t e c h n o l o g y

DO-IT-YOURSELF DOCK APPOINTMENTS ONLINE

     CarrierPoint will launch a new service that puts a shipper or receiver dock schedule on the Internet. There it can be viewed by shipper, receiver or carrier and changed by any of them. In theory, at least, drivers who anticipate arriving earlier or later than scheduled could even change pickup and delivery appointments. All of this is at the option of the shipper or receiver, of course.
     “It’s a completely customizable system that can be adapted for as many dock doors as a shipper or receiver has,” said Kinsey.
     “It enables a shipper, for example, to have a dock schedule seen by as many people as they want — including the carriers. It allows a carrier to read the schedule electronically at the shipper’s option, so that if he’s going to be late for his appointment, he can change an appointment — if the shipper allows that,” he said.
      According to Kinsey, dynamic dock schedules on the Internet could have an impact on future trucking productivity, since the ability to reschedule appointments will help drivers make better use of on-duty time. “Not wasting time at the dock is going to be a very major issue. I think ultimately the new hours-of-service rule is going to be time on duty without regard to driving and nondriving time,” he said.
      The system will even be useful to receivers who don’t control their inbound freight but do want to control their dock operations. “So when they start making people schedule themselves in advance, they don’t have 300 trucks lined up the door at 8 in the morning waiting,” he explained.
      According to Kinsey, the scheduling system will launch officially Jan. 1 with CarrierPoint acting as ASP (application service provider). Currently in beta tests, the program is unofficially called Dock Door.

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