Transportation’s distributed workforce includes diverse teams of drivers, maintenance staff, fleet operators, safety personnel, and more who need reliable communications with each other and their organization’s office-based workers like dispatchers, customer service representatives, and operations personnel. Transportation workers perform some of the most demanding and dynamic jobs in the world. Yet, when they are out in the field or on the road, they typically communicate with limited Push-to-Talk apps or older radios. Unlike outdated or limited technology, Orion creates a path for innovation and digital transformation with real-time visibility and process automation that radically improve productivity and safety. “Orion’s collaboration software creates a connected workforce and digitally transforms frontline operations,” says Gregory Taylor, CEO of Orion.

Modernize Transportation Operations with Collaboration Technology

The Orion Transportation Platform provides the first-ever frontline operations system of record. Orion modernizes fleet communications and connects the transportation workforce with voice-first, multimodal collaboration. Drivers, dispatchers, and supporting personnel communicate securely with voice, text, and visual media on one mobile app or web browser on any device and across any network.

“The platform is infinitely scalable, so teams operating on-site, on the road, across town, and around the globe can always collaborate — whether that’s individually, in groups, or organization-wide,” Taylor notes.

One Orion customer operates over 1,000 vehicles, makes over 10,000 thousand point-to-point trips per day, and utilizes Orion to send over 2 million messages per month. As the operations system of record, Orion actively collects millions of events and signals from the organization’s daily operations, creating a rich repository of new and unparalleled opportunities for analytics and continuous improvement.

The Orion Dispatch Console with Advanced Location Services

Centralized operations centers improve the productivity and safety of drivers with Orion’s web-based Dispatch Console, which provides operational control, voice dispatch, and location tracking services. Orion’s Advanced Location Services offer real-time visibility of all driver locations on a single screen. The management functionality enables dispatchers to monitor driver behavior and dwell time and oversee and coordinate incident response. Orion also provides considerable analytics and heat maps to optimize routes and driver productivity.

Automating Routine and Urgent Processes

Transportation operations need automation solutions that keep their drivers handsfree, heads-up, and focused on their job in both routine and urgent situations. Orion automates routine processes and delivers increased productivity across a variety of everyday tasks, like forms and checklists.

For instance, drivers use voice for routine inspection checklists required before the operation of vehicles which are also recorded and archived for compliance purposes. If drivers spot a vehicle issue, automated SOPs dispatch mechanics to their location. Organizations are also able to deploy Orion’s workflows. For example, voice-activated “radio checks” confirm to drivers they are online without needing dispatch to respond, ultimately saving dispatchers overseeing large fleets hours of their day.

Orion is also a lifeline to drivers by automating processes in urgent or dynamic situations. Drivers operate out in the field on their own. Some operate in unfamiliar terrain. They meet challenges like breakdowns or unforeseen route issues. Orion reinforces driver safety, making sure they can always communicate with someone in the event of an emergency. In the case of a breakdown or life-threatening situation, drivers use voice-triggered commands like “help-help” to kick off safety workflows and alert dispatchers without taking eyes off the road. Workflows and geolocation information deploy mechanics or emergency services to their exact location. Orion then automates reporting and documenting of any driver or customer incident, capturing location information, response times, and workers involved.

Orion and The Future of Voice at Work

“Transportation operations urgently need to adopt new, intelligent communications solutions to better manage the dynamic demands of the industry,” says Taylor. Orion’s voice-first platform creates a connected workforce by including them in an integrated, agile, and responsive digital enterprise.