Be Careful When Using Apps for Truck Drivers

If you’re a trucker with a smartphone then you might appreciate apps like Trucker Path and Cargomatic. Trucker Path is used by truckers to review rest areas, truck stops and weigh stations while Cargomatic lists local shipments in case a trucker has room in their vehicle to haul cargo. These apps are convenient, timely and interesting; users find them to be quite helpful.

Two other trucker apps that have grown in popularity include Drivewyze and PrePass. Drivewyze allows truckers to skip weigh stations and inspection stops legally thanks to a partnership with 35 state agencies for commercial vehicles, while PrePass does a similar thing using an electronic device, in an effort to simplify life on the road for many truckers.

These apps are having a significant impact on the trucking industry; they’re kind of like a modern day CB radio network, allowing truckers to connect with one another and offer one another advice. Furthermore, there’s money in apps, as Trucker Path, for instance, recently raised a whopping $20 million in venture capital funding. Expect trucking apps to grow as more and more truckers utilize them in their everyday lives.

What does the ATA think of these apps? They’re supportive but concerned about distracted driving. If users take advantage of the apps while they’re not driving, great– but if they’re staring at their phones while driving, that’s unsafe and, as you’d guess, not recommended. We’re living in a time when technology is ever-changing and it remains to be seen if apps will be replaced by other options in the future. For now, though, apps are popular.

Source Used: http://associationsnow.com/2015/08/trucker-path-apps-safety-concerns/