June 8, 2022 Loadsmart’s Opendock Provides Visibility

Opendock platform improves warehouse efficiency while reinstating the importance of drivers’ time and safety.

Warehouses use leading freight technology company Loadsmart’s Opendock dock appointment scheduling software to plan truck loading and unloading. The platform, which has had more than 70,000 carriers schedule seven million appointments at 3,000 warehouses within the last year, allows carriers to schedule their arrival times and identify docks with long waiting periods, without any interaction with the warehouse staff.

“Opendock saves warehouses time and money by eliminating thousands of phone calls and emails to schedule appointments, while making it easier for carriers,” said Jeff Booth, director of commercial strategy, Loadsmart. “With detention time costing the industry over $1B annually, Opendock’s scheduling software helps reduce dwell time with appointments and visibility.”

By increasing efficiency and reducing dwell times, Opendock gives time back to drivers which directly impacts driver safety. The U.S. Department of Transportation¹ reports that an added 15 minute dwell time increases the possibility of crash rate by 6.2%. Drivers tend to try to make up for time spent sitting at docks by driving faster and more aggressively once they leave the warehouse to get back on delivery schedules.

Long wait times can also bleed late into the night so some drivers are driving more tired than expected. Truck driver fatigue is a significant concern for industry professionals and other drivers alike. A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration² (FMCSA) sponsored study finds a correlation between longer detention times and driver fatigue. Additionally, the study reveals that about 18% of driver work time is spent rescheduling after long wait times that cause driver delays and could cause driver fatigue.

Opendock produces improved warehouse-carrier communication to tackle these issues, while providing useful data about warehouse traffic. The new version of Opendock includes enhanced in-and-out tracking, dwell time measurements, and carrier scorecards that give warehouses the data they need to measure, understand, and ultimately reduce truck wait times. With this unlocked data, warehouses can continue to drive efficiency, impacting both driver safety and truck availability. Opendock is a solution for conserving carrier time and reinstating the value of drivers’ time during the current examination of the trucking industry and the pursuit to recruit more drivers.

1. U.S. Department of Transportation. “Estimates Show Commercial Driver Detention Increases Crash Risks and Costs, but Current Data Limit Further Analysis,” Office of the Inspector General; 31 January 2018.
2. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. “Driver Detention Times in Commercial Motor Vehicle Operations,” Dunn, Naomi J.; Hanowski, Richard J.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Soccolich, Susan; December 2014.

Loadsmart acquired Opendock in Nov. 2021, and raised $200M in February 2022, reaching a $1.3B valuation. Loadsmart investors include CSX, Home Depot Ventures, Maersk Growth and Ports America. The Loadsmart acquisition provided Opendock with the resources and logistics knowledge required to build the best in-class dock scheduling solution in the industry.

About Loadsmart
Transforming the future of freight, Loadsmart leverages technology and logistics data to build efficiency around how freight is priced, booked and shipped. Pairing comprehensive logistics technology with deep-seated freight industry expertise, Loadsmart fuels business growth, simplifies operations and increases efficiency for carriers and shippers alike. For more information, visit: www.loadsmart.com. Move more with less.

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