SAVANNAH, Ga. – Drivers now have a new tool rolled out by the Georgia Ports Authority.
The organization has rolled out a new GPA Trucker mobile app to help make the trucker experience smoother, easier and faster at Port of Savannah terminals.
The Port of Savannah says it averages 14,000-16,000 gate moves daily from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Meanwhile, truck turn times at Garden City Terminal average 35 minutes for a single move; 53 minutes for dual moves when a driver is delivering an export and picking up an import.
The GPA Trucker app “puts more information at drivers’ fingertips to make their work easier. Through the app, drivers can save drive time, simplify paperwork and get notifications such as changes to gate hours to help plan the day. For ease of use, the app offers facial recognition or fingerprint opening,” according to the release.
“At GPA, we see drivers as our front-line customers, and we are always working to provide a superior customer experience,” GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch said. “Helping truckers solve problems before they arrive at our gates improves overall efficiency for them and for the cargo owners who choose Georgia Ports.”
Lynch added drivers can make six to eight turns a day for deliveries to local warehouses and still be home for dinner with their families. He said such supply chain velocity creates a financial benefit for cargo owners’ inventory carrying costs.
Improved PIN Process
The app’s initial purpose is to improve and simplify the process for container transactions. To track container moves, Georgia Ports uses PINs, which are good for 72 hours. Drivers provide the PIN at the terminal gate to receive a paper ticket with a container’s pickup or drop-off location.
The GPA Trucker app now also provides a digital version of the ticket that can be saved or transmitted to a driver’s trucking company. The app’s next generation will include a push function, so drivers will automatically receive their digital tickets, instead of having to search in the app.
Through the app, drivers can avoid trips if, for instance, the time limit has expired on the PIN issued for a container move, or an export container has shifted to a different vessel.
Additionally, the app informs drivers which terminal entry gate is closest to the container, and sends announcements such as changes to gate hours and weather alerts. Future functionality will include navigation assistance through Waze or Apple Maps, so that drivers can more easily find containers on terminal.
The app is available on the Apple AppStore or Google Play by searching for “GPA Trucker.”
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
