Averitt Express, Inc. :: Think Red Instead

Celebrating 40 years

Averitt celebrates 40 years of service in 2011. We’re proud to say we’ve been moving freight In and Out of the South since 1971. We hope you enjoy this special “Then and Now” 40th birthday feature story.

For more information on Averitt's 40th birthday, visit AverittExpress.com/40years.

Technology Changes Bring Efficiency and Safety

Where would our team be today if it weren’t for technology? Probably still on the dock trying to figure out where a shipment should be delivered. Or possibly on the road, looking for a payphone (remember those?) to call in to the fleet manager to see where the next pickup is.

That’s not to say the world of transportation was completely unorganized when we got our start in 1971. But a lot of the technology that we have today can sometimes be taken for granted, especially if we didn’t live through the first few years of our team’s history.

Today, for instance, technology powers our dock scanners and Qualcomms, helping us improve our efficiency. These two components not only allow us to provide better visibility, but they also enable us to plan better. And that’s something that both our customers and our associates can truly appreciate.

“I remember when load planning wouldn’t start until all the shipments were picked up and brought back to the service center,” recalls Richard King of our corporate leadership, who served as a service center director in the 1980s. “The onboard computers and handheld scanners we use today have changed all of that. Now drivers can enter information about the shipments they pick up throughout the day, and everything is funneled through our computer system.”

No more waiting to see how much freight is coming in. No more waiting for a driver to call in. Everything can be done electronically now.

Need to get a message to a driver? Send it out through the Qualcomm. In fact, the new Qualcomm units that we’re phasing in across our fleet provide even more functionality. A touch screen makes in-cab communication easier, while the unit’s voice – yes, it has a voice – can read messages and directions out loud, improving productivity and safety at the same time.

What will another 40 years of technological advancement bring? Only time will tell. But what we can be sure of is that Averitt will still be going strong, because Our Driving Force Is People.

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