This post appeared in the December 2016 issue of Truck News
Sitting in the driver’s seat relaxing after a walk, I was
reviewing information gathered by my Fitbit. Noticing the satellite console to
my right I was struck by the thought of how these two technologies perform the
same function.
Both the Fitbit on my wrist and the satellite that connects
my truck simply gather large amounts of data and sort it into meaningful trends
that serve as scores and benchmarks to measure my performance.
For those of you not familiar with a Fitbit it is basically
a sensor that tracks your heart rate, calorie burn, exercise, sleep, and so on.
You wear it in the guise of a wristwatch and see all of the data it gathers
displayed on your smartphone or desktop in graphic form for a meaningful picture
of your overall health. You don’t have to spend any time measuring or inputting
information. No paperwork involved.
The satellite system in my truck performs the same basic function
in a similar manner. It gathers information to measure my performance as a
driver.
There is a profound difference in how information collected
by my Fitbit is used compared to how the information gathered by my trucks
performance management software is used even though they are designed to
achieve the same result of improving performance. The Fitbit data is immediately
available to me in a meaningful form motivating me in the present moment. It is
flexible and encourages innovation. The performance management module in my
truck is designed as an information source for the carrier in order to manage
individual performance. One system empowers, the other controls.
My Fitbit has a far greater impact on my personal health and
safety than the system that is designed to manage my on the job performance.
This was made evident by something I was not looking for when I started using a
Fitbit. Measuring my sleep.
I had convinced myself over the years that I am a five to
six hour per night sleeper. That is always the way it has been for me. But
seeing my sleep patterns in graphic form each morning had me questioning the
quality and length of my sleep in relation to how I have been feeling over the
past few years in relation to fatigue. I have not been adjusting my work and
rest patterns as I age. Seeing an
analysis of my sleep, its quality and length, on a daily basis helped me to
immediately recognize some changes I needed to make to my daily schedule. In
just a few short months my average length of sleep increased to almost seven
hours per day from less than six. The positive affect on me has been immediate
and dramatic.
A little innovation goes a long way. The simple action of
making vital information available in a usable format makes innovation
possible. We’re not doing that in the cab of today’s truck. Carriers continue
to parcel out information as they see fit in the form of policy and
enforcement. This is yesterday’s paradigm and not a plan for the future.
One of the great topics of discussion in the trucking sector
is how to attract millennials to the driver’s seat. Millennials are always
described these days in terms of individuals that want control of their work
environment, multi-taskers that foster innovation through interaction. So why
are we moving in the opposite direction within the trucking industry? Why is
technology used in the truck cab focused on controlling drivers rather than
encouraging independence and innovation?
Imagine what a driver could do if the information gathered
by todays performance management software were made available in a meaningful
format. What gains could be made in fuel management, preventative maintenance,
time management, and overall productivity? We need to change the way we share
and consume the data that directly affects a driver’s performance. I think it
would be an enlightened change. A change that is past due.
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