New Load Board
Discipline:
Collaborators:
An existing application page used for trucking companies to find available loads. Trucking companies can find available shipments and book them through the app. I was tasked with making the load board into something easier to use, resulting in more shipments being booked.
User Stories
As a booker for a trucking company, I need to be able to easily find available shipments for my drivers. I need to be able to find specific routes on specific days for the best rate we can find.
The Challenge
The current Load Board has been in place for quite some time and was a result of having band-aids placed over it again and again. I needed to find a way to streamline the booking process.
Original Load Board
To book shipments users could use the "Load Board" on the left or "Top Picks" on the right. The Load Board is used by filtering (i.e. entering origin and destination) or by clicking on the map. Top Picks is divided into 4 sections: Top Picks (AI list based on previous bookings), Load Matches (based off current location of company's trucks), Haul it Again (previous hauls), and Saved Lanes (Options based off lanes users saved).
Original Load Board
Top Picks
The Approach
My approach started with contacting carriers who used our software. User interviews and observations lead to the following discoveries:
- Users spent more time on the Load Board, than Top Picks
- Users liked the idea of using Top Picks, but found it tedious to scroll through the columns to find specific lanes/routes
- Users used a lot of the same lanes over and over
The Solution
The solution is to add key functionality to the existing load board. If users are using the same routes repeatedly, lets make it easier for them to access those routes. Instead of users having to search by the same terms over and over, allow them to save those searches.
The new search window gave users the ability to quickly grab previous searches. With the click of a button, users can now quickly search by their current location. Also, there is now the ability to save your searches, so they can easily be accessed in the "Saved Lanes" tab. The locations of that carrier's "Live Trucks" were also added to the map. Users can quickly book a shipment from that truck's location by simply clicking on it.
Saved Lanes
Haul it Again
Live Trucks
Top Picks
Expanding upon the Load Board
Creating all these updates on the load board, lead to the creation of other functionality as well. Saved Lanes and Live Trucks would be getting new pages as well, that users can quickly access from the Load Board. From these new pages users are able to manage lanes and trucks with the ability to also book loads.
Live Trucks Page
Saved Lanes Page
The New Load Board
The Outcome
The new Load Board was deemed a success by ownership.
- Booking search process now takes place on one screen.
- Easier to use with addition of "Use My Location" and "Save Lane" actions.