Best Apps for Truckers in 2017
The rise in popularity of smartphones has reached a tipping point, with some surveys suggesting that 95% of truck drivers have one. As companies in Silicon Valley and elsewhere race to create trucking apps, a key question comes to mind: what do the best apps for truckers look like and what features do apps for truck drivers have. We know drivers are searching for apps for truck route GPS, and it’s clear that GPS for truckers is really important.
Let’s start at the top. What are the most popular (by download) in the various application stores?
In the trucker apps for android category, Google’s Play store has many “trucking apps” however so many are simulations or games, and professional CDL drivers know that no app for truck drivers can recreate the experience of being on the road, doing the job (though the full size simulators have made great strides in providing training to those just starting out in the trucking industry). The most popular trucker app for android is called “Trucker Path – Truck Stops” and the apps includes features like real-time parking information, truck route GPS, fuel stops, weigh stations and more. With over 35,000 downloads and a very high 4.5 rating, it’s clearly one of the leading trucking apps for Android devices.
What about iOS devices? Does Apple have similar results, including free trucker apps? Yes. In fact, Trucker Path has an iPhone version of its truck route GPS app available, and it has a 4.5 rating in that store, too. A search for trucking apps in the iTunes store brings up even more simulators (perhaps iPhone users really like games?) as well as more trucking app that offer truck route GPS. A few others of note are Trucker Logbook, which has 4.9 stars and Trucker Tools that has 3 stars (but only a few ratings).
While those are the most popular “trucking apps” there are a lot of other apps that drivers use while out on the road. From popular rating apps like Yelp to messaging apps like Facebook and FB Messenger, What’s App, and other social media apps like Instagram and, yes, even SnapChat! So, while it seems clear that the types of trucker apps companies make focus on truck route GPS, truck stops and parking, and in some cases, log books and recording, the fact that so many of these variations exist could indicate that trucking companies do not provide similar services to their drivers.
At Roehl, we’ve had a smartphone app since 2015, and we make regular enhancements to it based on the feedback we get from our driving teammates. (The My Roehl App is available for our drivers through both the Google Play and Apple iTunes Store.)
Because our leader, Rick Roehl, is also a CDL truck driver, the app includes the types of features that drivers really want. The My Roehl trucking app allows drivers to scan their paperwork (no need to find a fax machine), read messages related to their work, track their progress and performance (our drivers can get a raise each quarter up to our top rate based on their performance in the Your Choice Pay Plan), refer other drivers to #TeamRoehl (and get rewarded for helping grow our great team), and a feature we call Driver Resources that offers news, pay information, contact information, support (including terminal maps and Wi-Fi coverage) and links to our employee website, TeamRoehl.com.
Over 90% of our drivers use the trucking app designed for them, and one of the most popular features is the “Suggestion Box” where our teammates provide feedback about the app and other topics so that we can help them be successful – that’s all part of our commitment to Driver Success and reflects that Roehl is built on values. Because we provide responsiveness, care and solutions (like one of the best trucking apps) to help our drivers meet their professional and personal goals, our drivers can in turn be leaders in productivity, earnings and safety.
Smartphone apps for truck drivers will continue to be developed and pushed as a way to make money or sell advertising (especially common in the free trucker apps), but ask yourself if you should have to seek out the underlying services that those apps provide or if your trucking company should be helping you be successful and providing the tools you need to be the driver you want to be.
Top Apps for Truckers in 2017
Let’s start at the top. What are the most popular (by download) in the various application stores?
In the trucker apps for android category, Google’s Play store has many “trucking apps” however so many are simulations or games, and professional CDL drivers know that no app for truck drivers can recreate the experience of being on the road, doing the job (though the full size simulators have made great strides in providing training to those just starting out in the trucking industry). The most popular trucker app for android is called “Trucker Path – Truck Stops” and the apps includes features like real-time parking information, truck route GPS, fuel stops, weigh stations and more. With over 35,000 downloads and a very high 4.5 rating, it’s clearly one of the leading trucking apps for Android devices.
What about iOS devices? Does Apple have similar results, including free trucker apps? Yes. In fact, Trucker Path has an iPhone version of its truck route GPS app available, and it has a 4.5 rating in that store, too. A search for trucking apps in the iTunes store brings up even more simulators (perhaps iPhone users really like games?) as well as more trucking app that offer truck route GPS. A few others of note are Trucker Logbook, which has 4.9 stars and Trucker Tools that has 3 stars (but only a few ratings).
While those are the most popular “trucking apps” there are a lot of other apps that drivers use while out on the road. From popular rating apps like Yelp to messaging apps like Facebook and FB Messenger, What’s App, and other social media apps like Instagram and, yes, even SnapChat! So, while it seems clear that the types of trucker apps companies make focus on truck route GPS, truck stops and parking, and in some cases, log books and recording, the fact that so many of these variations exist could indicate that trucking companies do not provide similar services to their drivers.
At Roehl, we’ve had a smartphone app since 2015, and we make regular enhancements to it based on the feedback we get from our driving teammates. (The My Roehl App is available for our drivers through both the Google Play and Apple iTunes Store.)
Because our leader, Rick Roehl, is also a CDL truck driver, the app includes the types of features that drivers really want. The My Roehl trucking app allows drivers to scan their paperwork (no need to find a fax machine), read messages related to their work, track their progress and performance (our drivers can get a raise each quarter up to our top rate based on their performance in the Your Choice Pay Plan), refer other drivers to #TeamRoehl (and get rewarded for helping grow our great team), and a feature we call Driver Resources that offers news, pay information, contact information, support (including terminal maps and Wi-Fi coverage) and links to our employee website, TeamRoehl.com.
Over 90% of our drivers use the trucking app designed for them, and one of the most popular features is the “Suggestion Box” where our teammates provide feedback about the app and other topics so that we can help them be successful – that’s all part of our commitment to Driver Success and reflects that Roehl is built on values. Because we provide responsiveness, care and solutions (like one of the best trucking apps) to help our drivers meet their professional and personal goals, our drivers can in turn be leaders in productivity, earnings and safety.
Smartphone apps for truck drivers will continue to be developed and pushed as a way to make money or sell advertising (especially common in the free trucker apps), but ask yourself if you should have to seek out the underlying services that those apps provide or if your trucking company should be helping you be successful and providing the tools you need to be the driver you want to be.
Top Apps for Truckers in 2017
- Trucker Path
- Trucker Logbook
- Trucker Tools
- Yelp
- My Roehl App