Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Survey: parcel delivery drivers are frustrated by using their own smartphones for work

48% of U.S. delivery drivers are required to use their own device but only 44% are compensated for it, Scandit finds.

scandit Screen Shot 2023-03-28 at 12.43.38 PM.png

Mobile and handheld computers have become a crucial tool for last-mile delivery, but research shows that 90% of drivers are irritated by a lack of functionality in the device they use for operational delivery tasks, according to data capture technology provider Scandit.

Specifically, over a third (31%) wish they could scan more than one code at a time, 27% struggle with scanning damaged barcodes, and 23% have difficulty scanning in low-light conditions, whether they use a dedicated scanning device or a smartphone, the company said.


Additional frustration comes from the finding that 48% of U.S. delivery drivers are required to use their own device—also known as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)—but only 44% are compensated.

The findings come from a report titled “Global Delivery Insight—Driver Technology in the Last Mile” which surveyed over 1,200 delivery drivers from 11 countries worldwide, spanning 30% in the gig economy, 23% on short-term contracts, and 47% employed by last mile delivery firms.

Among those surveyed, smartphones were by far the most used operational device (82%) for drivers providing post and parcel delivery. But regardless of which device drivers use, many are not equipped to access the full potential of their technology, with 43% of respondents only using them for two or fewer operational tasks.

While the global delivery industry relies on a flexible workforce, employers are missing out when they require their employees to use their own handhelds, Scandit found. That’s because BYOD practices add a burden of cost to the employee (hindering recruitment and retention) and deprive companies of an opportunity to standardize devices and therefore customer service and operational efficiency.

“It is imperative that drivers can tap into intuitive tools which ease operational pressures, assisting them in dealing with rising delivery volumes and the wider range of tasks requested of them on a day-to-day basis,” Samuel Mueller, CEO and co-founder of Scandit, said in a release. “For business leaders, activating a wider range of functionality into a pre-existing smart device makes sense, not only resolving some of the challenges their workforce faces, but also increasing productivity and supporting scalable services such as peak season. The last mile is always the hardest, but it’s essential to get it right as effective delivery fulfillment is key to delivering high customer satisfaction.”
 

 

The Latest

More Stories

port of oakland port improvement plans

Port of Oakland to modernize wharves with $50 million grant

The Port of Oakland has been awarded $50 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) to modernize wharves and terminal infrastructure at its Outer Harbor facility, the port said today.

Those upgrades would enable the Outer Harbor to accommodate Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs), which are now a regular part of the shipping fleet calling on West Coast ports. Each of these ships has a handling capacity of up to 24,000 TEUs (20-foot containers) but are currently restricted at portions of Oakland’s Outer Harbor by aging wharves which were originally designed for smaller ships.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

screen shot of onerail tech

OneRail raises $42 million backing for fulfillment orchestration tech

The Florida logistics technology startup OneRail has raised $42 million in venture backing to lift the fulfillment software company its next level of growth, the company said today.

The “series C” round was led by Los Angeles-based Aliment Capital, with additional participation from new investors eGateway Capital and Florida Opportunity Fund, as well as current investors Arsenal Growth Equity, Piva Capital, Bullpen Capital, Las Olas Venture Capital, Chicago Ventures, Gaingels and Mana Ventures. According to OneRail, the funding comes amidst a challenging funding environment where venture capital funding in the logistics sector has seen a 90% decline over the past two years.

Keep ReadingShow less
screen display of GPS fleet tracking

Commercial fleets drawn to GPS fleet tracking, in-cab video

Commercial fleet operators are steadily increasing their use of GPS fleet tracking, in-cab video solutions, and predictive analytics, driven by rising costs, evolving regulations, and competitive pressures, according to an industry report from Verizon Connect.

Those conclusions come from the company’s fifth annual “Fleet Technology Trends Report,” conducted in partnership with Bobit Business Media, and based on responses from 543 fleet management professionals.

Keep ReadingShow less
forklifts working in a warehouse

Averitt tracks three hurdles for international trade in 2025

Businesses engaged in international trade face three major supply chain hurdles as they head into 2025: the disruptions caused by Chinese New Year (CNY), the looming threat of potential tariffs on foreign-made products that could be imposed by the incoming Trump Administration, and the unresolved contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), according to an analysis from trucking and logistics provider Averitt.

Each of those factors could lead to significant shipping delays, production slowdowns, and increased costs, Averitt said.

Keep ReadingShow less
chart of trucking conditions

FTR: Trucking sector outlook is bright for a two-year horizon

The trucking freight market is still on course to rebound from a two-year recession despite stumbling in September, according to the latest assessment by transportation industry analysis group FTR.

Bloomington, Indiana-based FTR said its Trucking Conditions Index declined in September to -2.47 from -1.39 in August as weakness in the principal freight dynamics – freight rates, utilization, and volume – offset lower fuel costs and slightly less unfavorable financing costs.

Keep ReadingShow less