USA Truck Rolls Out Virtual Technician Program

USA Truck Inc. of Van Buren has partnered with Daimler AG in a pilot program in which six 2013 Freightliner tractors have been outfitted with Detroit Virtual Technician systems, the dry van truckload carrier said in a news release.

DVT is satellite-based technology that provides onboard diagnostics and logistics in real time.

“As a driver-focused company, we’re always looking for ways to improve safety and productivity while providing a better driver experience,” said Paul Marshall, USA Truck’s director of maintenance. “The introduction of Virtual Technician does these things. It will give us timely visibility into performance issues and the ability to arrange needed repairs quickly, which will improve efficiency and safety across the board.”

USA Truck said the pilot program is part of its ongoing fleetwide revitalization initiative. The company is scheduled to assign 450 new Freightliners to its drivers throughout the year, and the pilot program will help determine if the company will install DVT systems in any of those units.

Benefits of the system include the ability to:

• Read and analyze fault codes in real time.

• Identify problems before they cause additional damage.

• Provide expert analysis from a customer service center.
• Schedule service from the road.
• Locate the nearest of more than 800 North American service outlets with available parts.
• Reduce driver downtime.