Striking a balance between capacity and availability has been a priority in the trucking industry. Shippers demand capacity but have no problem placing a small load on a truck simply because a driver is available. Freight automation may bring the industry closer to a solution if it is implemented differently than it has been in the past.

Freight Automation and Matching Systems

When freight automation was first implemented by companies such as Uber, it existed as a matching system for truckers who wanted to generate extra revenue. As the gap in available drivers started to grow, fewer people used those matching systems. Developers of freight automation and matching systems are redirecting their efforts to suit capacity loads and availability. There are a lot of goods to deliver throughout the United States, and it makes little sense for a capacity truck to travel with only a fraction of the space used. Freight automation and matching systems can line up multiple shipments headed to the same destination. This would allow the trucking industry to increase efficiency and combine many shipments per driver.

Reducing the Gap

While carriers are on recruitment campaigns to help get more drivers on the road, freight automation could help as well. While automation and matching systems won’t act as recruitment tools, the productivity gained from capacity loads could reduce the overall strain on supply chains. If the economy continues on its current trajectory, the trucking industry cannot count on an influx of new drivers to fill empty seats. The sound method would be to align automation with capacity to maximize efficiency first and focus on recruiting efforts second.

Freight Automation Increases Cash Flow

By adopting freight automation for increased efficiency and capacity shipments, carriers could see a big jump in receivables. With staggered payment schedules, that translates to a lot of revenue tied up in invoices that are waiting a month or more to be paid. To cash in on the increase in receivables, the trucking industry is using freight load factoring to turn invoices into accessible funds within 24 hours. Express Freight Finance is a national leader in factoring solutions for the trucking industry. In today’s economic climate, the demands placed on the trucking industry cannot wait on staggered payments for successful growth. Contact Express Freight Finance today and keep your fleet moving forward.