Trends & Applications in Drayage

“Covid-19 has accelerated digital adoption for many companies… [before] it was unfathomable that you could dispatch a truck from your kitchen” Larry Cuddy, CEO, Envase Technologies. Check out the full article from IANA’s Intermodal Insights.

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Never Pay Retail Fuel Prices Again!

Phone the Envase Fuel Team at 603-217-2119 (Option 2) or email them at fuelteam@envasetechnologies.com for more information…

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 Envase and Firmament

With support from Firmament, Envase is excited to bring better and more accessible Dray-Tech to all the intermodal carriers doing their part to relieve pressure within the supply chain!

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Looking Back at 2021 and Ahead to 2022 in Intermodal Trucking

The global pandemic threw a spotlight on weaknesses in our global supply chains, ushered in a new era of how and where work gets done, and got North America’s aging infrastructure the attention it deserves.

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DM Maintenance

Effortlessly manage your fleet with a full-featured maintenance software solution. DM Maintenance can streamline your vehicle repair, inventory, and equipment management.

Envase Team Member Spotlight

Get to know Amanda Nott, Project Manager at Envase Technologies.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Amanda: “I was recently given the nickname of ‘superwoman’ … and would certainly enjoy having her speed. Getting to and from school events, sports, work, and Starbucks would be a breeze!’

Below, we’ve listed some of the tech trends that are predicted to have the biggest impact on the industry in 2021.

1. Blockchain

Blockchain has become a buzzword, thanks to the popularity of cryptocurrency investments. But that’s not the only field where blockchain technology is applicable. Simply put, blockchain is a decentralized open ledger that connects each user via a series of computers. Its main draw, in the context of freight and logistics, is the security and transparency it offers. Since the data is open to each stakeholder, this makes the entire process easily traceable and less prone to fraud — since all parties have decentralized access to the data. However, much still has to be done in order for the sector to adopt blockchain technology. For one, logistics companies will need to digitize their data and implement an industry-wide standard for sharing it. As such, the technology’s full potential has still not been realized yet.

2. Electric Trucks

In the past, electric vehicles were widely inaccessible due to their high costs and how they’re manufactured. To illustrate, electric vehicles contain lithium-ion batteries. Inside each cell are cathodes, and manufacturers need net ties to meet its PCB design requirements. This is what allows the batteries to run and distribute energy. Such complex processes are what make electric vehicles expensive. Now, there are many more electric vehicles on the market — including electric trucks. For example, mega-retailer Walmart recently reaffirmed its commitment to switch to electric vehicles — including long haul trucks — by 2040. As truck manufacturers iron out the kinks, we can expect electric fleets to become a major part of the future of the freight sector.

3. Predictive Analysis and AI Learning

Time and resource distribution are important considerations for freight businesses. One budding technology that can help optimize these is machine learning. Using past data to predict trends, AI technology can help you estimate the demand of products per location. This will reduce dispatch times, maximize supply distribution, and lead to an overall steadier supply chain. Despite the promise that machine learning holds, experts warn that predictive analysis still needs more polishing. To give an accurate forecast and get rid of any outliers, a lot of historical data is required.

4. Using a Web-based TMS System

The global transport sector is facing huge losses due to COVID-19. In fact, road freight transport saw an 18% decrease in revenue for the first half of 2020 alone, according to the International Road Transport Union. This year, transport and freight companies will have to slash costs as financial recovery begins to take place. One way to do that is by using web-based transport management systems. Systems like Tailwind eliminate the need to invest large sums in servers and trained IT staff because the platform operates through the cloud. Additionally, businesses can save more money through these Software-as-a-Service tools, since there are no annual maintenance agreements to pay for. As a result, more funds can be spent fixing the financial damage brought by the pandemic.

5. Drone Delivery

COVID-19 has placed a lot of emphasis on contactless modes of business. For the freight sector, one way to do this is by employing drones. These unmanned vehicles can bypass road congestion, and easily reach rural areas — all while minimizing human contact. However, it’s still in its early stages and currently faces many challenges. Some of its hurdles include battery life, aerodynamics, weight limitations, and legal compliance. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting mode of delivery to look into for the future.

The next few years will prove exciting for the supply chain industry, thanks to these trends in technology. Whether you’re a small freight operator or a large-scale transport mogul, these new innovations will certainly change the way you do business.

Author:

Jea Vacarro

Editor’s note: This blog was originally written for Tailwind Transportation Software, 5 Tech Trends That Are Affecting the Freight Industry.

Here are 4 ways technology can enable better margins.

1. Elevates The Customer Experience

Technology can improve interaction with customers – for example, proving access to rates and booking shipments online. This, as opposed to the old school process of requiring customers to call in and wait hours or days for quotes. This is all information that is all available – technology just makes it available.

2. Enables Accurate Quoting

Being sure of their cost basis, which is especially hard with international shipping, is key to reducing risk while still being to provide the most competitive quote possible. Rate accuracy matters and accurate quotes are impossible without technology to support the rate management and rate calculation process.

3. Automates Manual Processes

The industry is often relies heavily on phone calls and faxes; leading 3Pls, freight forwarders & brokers leverage technology to eliminate those manual steps and digitize as much as possible – resulting in an improved customer experience and better margins.

4. Improves Communications

Challenges inherent to international shipping like documentation and customs paperwork are more easily managed. Data and paperwork are completed and shared more efficiently with lost paperwork rerouted quickly and problems resolved faster.

Protect Your Margins

Drayage management is a competitive market where margin protection and operating efficiency is a priority for everyone. Technology is a key tool for achieving those objectives while at the same time differentiating service performance.

Editor’s note: This blog was originally written for DrayMaster, 4 Ways Technology Can Protect Your Margin.

Monday, Nov 2, 2020 – Leading industry news source, Freightwaves, published an article today sharing how veteran brokerage ITG Transportation Services shifted focus from in-house resources to solid partnerships, and grew!

Between 2013 and 2018, ITG doubled in size, both in terms of headcount and revenue. It has been able to run efficiently enough through the recent downturn to avoid significant losses or staff changes.

See the full article here: Are brokerages meant to be technology companies? (https://www.freightwaves.com/news/are-brokerages-meant-to-be-technology-companies/)

About DrayMaster

DrayMaster is an automated rate management platform that gives truckers, 3PLs, brokers and freight forwarders a single source for managing all of the rate complexities for intermodal drayage moves. With up-to-the-minute quotes that include current fuel and accessorial charges, DrayMaster users have an instant snapshot of their carrier network. 3PLs, brokers and freight forwarders can work faster and more efficiently with trucking partners, and trucking partners can offer their rate with more detail and speed to potential customers in a trusted and secure environment.

Media Contact: Bonnie Hanson bhanson@draymaster.com

Brokers, forwarders and intermediaries are often making decisions on partial quotes which means they are guessing at the accessorial charges, extra fees and tolls which makes their accruals, and even the basis for carrier selection inaccurate.

Carriers perform the service, and send invoices with all the additional chassis and port-related charges included, and wait to get paid. When the customer gets the invoice, the finance people push approval of the invoice back to operations because it’s higher than the accrual. Days are lost as communications go back and forth between the three of them. The invoice finally gets approved and then the payable clock starts ticking.  The carrier gets paid late, negatively impacting cash flow.

Is there an efficient way to get accurate, all-in quotes upfront without spending more time and effort emailing the world?

That’s where DrayMaster comes in.

DrayMaster is a user-friendly and intuitive online system that allows carriers to provide up-to-date rates in an instant and brokers to access those rates 24/7. Most importantly, DrayMaster provides complete, accurate drayage rate quotes based on all of the known facts of the movement like tolls, chassis charges, port fees, accessorial fees, etc.

Having all-in, accurate drayage rates upfront:

• lets customers understand full costs so they can make good decisions, accrue correctly, and maintain a profit margin
• speeds invoice approvals because they match the accruals
• helps carriers get paid faster
• builds trust and creates a simple and efficient ongoing business relationship between customers and carrier

Whether you’re quoting, booking, or auditing an invoice, you can pull a quote that’s complete and accurate from any computer, 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.

Avoid High-Crime Areas

Do your research when selecting transportation routes. Avoid high-crime areas to maximize the safety of your drivers, trucks, and cargo. Smart transportation management software can help you determine routes through safer neighborhoods, based on crime heat maps and collected data. Avoiding areas with high rates of theft and other crimes may take your truckers longer to reach their destinations, but it can save money in the long run by preventing expensive cargo theft. A few areas with high rates of cargo theft are Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York, Miami, Houston, and Chicago.

Don’t Let Trucks Sit for Too Long

Trucks can be sitting ducks in certain high-crime areas. Don’t let precious cargo idle too long in one place to help prevent incidents of theft. The faster your truckers can get in and out of a location, the better. When drivers do need to stop for a long period of time, arrange rest breaks at safe truck stop locations with adequate security measures. Train your drivers to park their trucks tail-to-tail, or with the tail against a wall, to prevent thieves from breaking into the rear trailer doors.

Utilize Low-Tech Security

The security industry has modernized, but there’s no reason not to employ low-tech security systems as well. Low-tech security measures such as locks and seals on cargo trailers are a relatively inexpensive way to help deter criminals. Simple measures can stop amateur or “opportunist” thieves from exploiting weaknesses in your security measures. Low-tech security, however, may not keep your loads safe from higher levels of organized crime.

Make Smart Use of Transportation Technology

Running a fleet of trucks takes smart use of security technologies to keep drivers, trucks, trailers, and cargo safe from mishaps and crimes. Use layered security measures such as locks, alarms, camera systems, and GPS trackers to optimize the safety of your loads. Stay in communication with your drivers and law enforcement in the event of an issue. The right security technologies and fleet management software solutions can help you keep tabs on your trucks and protect valuable cargo from even the most determined criminals.

Use Tracking Devices

If you can’t prevent cargo theft, the least you can do is track the stolen truck or cargo to alert law enforcement. Use tracking device technologies to keep tabs on your trucks and trailers. GPS trackers can collect and send real-time telematics information to the police, so they can track down the position of the vehicle and hopefully detain the perpetrators. Concealed tracking devices can notify you when a truck or trailer travels out of a designated area, in a process called geofencing.

Editor’s note: This blog was originally written for the GTG Technology Group, How to Protect Your Freight From Cargo Thieves.