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Coming Soon! Two New KT Mobile Updates: New Update PTA Button and Update Trailer Button
- Paige Field
- Aug 12
- 2 min read
Please familiarize yourself with the two new button updates on KT Mobile that will be coming soon.
New "Update PTA" button (All Company Drivers & OwnerOps)
The "Update Trailer" button will have a new workflow (Dry Van Only)
Please read all feature details below:
#1 New "UPDATE PTA" Button
This new tool will allow you to adjust your current PTA, Projected Time of Availability, right from your KT Mobile app. You will be able to see your current PTA, and if you need to adjust it, you can do so right from this tool. Once you have updated your PTA, a message will be sent to your Driver Manager to approve the updated PTA request. When your DM has approved your PTA change request, it will update to the new date and time that you've set.
#2 "UPDATE TRAILER" Button
The "Update Trailer" button in the KT Mobile dashboard will now direct to the FreightBox Trailer Solutions attachment workflow rather than a Macro 24 for dry drivers. (See Screenshots below)
We are making this change because the FreightBox process includes driver-facing validations and a trailer assessment. This assessment will replace the DVIR trailer assessment when you are picking up an empty trailer. As a reminder, a trailer assessment is required by law each time a change of equipment occurs. This does not replace your Daily Vehicle Pre-trip Inspection in GeoTab.
Increased usage of this tool will:
improve our trailer data
decrease the quantity of unreported damaged trailers
improve the likelihood of finding a nearby available empty when you need one
This rollout begins with the Arizona Dry terminal on Tuesday 8/12, with the rest of the dry fleet to follow.
More on Freightbox Trailer Solutions HERE
I see this way too often
The Smart Box trailer tracking is ok as an app but has many shortcomings.
it’s better than having to do a local delivery to get an empty. In which you are basically working for free and up not getting paid for your mileage or a flat rate. Making a local live unload delivery that takes 6-7 hours and pays $75 dollars is working for less than minimum wage. You get an empty but you miss out on the 400-599 miles that you potentially could have achieved if you had an empty available for pickup.
Additionally
the smart box has limitations:
Many trailers are listed as available on the app but the reality is multi dysfunctional because not every…
It’s interesting that we have come full circle with the PTA / ETA function, we used to have macros available for the update. However the algorithm allowed the driver Associate who updated their availability to position themselves in a more favorable position for their next load assignment. Many drivers figured this out and managed to leverage their availability and ended up abusing the system to an unfair advantage, so operations removed the macro.
it only takes a few Driver Associates to take advantage of a situation and ruin in for everyone else. Personal Conveyance is a good example for a parallel analogy to this discussion of PTA / ETA and what it’s designed to.
I agree. When I come back from home time I usually spend an hour minimum driving around looking for an empty. I know this is a big ask but it would be nice if there was a dedicated section for empties.
How about we get decently faster tablets so all the new apps and addons dont make them lock up constantly?