Walmart Partners With Platform Science to Improve Tech for Fleet Drivers

In a bid to expand its network of 12,000 drivers in spite of a nationwide shortage, Walmart is offering new technology tools that the giant retailer said will “create a world-class driver experience.”

“Our latest approach leverages technology to transform the lives of drivers by eliminating friction and unlocking their potential,” the company stated in a press release Monday (June 20).

One of the offerings, developed with transportation technology company Platform Science, gives Walmart drivers interactive tablets that connect with the company’s NTransit driver-workflow system.

Walmart said the integration “provides near real-time visibility of where our assets are within the fleet to ensure freight arrives on time and in the correct location,” helping to avoid supply chain struggles.

The retailer is also using technology to make it easier for drivers to communicate with employees at stores, according to the announcement. The system also uses geolocation capabilities, so store staff know when drivers are likely to arrive and can be ready to quickly off-load trailers.

The systems the company is putting in place will make it easy for drivers to report developments that slow their progress, according to the release. The tool helps “by allowing drivers to communicate what they accomplished on the road. That way, they are compensated for any miles and non-driving activities beyond what was initially planned.”

Integrating the new tools into drivers’ work has led to “a significant increase in driver satisfaction,” the release noted.

Walmart’s efforts to make life more pleasant for truckers come at a tough time for the sector. PYMNTS reported that as of late May, truck operators were facing tank fill-up tabs approaching $1,700.

See also: Retailers Seek New Supply Chain Efficiencies to Offset Soaring Diesel

The average price of a gallon of diesel fuel sold along a highway nationwide as of June 13, 2022, was $5.72, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A year ago, the figure was $3.29.