“That trend of outsourcing is going to continue, and more freight is going to be available through connected networks and digital freight matching.”
McLeod’s TopMatch technology allows McLeod PowerBroker users to combine several carrier search methods into one comprehensive search and find the carrier or carriers who are known based on history and preferences to be the best match for every load. TopMatch then feeds the best ranked-carriers to PowerBroker’s Waterfall Tendering to help the automated freight matching process be more effective at covering the load.
Trip Management takes into account real-time weather.
Jointly developed with Trimble Maps (formerly ALK), the module can be used with McLeod’s existing Driver Feasibility module, which determines whether the load can be completed based on the driver’s current position, the distances involved, the appointment windows for pick-up and delivery, and that driver’s available hours of service. The interactive nature of McLeod’s new Trip Management module gives the driver the opportunity to be part of the planning process.
Digital Freight Matching
A lot of technology investment in recent years has been poured into developing more efficient ways to match freight that needs to be moved with trucks that have space to move it, including many startups. McLeod has its own technology as part of its PowerBroker product for brokerage operations – and Tom McLeod pointed out that “many of these [new] digital freight brokers are also freight brokers,” i.e., competitors.
“There’s a lot of options on the table in terms of being able to allocate and locate freight,” he said. “I think it’s important to get involved in, because more and more freight is going through these channels.”
However, he said, technology can’t replace relationships. “Last year when the capacity was strained, we thought the freight brokers might get squeezezd out. Exactly the opposite happened. Shippers couldn’t find trucks. They needed to get the freight moved, and they turned to freight brokers who really have great skills and build relationships with carriers, so they’re able to secure capacity even in tight markets.
40 A C HIEVE MORE
Digital freight-matching isn’t just for startups looking to disrupt the industry.
Preparing the Way for Autonomous Trucks
McLeod noted that all the truck OEMs, as well as startups, are working on this technology. “Please be talking to your truck suppliers about where they are in that process,” he said. “We have started conversations with truck makers and aftermarket supplies about the dispatch process, which has to be a lot more precise than just a street address for pickup and delivery, and the monitoring of that vehicle en route is critical.”
McLeod expects early fully autonomous operations to involve drivers meeting autonomous trucks at off-ramps, with the driverless portion of the trip limited to highways without a great deal of traffic and congestion. “This will increase the need for command control coming out of the system. We want you to be ready for that when it occurs.”
In addition, on the carrier side, McLeod emphasized how the Backhaul module in LoadMaster can help make carriers “better negotiators and a better player in the world of digital freight matching.”
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