TMW Seeks to Make Truckers Feel at Home While on the Road

Published: March 14, 2006

by Alex Woodie

With a huge shortage of drivers looming in the trucking industry, fleet operators need to do everything they can to keep their truckers happy. To that end, TMW Systems, one of the developers of OS/400-based fleet management systems, unveiled a new product yesterday designed to increase job satisfaction, enhance company loyalty, and improve driver retention.

DriverSeat is a new application that provides drivers with a personalized Web site while they're on the road. From their laptops or home computers, truck stops, kiosks, or break rooms, drivers can log into their company's DriverSeat portal via the Internet to access services designed to help them manage their work and personal lives.

On the business side of things, DriverSeat will provide drivers with access to pay information, allow them to view and request pending loads, enable them to submit requests for time off, and to read company news, or watch training videos.

On the private side of things, DriverSeat will provide drivers with access to personal e-mail, their appointment calendar, and let them manage their favorite Web links. The software will also have an area where truckers can read news feeds, view photo galleries of family, and view customized links to weather, traffic, and fuel price information.

"As the shortage of qualified drivers continues to challenge the trucking industry, carriers need to find ways to be more connected to their drivers and to increase job satisfaction," says Dave Mook, who holds the titles of COO and CTO at TMW, which was sold to a group of investors last year.

DriverSeat will be rolled out first for TMWSuite, the company's Windows-based fleet management system, with support for TL-2000, the company's OS/400-based software, to follow, a company spokeswoman said.