The increased capability of third-party technology providers, original equipment manufacturers, and tech-based freight brokers has provided a level of real-time (or near real-time) visibility that has not been seen before in the transportation industry. The synthesis of this information with intelligent network management platforms has driven value to all stakeholders across the supply chain by improving operating ratios, inventories, and carrier capacity.
These early gains will be enhanced by Artificial Intelligence, as an intelligent logistics platform will be able to leverage real-time information updates, network history, and a variety of unstructured data to automatically predict and plan a capacity solution across multiple shipper networks with the lowest cost and high probability and service.
While the many emerging forms of “digital disruption” and functions of various tech-based brokerages are certainly promising, they have not thus far enabled a meaningful cost and service difference to shippers. This is largely driven by the appropriate focus on providing information and shipment/transaction automation (both ripe for improvement in the freight brokerage space), which has not solved some of the capacity and service challenges that many shippers face to date.
And, while we look forward to the promise of autonomous vehicles to alleviate the reduction of capacity due to driver shortages, there are certainly many questions that are unanswered, such as: What regulatory issues will arise both at the federal and state level that we have not yet seen? What level of automation will be acceptable from a safety standpoint to government regulators? What is the realistic timing and delivery, and does this really supplement trucking or add mode competition to rail, or both? The list goes on.
Our industry is enjoying a real technology renaissance right now, and we believe in the promise of many of these companies and are actively pursuing methods to support their progression.