With time, I have seen the growing interest in using computers in the tractor, by drivers, and  not just for entertainment. The personal computer is actually being  understood as a means of records keeping and communication. In a sense, I have seen this since 2007, but only recently have I seen the growing interest in  the corporate side of the transportation business to include those drivers who wish to extend the use of their computer to information sharing and communication. It has been a tough barrier to get through. For me, I have challenged many departments, and other agencies to break away from verbal communication (by telephone), and express much in the form of the internet.  This hasn’t been easy since I do this as just one person, but others are getting involved, and although the idea of transferring their work in the form of scanning isn’t new, I see allowances to finally let the select few proceed forward months later from when I and others suggested it.

Understanding Change

Many drivers know the meaning of paperless logs, and the onboard computer communications used; and even the way a vehicle can be and is tracked. Much has always been the promotion of ideas through Corporate decision and addressed to the employed. Now, I see more of the employed addressing involvement, even if some is for convenience, and Corporate are starting to give to some ideas (not to say any idea was ever ignored). It seems a challenge to work in new tools the driver uses, but like the “Driver’s Daily Log” program, purchased on line, and the working of TransFlo scanning system, the doors are opening. In many ways, the writings of the commercial vehicle becoming a mobile office has been evolving. The twist is that the next step is what the professional driver is eager to use.

The change is slow, and for understandable reason. When it comes to any size company, there is a chain of command, which in turn means a chain of responsibility. Approval will always need to be requested, due to the possibility of liability. An employee can be fired, but and executive representative can be prosecuted, if not persecuted. And that type of persecution may lead the individual manager to a less meaningful role of leadership in the future, or even the rest of their life. Everyone comes up with brainstorms, and more so, opinions.  But it is the recognition  to the use and potential of technology that is resisted, not because of the good, instead, the resulting bad.  As time passes, it appears it is happening.

Even with other agencies and offices, the use of technology is available on the internet, but in a strictly controlled environment. It has to be. For the general population, when something makes the news, and it involves any failure in networking or network security, the issue is truly  very devastating to the persons responsible for preventing such issues in the first place. Through time, I watched some great ideas from family, friends, and coworkers, who walked away feeling like they were ignored, and their ideas were not taken seriously, when in perspective, they were heard. Any idea is heard, and always welcomed. But, unless the evidence of a breakthrough advancement is clear, the thought or idea basically resonates and if it remains, the next step is investigating the “Pros” and “Cons” the idea offers. In short, all businesses welcome a new thought, idea, and possible solution.

For an employee to be so passionate with their idea, well, it comes easy that it seems to be a fight to be heard. But that idea expressed comes with no real pressure of putting that idea into working practice. Knowing that manpower to build or change, and include the word enhance, means expenses to start. Seeing the idea put to practice then includes the chances of failure and damage. Honestly, unless you actually run a business with employees, who have their own personal interest in pay, healthcare, compensation, bonuses, and  future promotions,  getting to get the reason why you thought the idea fell on deaf ears may be your conclusion, when in fact, it probably still resonates through the halls of business you never get to journey. A business of any  kind is an entity, having its own needs to operate. From location, supplies and equipment, insurance, utilities, and this list is huge, known as operating expenses.

Enough defending the bosses of the world. The whole point of the article was to express reasoning for an idea, that I am telling you, is resonating, rather than never heard.

As a self starting computer “Geek” who so happens to have a Commercial Driver’s License, I continue to explore ideas and possibilities for this environment, and even the possibility of providing products that will be worthy to the individual driver in the future. At the same time, it has to be alluring to the business an individual is employed, and then, it is only in the number of interested individuals involved will it even get noticed. The concept here  for the individual, is to apply an idea, and getting it to work for you. Before showing off this idea, improve upon it, and again, apply it to just you.  By the third attempt, if you can improve or enhance on your working idea, now an activity, now you have a model of interest worth expressing. Of course, it does seem to sound like a challenge, and maybe it is. Keep one thing in mind. If you apply an idea to where you are employed, you personally assume responsibility for its failure. Of course, as an employee, your  suspended or fired, and this failure is only on your resume’. At the same time, you also have just a taste of what the executive staff guard against everyday. Now, as you think of the possibility of losing your sense of security and income, imagine what the executive can cost if such a failure was at that level. It may not just affect that individual, but would damage those employed down the chain.

I’m not basing this blog on challenge or liability, but more on perspective. I am one of the first to cheer anyone on that can improve life in the workplace. I also hope this blog offers a chance for those to present ideas. The challenge is more in a sense of putting it into personal practice, and build a list of successes and tasking failures. Then, over time, the idea to be presented becomes more of a model than just a brainstorm. Since your idea may involve spending money at a larger scale, you should be able to invest your own money in your own idea, keep in mind, that includes the time to work out the issues (the time is your labor); even there your investing money, since time is money. Whatever the idea, let it start with you, ultimately the “small scale”. That spontaneous idea of yours will also “resonate” with you.  Nothing happens over night. And we all know that it can take years to build upon an idea, and by destruction or failure, it can take seconds to lose it all.

In four years, I have seen the progression of businesses include technology into the commercial vehicle, but only in this passing time have I seen the ideas actually being introduced  in small groups, or in the form of a pilot program. The interest in the individual driver wanting to do so much from the truck continues to add merit and validity to my previous articles, and the Tractor trailer is becoming more and more, an office on wheels.

Ten years ago, the Onboard Computer became the advancement from doing so much from the payphone.  Six years ago, the collection of paperwork evolved from envelopes, to Scanning individual paperwork at truck stops. Four years ago, making the GPS system an important taking tool has now advanced as a tool for comparing records of activities of the individual driver, and through the present is being used to track individual errors. Three years ago, Driver’s were now able to gain financial information on their next pay through the internet. Those Four changes are big. But they flowed only one way.  Four years ago, while building my own records on computer, I found others doing the same, and we shared ideas. Two years ago, I took a bold move, and limited communication by telephone and cell, to that same Onboard Computer, and suggested Emailing as a change in communication. The Emailing has not caused issues, but has not caught on…as of yet. Recently, the individual employed driver is seeking authorization to scan their paperwork in from the truck. This tells me that over time, the individual driver is learning and showing personal interest in building their own records keeping on a personal computer. Maybe that Email idea remains simply “Ahead of it’s time”.

Texting and use of the Cell phone while driving is now an offense. The vehicle and communicating has now been enforced as two separate activities, to be performed separate. By Email, means to communicate in a structured manner, minimizing the impulsive emotion that flare from time to time in verbal communication. It also becomes an electronic document. In many ways, it actually  forces the individual to think about a suggestion or issue, and even approach it with a structured importance. After all, if it becomes a document, it means a person must  “catch” themselves from being abusive, or assume responsibility, and without a variance of versions to an issue. Honestly, we all react to certain issues, and afterwards, wish we could go back in time. Emailing may become that tool that offers the opportunity to approach an issue, to resolve, and with structure. As I typed before, I think I am just ahead of my time here, and with humility, ahead with just this one thought I continue to learn to put to practice. I still do phone in from time to time. But typically, its not over an issue, and those telephone calls and stops to call, are far and very few in-between.