The first half of 2020 has been witness to a dramatic transformation in the business world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual meetings, home offices, facemasks and frequent hand sanitizing have become the “new norm”. Many industries were forced to dramatically augment their operations and almost all companies’ day-to-day work looks very different today than years past. While many companies have found these changes to negatively affect their bottom line, several industries have been able to continue to operate with new processes that have proven to limit or even eliminate the negative effects of the global pandemic.
Drivers are still at risk
Travel across the Canada / US border is still limited to essential services like trucking and therefore many drivers are susceptible to exposure to the virus. With many restaurant dining rooms closed and prohibiting people to walk up through drive-thru, heavy duty truckers are finding limited food options while on the road. Moreover, access to personal protective equipment (PPE) can be costly with continuous and frequent use. #MealsforTruckers & #PPE4TRUCKERS have been initiatives to help mitigate these problems for drivers. Another surprising initiative that has improved driver safety is the ELD Mandate and the rise of Telematics devices inside the cab.
Social Distancing & Physical Barriers
The connected vehicle and telematics space has always had a focus on keeping drivers inside the cab of the truck. Like the cockpit of a plane, the cab of the truck keeps the driver safe from the elements. Moreover, software integrations that allow for paperwork to be transferred over-the-air means improved operational efficiencies but it also means a reduction of driver slips, trips, and falls. Less slips, trips and falls means decreased driver turn-over and improved insurance rates…not to mention healthy drivers.
One of the overlooked benefits of over-the-air paperwork transmission is the ability to avoid high traffic areas like bypass scales and load/unload sites. Remaining inside the cab of the truck aligns with The Government of Canada’s suggestions to maintain a 2 metre physical distance, avoid high traffic areas and whenever possible using physical barriers like masks or dividers.
Less Touch
Another way to avoid exposure to COVID-19 is less touch of things and surfaces. Oftentimes the spread of the virus occurs when we touch contaminated surfaces or exchange contaminated items. With over-the-air paperwork transmission we can avoid exchanges of paper, pens, equipment and other things that are commonplace at worksites.
About Streamline
Streamline Transportation Technologies Inc., an Arrow Company, is a leading provider of fleet management solutions for the transportation industry. Streamline combines telematics with advanced wireless and vehicle automation technologies to make vehicles safer, cleaner, and more productive. Streamline offers three major core products; Navistream™, an ELD and telematics platform, NaviLink®, an IoT vehicle gateway and active control system, and Degama, a Transportation Management Solution (TMS). The integration of the three platforms allows Streamline to offer a complete package of fleet solutions, customizable to any fleet size. For more information, visit stti.com.