Dock411 Gives Truckers the Lowdown on Docks Across the Country
Joe Trucker is on his way. He’s hauling a big-money load. As he cruises along the highway, he’s proud of himself for making good time. But he’s worried. He’s never been to the dock where he will be unloading. He has no idea about the dock’s logistical ins and outs, restrictions, amenities, or when they open and close. He’s driving in completely blind.
This is, unfortunately, a recurring problem in the trucking industry.
Daniel Serewicz witnessed this every day when he was a warehouse manager in the Chicagoland area. He saw drivers coming into his facilities, all of them repeatedly asking the same questions:
- Where do I go?
- Can I park here?
- Where are the docks?
- Can I use the restroom here?
- How long do I have to unload?
“I wondered why drivers were asking these questions over and over again,” says Serewicz, co-founder of Dock411. “So, I did some research and realized there was no good way for them to find this information before they made their stop. That was the birth of Dock411.”
A Road Map to Docks Across the Country
Dock411 is a free app for drivers, carriers, shippers and receivers, and brokers that offers a road map to docks across the country right at your fingertips. Work to create Dock411 began in 2014, and the company launched the app at Expedite Expo in 2016. Today, Dock411 aims to answer all those pressing questions on the minds of drivers as they approach a dock with a truck full of goods. You can see pictures of the dock and its surroundings. Truckers can also:
- See what other drivers have said
- Check out more than 45 dock attributes
- Take and add dock photos
- Talk about their experiences at a dock
“The app allows truckers and industry workers to easily share information with each other, so everybody is in the loop,” says Serewicz. “Knowing what to expect ahead of time can help you save time, money, and a lot of frustration.”
Saving time, money, and frustration works for shippers as well as carriers and drivers. Through Dock411, shippers can communicate their rules, procedures, and load/unload locations directly to the drivers before they even take the wheel.
The Dock411 Mission
The Dock411 mission is all about creating a transparent, everybody-helps-everybody relationship between drivers and shippers. Dock411 has a rating system for drivers to give feedback to shippers. Serewicz and his team then transform those ratings into data that helps shippers improve their facilities. That, undoubtedly, improves the relationship between shippers, carriers, and drivers.
“When a truck driver gets in and out of their stops faster, easier, safer, and less frustrated… everyone wins,” says Serewicz. “The driver is happy because they aren’t sitting around. The shipper is happy because they got their product in and out in an efficient and safe manner. The carrier is happy because they delivered to their customer quickly and their driver is in and out.”
Apex Capital Is a Proud Dock411 Partner
Here at Apex Capital, we like it when hauling goes smoothly for drivers. That is why we are proudly partnered with Dock411. Our professional relationship with Serewicz and his company began in 2018, but we first met Serewicz and his team at Expedite Expo in 2016. We supported his efforts to help keep the trucking industry running efficiently, without the avoidable snags that create stress for drivers on the road.
“A partnership with Apex Capital just makes sense,” says Serewicz. “We saw how much they really care about the clients, always going the extra mile to help them. Dock411 started because of the driver and the free app we put out there for them to use. We believe they deserve those dock details. It’s even in our tag line, Dock Details Drivers Deserve.”
Now that you can get in and out of the docks without a hitch, is it time to make sure you’re getting paid fast for hauling your loads? Apex factoring can help with cash flow. We’re ready to be your factoring company. Visit our website or give us a call at 855-369-2739.