This article will help you create a driver within Loadstop. Note that if have already been using a tms then you can simply import the drivers to the system through the templates and the process in mentioned below.
In order to create a driver head to the menu or hamburger icon on the top left hand side of the main screen, by clicking, a side menu would appear, there select "Fleet" then "Driver".
You can either create a new driver or choose to import the drivers here. In order to create the driver, click on “create new driver” appearing on the top right hand side of the screen.
In order to import drivers, you can download the template, fill in the list and upload it through “import drivers”. Thereby the whole list can be uploaded in one go. You can also export your driver list on the excel sheet.
Now coming to the driver details, while creating a driver you will have the add all the important information relating to the driver such as carrier, name, driver's company id, driver license etc. The information with the asterisk cannot be ignored. However you can decide which of the fields you would want mandatory. This can be done under your fleet settings. Anything that you set as mandatory would show with the asterisk. If at any point you decide to change the driver type, you will get a prompt to change the unit assignment as well:
Once you click "ok", it will redirect you to the unit assignment tab to make the necessary changes. You will have to make the required changes and hit save if you are to proceed further.
If you provide “per diem” then you can turn on the toggle for per diem also. If at any point you chose to terminate the driver then the toggle for termination would have to be turned on and a date added to it.
Similarly the driver’s rate card is imperative since the settlements would be depend on it. Hence if the rate card is not set, the settlement for that driver would be empty.
Under the rate card information you can add rate per mile if you are paying the driver per mile rate, empty miles pay can set up which could be according to your preference. In case of an owner operator you can choose to pay percentage for the invoice and if you have team drivers assigned to loads then you can set up team rate card as well. The team rate card would be reflected on the settlement if the drivers do a team load. Again if the team rate card is not set and the team does the load then their respective settlements would be empty.
It is noteworthy to point that these fields are not required but you can choose to fill these details if they match the criteria of drivers that you have.
Once all the details are added click on the save “button” to complete adding the information.
As soon as you hit save, a pop up page appears with more tabs that are created for further information. These tabs include documents, expense, fuel cards, recurring deductions, notes, unit assignment, additional payment setup and time off for the driver. The notes that you add under the driver's profile can be viewable on the dispatcher's screen provided the setting "show driver dispatch notes on dispatch screen" is turned on under the Settings > Load.
Under the time off you can add the start and the end date along with the reason of time off.
The document tab will let you add the documents enlisted on the right hand side or create one by clicking on “create new document” option on the top hand side.
The expenses for the driver are configurable under the Menu > Setup > Expense > Recurring expenses. Once created in the backend will reflect here.
While creating the expense, you get the option to categorize these expenses into daily, monthly or annual basis.
If you import fuel cards by driver then it is necessary for you to create the fuel card pertaining to the driver so that your fuel cards do not go unmapped by the system. You will create the toll pass from the same option as well.In order to create a fuel card head to the fuel cards tab and click on “create new fuel card”.
The information to be filled out while creating the driver’s fuel card is the driver's name, fuel card type that can be selected from the drop down and fuel card number. If the owner operator is involved and the fuel is deductible then you can simply turn on the “deductible” toggle.
As soon as you turn on the toggle, further options that appear are “additional fuel charge per gallon” and “external free deductible”. You can set these up according to your preference and hit save.
Coming to the driver’s recurring deductions, you can set drivers recurring deductions as per cycle but again these need to be first configured under the Setup > “Recurring driver’s deductions”. Once they appear under the driver’s profile then you can customize for each driver according to your preference.
Notes tab, will let you add notes relating to the driver for internal reference.
Each driver can be assigned a specific vehicle, trailer and van type. If you have blocked the dispatcher from changing unit assignment from the main load settings and assigned each driver a specific unit then the dispatcher would be blocked from changing the assigned unit assignment. This is if you assign units to drivers. Under the unit assignment tab you can add the "secondary driver" as well.
Furthermore the logs to such previous assignments would appear in the bottom of the page.
The driver’s main screen would have filters for you to find the relevant drivers, it is organized between different tabs such as “external carriers”, “dispatch service” and “managed authority. Furthermore you can always export the drivers through the excel icon on the top corner of the list as well as customize your columns through the eye icon.
