Why has it become the industry standard that all brokers require our drivers to accept their tracking systems? Why are so many carriers just willing to accept this erosion of our service?. Do the carriers know where this pinpoint data is going?
I have had many conversations this December about this technology with people who demand it. I have been told that they don't even look at it but just pass this information on to their customer. Some are completely oblivious as to what it even does but are told its a requirement. I have had brokers call the driver that have dropped the trailer in our yard because of the holidays and the broker wants to know why the load is in a residential zone (while they are at home). The brokers say they don't get the phone number but I call BS on that because my drivers are being woke up at all hours for updates and ETA's, when they'll take their next break and thus my drivers are understandingly demanding that we don't give out their cell phone. We don't give out their cell phone but when they click the tracking button they obtain it. The brokers say it is all automatic but if you turn it off the driver gets an immediate phone call. If the driver turns it off his data, or heaven forbid that their battery dies, most brokers have a stipulation in their 3 page load confirmation that says they can remove hundreds of dollars for a breach of service.
Here is a scenario that I have presented. This pinpoint GPS information is passed onto the broker and passed onto the freight payor. Now conceivably everyone in those two companies know exactly what the product is, what it is worth, and where it is. If someone in any of those companies wants to hijack the load it is easy pickings. If the freight payor wants to score really big he can arrange for someone to hijack the load the night before the delivery when it may be at the closest truck stop, dump the load someplace nearby, then ask for insurance to cover the lost load and still have his freight. Its not all that far fetched!!!. It will happen eventually. The broker doesn't care, the trucking company's insurance will have to pay, there is a hold harmless arrangement and the carrier is stuck holding all the risk. The carrier knows their employees and the risk with that data. The carrier can manage who sees it internally via a username and password but does the broker do the same? Remember, not only are they getting the pinpoint data but they can see historical data of when, where and for how long your driver is taking a break, driving etc. It wouldn't take much to figure out if the driver is taking a 1/2 break or taking his 10hr break. To top it all off the broker can always make an argument that the driver should have driven longer or driven faster or shouldn't have taken that specific route. The broker has the ability to see exactly what you see and may use it against you in an attempt to negotiate hundreds of dollars off the rate.
I want all carriers to really take a moment to think about this very sensitive information that is being passed on to who knows who. Would you create a public website for anyone to look at the exact position of your trucks and trailers? Then would you add the cargo information and the value of the goods to that public site? Then top it off, give them historical data. That is effectively what these tracking systems are doing - they're just giving the people who ask for it the web address to access it. Ask your insurance company how they feel about this. Ask your CTPAT Supply Chain Security Specialist how they feel about that.
Freight is slim at this time and no doubt many carriers are just opting in to this because they won't get the load they desperately need to move their truck. Please do not go down without this very important discussion with the broker. At the very least tell the broker that you are not happy with this tracking but will do it only because you need the load and when times are the opposite and there is way more freight than trucks this will not be acceptable.
I have had many conversations this December about this technology with people who demand it. I have been told that they don't even look at it but just pass this information on to their customer. Some are completely oblivious as to what it even does but are told its a requirement. I have had brokers call the driver that have dropped the trailer in our yard because of the holidays and the broker wants to know why the load is in a residential zone (while they are at home). The brokers say they don't get the phone number but I call BS on that because my drivers are being woke up at all hours for updates and ETA's, when they'll take their next break and thus my drivers are understandingly demanding that we don't give out their cell phone. We don't give out their cell phone but when they click the tracking button they obtain it. The brokers say it is all automatic but if you turn it off the driver gets an immediate phone call. If the driver turns it off his data, or heaven forbid that their battery dies, most brokers have a stipulation in their 3 page load confirmation that says they can remove hundreds of dollars for a breach of service.
Here is a scenario that I have presented. This pinpoint GPS information is passed onto the broker and passed onto the freight payor. Now conceivably everyone in those two companies know exactly what the product is, what it is worth, and where it is. If someone in any of those companies wants to hijack the load it is easy pickings. If the freight payor wants to score really big he can arrange for someone to hijack the load the night before the delivery when it may be at the closest truck stop, dump the load someplace nearby, then ask for insurance to cover the lost load and still have his freight. Its not all that far fetched!!!. It will happen eventually. The broker doesn't care, the trucking company's insurance will have to pay, there is a hold harmless arrangement and the carrier is stuck holding all the risk. The carrier knows their employees and the risk with that data. The carrier can manage who sees it internally via a username and password but does the broker do the same? Remember, not only are they getting the pinpoint data but they can see historical data of when, where and for how long your driver is taking a break, driving etc. It wouldn't take much to figure out if the driver is taking a 1/2 break or taking his 10hr break. To top it all off the broker can always make an argument that the driver should have driven longer or driven faster or shouldn't have taken that specific route. The broker has the ability to see exactly what you see and may use it against you in an attempt to negotiate hundreds of dollars off the rate.
I want all carriers to really take a moment to think about this very sensitive information that is being passed on to who knows who. Would you create a public website for anyone to look at the exact position of your trucks and trailers? Then would you add the cargo information and the value of the goods to that public site? Then top it off, give them historical data. That is effectively what these tracking systems are doing - they're just giving the people who ask for it the web address to access it. Ask your insurance company how they feel about this. Ask your CTPAT Supply Chain Security Specialist how they feel about that.
Freight is slim at this time and no doubt many carriers are just opting in to this because they won't get the load they desperately need to move their truck. Please do not go down without this very important discussion with the broker. At the very least tell the broker that you are not happy with this tracking but will do it only because you need the load and when times are the opposite and there is way more freight than trucks this will not be acceptable.
