Operations

Roadsync survey illustrates the importance of payment flexibility for drivers

Nov. 2, 2023

Drivers work with a number of different companies during their job, all with their own cultures and processes, so flexibility in options is of utmost importance when it comes to payment processing.

Scott Keith

Flexible, simple payment options can go a long way toward making a truck driver’s day smoother or complicated. This is one of the solutions that drivers are looking for to simplify their days, according to a recent RoadSync survey of company and owner-operator drivers.

Though RoadSync usually partners with carriers and not individual drivers and owner-operators, according to founder and CEO Robin Gregg, the company “really wanted to understand the drivers’ part of the experience.”

“Drivers want to make sure that they never get stuck somewhere waiting for a payment," Gregg said. "They want to make sure that they're not going to ever be docked for losing a receipt. So having an automated receipt is important. And they want to make sure that they’re maximizing drive time. If you get stuck somewhere and you're waiting for your employer to help you get your truck fixed because you're waiting for payment, that means you're not on the road.”

The 200 drivers surveyed by Roadsync drove in a variety of different fleet types.

More than half of the truckers surveyed said they send their expense info to their employer or broker using email or text messages. Most of them don't use special apps or tools.

“In terms of expense management and sending paperwork in, a lot of the owner-operators and drivers that we surveyed are always working with different people, so I think it makes it difficult to have a unified experience for them,” Gregg told FleetOwner.

Almost 70% of the truckers used fuel cards for their expenses in the last three months, and 60% used fleet checks. Around 30% used their own credit or debit cards. Most of them were happy with their payment methods.

“The things that they have, like fuel cards and fleet checks, often works just fine for them. So, they reported greater happiness with whatever payment form they're using,” she said, “with the exception of cash—and they don't like to pay for things on their personal credit cards.”

Having different payment options is important to about 60% of truckers surveyed. They prefer businesses to offer more than one way to pay for their services. What's even more important is that 90% of truckers prefer businesses and places that make it easy to pay them. Also, 75% of truckers prefer it when their employer or broker makes paying for work expenses easy.