CCJ

April 2018

Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal

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78 commercial carrier journal | april 2018 TECHNOLOGY: ASSET-LIGHT TECHNOLOGY now" options, Capella says. e pricing algorithm uses data inputs from public sources such as weather databases and private sources such as factoring companies that pro- vide carrier rate data. By using the LoadSmart platform, Daimler Trucks North America has reduced the time it takes to complete spot-market arrangements for its man- ufacturing and aermarket truck parts businesses from five hours a day to an average of 18 minutes a day, Capella says. LoadSmart is on track to manage 100 percent of DTNA's spot-market freight transactions, he says. Some carriers that buy DTNA trucks also haul freight for the truck maker. To give these truck-buying customers a first preference for Daimler's loads, LoadSmart has customized some features of its online platform to identify the assets of these "VIP carriers" that are positioned to move loads for the OEM. Carriers that do business with LoadSmart provide notification of their available capacity in various ways, such as by email. LoadSmart captures ship- ment-tracking data using its mobile app and by integrating with telematics systems. e broker pays carriers with- in two days aer delivery. Freight visibility Many technology companies have developed systems that automatical- ly locate shipments using cell-tower signals, GPS from drivers' phones and telematics. While these systems elimi- nate manual "check calls" to drivers to update the status of loads, this is only the start. Some logistics providers also use this automated tracking technology to give shippers visibility of all of their freight in their supply chain. While Penske Logistics uses com- mercially available technologies, the company also has taken additional steps with its proprietary Clear- Chain technology suite designed to provide visibility to its customers by connecting all parts of their supply chains. e suite organizes its customers' data into an easily accessible reposi- tory that drives efficiencies, cuts costs and manages service disruptions, the company says. ClearChain provides status updates using GPS tracking to see carriers' lo- cations at any point. If a carrier doesn't have an onboard tracking system, Penske can connect with a driver's cellphone. e suite also can monitor real-time traffic and weather informa- tion along routes and near customers' locations to provide more accurate arrival time estimates. "e ClearChain technology suite, coupled with the people and processes behind it, allows users to know what is happening at the touch of a button or click of a mouse or tap of a finger or swipe of a card," says Joe Carlier, senior vice president of global sales for Penske Logistics. "at knowledge creates better service and results." Freight payments With the mobile connectivity options used by freight brokers and carriers to capture arrival and departure events and proof-of-delivery documents, more brokers and 3PLs are working to provide carriers with a seamless invoic- ing and payment experience. R8Star – a freight broker that specializes in oversize, overweight and open-deck loads – is using the Comchek Mobile system to issue fuel advances to carriers at the moment of pickup and to pay in full as soon as carriers upload images of delivery documents. Users can register for Comchek Mobile, a peer-to-peer digital payment system, as an individual or business owner. e latter registration comes with reporting to track spending for general ledger accounting and auditing, says Terrence McCrossan, senior vice president for Comdata North Ameri- can Trucking. By using the technology, freight brokers do not have to collect and store bank account information for deposits. Instead, brokers only need a carrier's Comchek Mobile ID number to send funds for payment, McCrossan says. Penske Logistics' ClearChain technology suite is designed to provide visibility to its customers by connecting all parts of their supply chains, says Joe Carlier, the company's senior vice president of global sales. "We understand that people want to put technology in their hands." – Neerav Shah, vice president of products, DAT

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