In The News
Mobile Apps to Help Expediters Run Their Business More Efficiently (and Profitably)
Greg Huggins enjoys trying out different apps to find technology tools that help him run his business more profitably as a solo owner-operator leased to Landstar.
And when he can’t find an app he needs, he builds one himself, as he did with his free Fuel Tax Map app currently available for Android devices. The app enables you to get the lowest price on fuel by keeping you up to date with the latest International Fuel Tax Association (IFTA) fuel tax rates, with charts and color-coded maps. There are also easy-to-access links to the latest trucking regulations, along with other resources at your fingertips.
So, in addition to his own, what other mobile apps does Huggins use to help him run his business more efficiently and productively? Here are some of his favorites and why he likes them.
Comdata FleetAdvance
Availability: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
“For me, this one is indispensable. Not only does my carrier use Comdata for a variety of fund transfers, but the app shows all available fuel stops and the discounted prices I receive. For buying fuel, this is a great way to compare prices from location to location and state to state. This app also helps me to keep track of funds available and to confirm fuel purchases and discounts.”
Google Maps
Availability: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
“This is an excellent app to check traffic conditions and verify GPS routing. And I can use the satellite and street views to check pickup and delivery locations for accessibility.”
Dock411
Availability: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
“This is another great app for checking loading and delivery locations. It includes a lot of info on locations that maps alone cannot.”
Trucker Path
Availability: Android and iOS
Cost: Free with in-app purchases
“I mainly use this one to locate parking areas.”
CamScanner
Availability: Android and iOS
Cost: Free with in-app purchases
“This is a great app for scanning documents. Simple and easy to use.”
Transflow Mobile+ App
Availability: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
“This app works just like the Transflow scanners in the truck stops for submitting paperwork to your carrier. But with the app, you can do this from your truck.”
Awallet
Availability: Android and iOS
Cost: Free with in-app purchases
“This app is a password keeper. Only one master password to access all your passwords. With all the apps, websites and logins we have to keep track of nowadays, a password keeper will help to allow you to not use the same passwords everywhere.”
LibriVox
Availability: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
“This app has 1000's of free and paid audiobooks.”
Google Sheets
Availability: Android and iOS
Cost: Free
“Google Sheets is the spreadsheet app that I use. It's a handy tool to sort, organize and keep important business data for future reference. And it saves automatically to Google Drive, which can easily be accessed via phone, tablet or laptop.”
OTHER USEFUL APP CATEGORIES FOR EXPEDITERS
In some cases, there might not be a specific “go-to” app but a category of tools to consider. Here are the categories that Huggins recommends looking into.
Truckstop Apps
“All the major truck stops have one. TA/Petro has the TruckSmart App, Pilot/Flying J has the MyPilot App, and Love's has the Love's Connect App. All are useful in their own right. Parking, fuel prices, amenities, etc. TA and Pilot apps will let you reserve parking right from the app.”
Mobile Banking Apps
“Your banking apps make it easy to deal with any bank issues while on the road.”
Weather Apps
“I use one from my local news station at home, but most any weather app will keep you up to date on changing weather conditions and also provide a radar map to look around the country to see what's ahead.”