Good drivers are hard to find, and they can be even harder to keep. The trucking industry is short 30-40% of drivers, according to the American Trucking Associations, making it more important than ever for fleets to find tools that can help retain drivers and maximize productivity.

Driver workflows are effective tools to help drivers streamline their activities and stay connected to dispatch. But, finding the right technology to deliver those workflows can be challenging. Proprietary, on-board mobile communications devices may offer workflow modules, but they can be expensive, difficult to install, and complicated for drivers to use. While an increasing number of fleets are opting to provide drivers with modern smartphone and tablet technology, customizing workflow applications for those devices often requires technical resources and expertise.

Samsara announced Dec. 15 its launch of new tools that make it easier, faster, and more cost-effective for every fleet to customize the Samsara Driver App for their operations—no proprietary hardware and no code necessary:

● Workflow Builder makes it easy to define, customize, and instantly publish guided workflows that help drivers minimize guesswork and comply with fleet policies.

● App Designer lets managers control which features are available in the Driver App and configure the behavior of those features.

Build Workflows That Streamline Your Drivers’ Day-to-Day

The most effective driver workflows strike the right balance to give drivers all the information they need to be productive while presenting it in a way that minimizes confusion. Workflow Builder offers a drag-and-drop interface so fleets can easily visualize which tasks they want drivers to complete, and in what order. You can select which steps are required, drag-and-drop to rearrange the order, and delete tasks that aren’t relevant for your operations. Once you publish a workflow, the Driver App automatically takes drivers through step-by-step flows, giving drivers the guidance they need to successfully complete their tasks.

Fleets can use Workflow Builder to define start-of-day workflows. Whether you want your drivers to start their days by reviewing their hours of service, performing pre-trip inspections, checking inventory, or completing a custom document, you can define it all with Workflow Builder.

Western Concrete Pumping (WCP), one of the nation's largest concrete pumping companies, manages over 140 vehicles and 160 drivers to serve customers across seven states. WCP keeps safety top of mind by requiring every driver to complete thorough pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections.

"Before COVID-19, we used to travel to each branch office and train operators in person,” said Carol Heinz, fleet administrative assistant for WCP. Using Workflow Builder, she explained, “We plan to design start-of-day procedures for operators to follow in the Driver App... we can be more confident that our drivers are completing the right tasks in the right sequence, even now that we're working remote."

Design a Mobile Experience to Suit Your Drivers

Delivering a great mobile experience doesn’t always mean adding more features. In fact, less may be more when it comes to keeping drivers happy and productive. App Designer provides tools to simplify what drivers see in their Samsara Driver App. You can choose exactly which features drivers can access, and when. Want to use Routes, but not feeling ready? With App Designer, you can remove that feature from the Driver App and add it right back when you’re ready. Want to make sure drivers perform comprehensive vehicle inspections? You can require walkaround photos and comments on DVIRs with just a few clicks.

With App Designer, Athens-Clarke County has been able to tailor its mobile experience to minimize driver error and improve driver satisfaction. By removing HOS and Team Driving from the Driver App, Collections Administrative Assistant Nancy Flowers was able to create a cleaner interface to only show drivers the information they needed.

"Now, our drivers do not have to worry about accidentally tapping on features that are not relevant for their tasks,” Flowers said. “The new layout is intuitive, so drivers do not need additional training. We have received driver feedback commenting that these adjustments have made their lives easier."

Joel Davis is product manager at Samsara.