Company's demand to use a specific app

Hi, have a question here. So the company I work for just "asked" all drivers to download a specific app on their phones and use it to send bol's etc after each delivery. In a typical for them manner of saying "you must"; "mandatory"; effective today"; "$ fine if no comply"; etc. I don't mind downloading the app, but they don't pay for my phone plan and I'm not really willing to burn up my data allowance for transfering files as my contribution towards them saving money on fax/transfer service fees at my cost. Of course I see a big advantage of not wasting time stopping at truck stops to do this. Therefore I'm torn between letting it be as they wish or at last saying what I think about it. I'm not sure if I'm just being a jerk here or I have a point. Will be helpful for all your input. Please let me know how would you react for such a demand. Thanks

 

Just my personal opinion...
Not a big deal...

1.) easier to do it from the truck at any time and anywhere... So it's a win for you too.

2.) you will hardly "burn through" your data plan... It's probably compressed to an extreme and you use more data streaming anything.

3.) you are probably already writing off your cell phone bill as a business expense on your taxes so now you have a legit example... And you probably use the phone for calls to and from the company anyway.

Just my two cents worth... For what it's worth.

 

Oh... And I use the Transflo App to submit my BOLs and receipts and just love the convenience.

 

Are you on e-logs? If so, ask them to enable the Wi-Fi in your truck....

 

You are getting upset about spending let's say 20 MB of data per month (each file usually is 0.1-.03 MB) and instead you would rather spend 0.5-1hr each time going to a truck stop to send a fax?

 

You will probably like it.

I have the CRST Driven App on my phone. It was not mandatory.

The app allows me to scan transflo, communicate with the DM, accept loads, etc. It's much easier than screwing around with the Qualcomm or taking docs inside to scan them.

 

Thanks guys. I more upset about the way they "ask" for it than about the data usage in the end. I just think they should give me the option to use it rather than ordering me to do it here and now. I'm not on e-logs yet, but have the Peoplenet device in the truck that (I assume) is not set up yet. Do you think this piece of sh... (art) has a wi-fi capability? So far I use it as an extra USB port to charge my phone.

 

My company has us using Driver app, it syncs with PeopleNet. I can view messages, dispatches, available hours, current trip mpg avg, and I can go on/off duty from my phone, although I don't dare use that feature, as it isnt guaranteed to be in realtime. My only gripe is that I can't reply to messages via my phone, but I typically text with dispatch, anyway. There's only four in the whole company.

 

This is how I would react:

I would refuse to allow my employer to force me to load their app on my phone. I would tell them if they wanted me to run a specific app (company or otherwise) they will provide the phone or device to run it on. I'm very strict about the applications I allow to run on my phone. It's my phone, and I will dictate what those apps are. Period.

Just one example of my reasons. Permissions

I do my banking online with a computer. I use a web browser; Not an app. I can do everything I need to do without giving my bank permission to view my contact list, call logs, activate my microphone or camera, view and/or change files stored on my device, etc. My bank has an app for my android phone. It needs permission to access all these things to allow me to do the same things I do with the computer without giving them access to all of those things.

I would be more worried about privacy issues than data usage. This is probably because I know people who write apps for phones, and I know what they can do with them. Some people don't care about these things. It's your phone. You decide what your priorities and concerns are. Maybe compromise and get a tablet to run the app, and don't put anything personal on that tablet. No contact list, no private emails... strictly keep it company business.

 

I strongly agree with Hotline. If they want to dictate how you use something then they should furnish the equipment. This is just another example of the sorry state the trucking industry is in now. Too many people willing to do what ever the company says whether it violates their rights as an individual, or whether they are compensated for it or not.