excessive paperwork.
The obvious solution was to digitize the
data-capture tasks—think of the way warehouse workers collect detailed product info
with a swipe of a scanner. But there was
the question of finding a suitable mobile
device.
There was nothing on the market at the
time that quite filled the bill, according to
Clay Holmes, CIO of Cardinal Logistics.
“The consumer devices [that were avail-able] did not fit our logistics environment
because of restrictions on applications, system update challenges, and lack of security,” Holmes said in a statement. And most
of the ruggedized industrial devices offered
were designed for use within the four walls
of a warehouse and lacked a “mobility
plan” that would allow them to be used on
the road.
AN ALL-IN-ONE SOLUTION
Cardinal Logistics eventually found the
solution it sought in Zebra’s Android-based TC56 and TC57 series touch computers. Today, it is using the units across its
fleet of 4,000 trucks.
The enterprise-class touch computers
met all of the carrier’s key requirements.
To begin with, they digitize tasks previously captured in writing, helping truck
drivers manage logs, inspections, proof of
delivery, signature capture, photos, and
more. As a result, drivers who were once
slowed down by paperwork can now make
more deliveries in a day.
They also come with voice and data
plans, enabling drivers to stay connected
on the road. As a bonus, the all-in-one
computers have allowed Cardinal Logistics
to consolidate all of its applications and
workflows on a single device, eliminating
the need for separate cellphones, scanners,
cameras, and GPS units.
As for how the new mobile computers
are working out, the reviews to date are
decidedly positive. “The purpose-built
Android-based Zebra TC56 and TC57
series touch computers are ideal for our
fleet,” Holmes said in the statement. “We
now use one device for everything our drivers do, and it helps us, and our customers,
save money.” ;
42 DC VELOCITY DECEMBER 2019 www.dcvelocity.com
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Going mobile
When paperwork started slowing its drivers down, Cardinal
Logistics began searching for a mobile device that could
meet the unique needs of trucking. It found the answer in
two Zebra mobile computers.
AS A NATIONWIDE THIRD-PARTY DEDICATED DELIVERY SPECIAList, Concord, North Carolina-based Cardinal Logistics has a big stake in
efficient operations—particularly where its drivers are concerned. To keep
up with the demands of its ever-expanding business, it needs its drivers out
on the road making as many deliveries as possible each day. But a few years
back, it ran up against some roadblocks that were slowing its drivers down.
To understand the problem, it helps to know a little about Cardinal
Logistics’ operations. The carrier operates one of the largest dedicated
fleets in the country, serving customers in a diverse array of industries—
chemicals, food and beverage, retail, and medical supplies among them.
One of the challenges of serving a diverse array of customers is meeting
their equally diverse array of record-keeping requirements. Add in the
need to manage truck logs, inspections, and proof of delivery, and it’s
easy to see why as business grew, drivers found themselves struggling with
