program that has yielded better than
board. own business and who isn’t,” he says. expected results, Ewell says, “Nobody’s
“It’s difficult to find freight where I “What we didn’t anticipate was needing answered this glaring question of how
live,” says Thompson, whose home is in a more robust training program.” Ewell do we give the driver what they want
a remote part of West Virginia. “So, if I says it’s hard to predict a driver’s ability and still manage to run a business.”
can take loads that I can actually sit on to self-manage based solely on that driv- USA Truck is field-testing more inno-
overnight, I can spend some time with er’s performance while working under vations that they hope will help them
my family.” a driver manager. USA Truck has found continue answering that question. ATR

24 Issue 4 2021 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT