Con-way Inc. announced that it ranked No. 72 on the 2008 InformationWeek 500, which was revealed at an awards ceremony during the InformationWeek 500 Conference at the St. Regis Resort in Monarch Beach, Calif. The company was awarded the ranking for its Step Saver Web-based dock management tool. Last year, Con-way ranked No. 1 for a project that dramatically improved the company’s driver payroll system.
Step Saver is used in the nightly operations of Con-way Freight, the company’s less-than-truckload transportation company and largest business unit. Based on a Web technology platform, Step Saver helps dock coordinators automate shipment traffic into, out of and across the company’s freight loading docks in the most efficient and productive manner possible.
“Step Saver was a major initiative developed and implemented through the hard work of dozens of Con-way employees,” says Jacquelyn Barretta, vice president and chief information officer of San Mateo, Calif.-based Con-way Inc. “Their efforts have resulted in significant cost and time savings and a very successful integration of innovative technology into Con-way’s business processes. Being ranked 72nd on InformationWeek’s prestigious list in recognition of those accomplishments is a tremendous honor for the entire team.”
ABF Freight System was selected to the 2008 list based on inventory management tools and its cultivation of customer intimacy via online shipping tools. “ABF continually improves supply chain management by integrating quality processes and real-time information with leading-edge technology,” says Roy Slagle, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Fort Smith, Ark.-based company. “Our customers have come to expect time- and money-saving applications from us. In addition to meeting the needs of our customers with these innovative applications, it’s also gratifying to have our efforts recognized by such a prestigious organization.”
InformationWeek also ranked two technology initiatives that were created and implemented by YRC Worldwide. The first was the Computer Assisted Bill Entry (CABE) system, an approach to handle complex billing issues that transportation providers face. CABE, a predictive program built on data from previous shipments, is designed to improve bill entry cycle time and quality by reducing the manual data entry required. YRC Worldwide also has applied for a patent on this process.
The second initiative was the redesign of the my.roadway.com website that included a number of innovations, according to the company, including the ability to display the site in multiple languages without any recoding. The benefits of the redesign both were quantitative and qualitative, YRC Worldwide says; with the additional functionality and improved technology, the site is easier for customers to use.
“It is an honor to be recognized by InformationWeek again this year for our innovation in providing technology solutions for the transportation and supply chain industries,” says Michael Rapken, executive vice president and chief information officer of Overland Park, Kan.-based YRC Worldwide. “This award is a confirmation of our continued steps to develop and use technology that enables our employees to excel and better serve our customers.”
Knight Transportation was ranked No. 97. “We are honored to be listed again in the InformationWeek 500,” says Dave Jackson, chief financial officer of the Phoenix-based company. “This recognition is a result of our efforts to integrate and align our IT team with our business.”
Truckload carriers face a diverse set of business requirements customized for a broad range of shippers, Jackson says. “We have invested and continue to invest in technology to simplify what can be a complex set of variables,” he says. “Knight’s focus has been on developing and implementing technologies that optimize efficiency, deliver customized solutions to our customers, and enhance the flow of information to our managers.”
InformationWeek has identified and honored the nation’s most innovative users of information technology with its annual listing, now in its 20th year, and has tracked the technology, strategies, investments and administrative practices of America’s best-known companies. The list is unique among corporate rankings because it spotlights the power of innovation in information technology, rather than simply identifying the biggest IT spenders. Additional details on the InformationWeek 500 can be found online at www.informationweek.com/iw500/.
