AI Audits Save Trucking Firm $53,000 in Labor Costs

A Wisconsin trucking company recovered $53,000 in annual labor costs after its owner used an AI tool to audit driver telematics data. Pam Polyak, third-generation owner of Polyak Trucking, identified a driver whose on-duty, not-driving time in the yard averaged more than 110 minutes per shift.

Polyak fed Samsara fleet data into the Claude AI model and asked it to flag any driver spending over 30 minutes on duty without driving while at the terminal. The analysis took roughly three minutes. "It was very clear that somebody’s behavior was theft-related in terms of time," Polyak told FreightWaves. She said the driver was taking between two and three hours per shift sitting in the yard.

The finding had a direct financial impact because Polyak pays her drivers hourly, a structure she uses to simplify operations for her small, Chicago-proximate company. The $53,000 figure represents the cumulative payroll cost of that idle time before the AI audit flagged it.

Beyond Time Theft

Polyak also described using Claude AI to compare operational costs across drivers. The tool identified a $50-per-load toll discrepancy between two drivers hauling the same freight on identical lanes but in opposite routing directions. This kind of cost leak, she noted, rarely surfaces without systematic data review. The analysis can run passively, making it practical for owner-operators who are also behind the wheel.

As a consultant to small carriers, Polyak focuses on teaching operators to use AI for data analysis rather than content generation. She believes many small fleets, particularly one- and two-truck operations, remain hesitant to adopt AI due to early experiences with tools like ChatGPT.

Cost Management and Cash Flow Warnings

Polyak shared broader advice for small carriers navigating volatile markets. On diesel cost management, she urged governing truck speeds down to 63 or 65 mph in a 70 mph zone, continuously monitoring fuel expenses, and building fuel surcharges into all customer contracts.

She issued a warning about cash flow pressures. Tender cycles of 30 to 45 days, combined with equivalent payment terms from customers, are creating financial gaps. Polyak stated these conditions will pressure small operators through the fourth quarter. "You’re going to continue to see trucking companies suffer," she said. She added that holiday bonuses could be casualties of the liquidity squeeze, not from a lack of will but from a lack of cash.

The case from Polyak Trucking demonstrates how accessible AI tools can perform back-office analysis for carriers without dedicated staff. The direct cost savings from a single audit highlight the potential for technology to impact the bottom line on specific trade lanes.