How do you know the dock details are accurate?
This is a common question we get here at Dock411 and a topic we take very seriously.
We get our dock details in 3 different ways:
- We have a data collection team of Dock411 crew members that actually hit the streets and enter information into the app. You can find them driving from industrial park to industrial park taking pictures and talking to businesses to log all this valuable info.
- We work closely with shippers so they can lay out exactly what a driver should do at their next stop. This means no surprises for drivers upon arrival. They’ll know exactly where to drive, dock, park, etc. Eventually, we’ll be moving into a real time model for wait times, yard changes, etc.
- Last and most importantly, the Dock411 app allows drivers to record their own experiences at docks around the nation. By talking to countless drivers and employees in the industry, we’ve found that although they value information from the shippers themselves, we’ve realized that drivers care more about what other drivers have to say about a location.
So, where does all this information go?
These three avenues all funnel directly into a program one of our co-founders, Eric, built called The Forge. The reasoning behind the name is we take all this dock information – raw material – work with it and turn it into an extremely valuable resource. All dock details that are entered into The Forge get reviewed by a Dock411 team member. They review all of the information and map points entered for that dock, and have the ability to accept or reject the entries so you can be sure it’s credible.
So wait. You have nerds reviewing trucker entered data?
We have recently started hiring retired or injured drivers to assist with the reviewing process. Lets face it, truckers have their own lingo that these nerds just wouldn’t understand. So we’re putting these experienced drivers to work while they’re either laid up or laying back on retirement.
Learn about our featured dock analyst, Sandy Long.
