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Drivewyze allows truckers to bypass Florida ag stations

Users of Drivewyze PreClear are able to bypass Florida’s 22 ag inspection stations if they are not hauling farm products or refrigerated containers.

   Truckers using the Drivewyze PreClear system will now be able to bypass Florida’s 22 agricultural inspection stations if they are not hauling farm products or refrigerated containers. 
   Drivewyze recently reached an agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement (OALE) allowing qualified carriers to bypass the state’s agriculture interdiction sites using Drivewyze PreClear. Drivewyze already began offering truck fleets and operators weigh station bypass service at 19 fixed interstate locations in Florida last year.
   “The agricultural inspection sites are a critical component to safeguarding Florida’s agricultural industry, which contributes about $100 billion annually to the state’s economy,” Brian Heath, Drivewyze president, said. “That’s why officers must verify the identity of trucks and check to see whether they’re carrying loads that they should be examining more closely.
   “But Florida officials also understand that requiring carriers, who aren’t operating reefer units or hauling agricultural products, to stop at all agriculture inspection sites can add unnecessary operating costs and delays to freight deliveries,” Heath added. “The delays can also contribute to congestion and backups in and around the sites, which create a serious safety hazard for the motoring public and make the work of their officers more difficult.”
   By providing qualified carriers the opportunity to bypass agriculture inspection sites, enforcement officers with the OALE can concentrate their efforts on specific carriers of agricultural, horticultural, aquaculture and livestock commodities, Heath said.
   Drivewyze is used by eligible truckers across the country, who can bypass 440 weigh stations and inspection sites in 33 states, in addition to the 22 Florida agricultural inspection stations.
   Drivewyze PreClear is a cloud-based service that alerts drivers two miles before approaching a weigh station or agriculture inspection site in Florida. This allows the truck fleet or operator to earn up to a 98 percent bypass rate at weigh stations, depending on their safety record, and even more bypasses at Florida agriculture sites, depending on their load status. Each bypass saves an estimated $8.68 in driver time, vehicle operation and fuel, Drivewyze said.
   The system works on Android or iOS-based tablets or smartphones, and is available on in-cab fleet devices from PeopleNet, Zonar and Rand McNally.

Chris Gillis

Located in the Washington, D.C. area, Chris Gillis primarily reports on regulatory and legislative topics that impact cross-border trade. He joined American Shipper in 1994, shortly after graduating from Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Md., with a degree in international business and economics.