A consortium of digital freight networks has published its own technical standard for developing application programming interfaces (API) for transportation management systems (TMS) so that scheduling systems across the freight industry can “consistently and effectively” communicate with one another.
The Scheduling Standards Consortium (SSC) announced the new standard Oct. 2, calling it a “landmark milestone” in the group’s efforts to digitally pull together the “fragmented ecosystem between shippers, carriers and intermediaries.”
Founded last December by digital freight networks Convoy, J.B. Hunt, and Uber Freight, SSC’s mission is to establish the industry's first formal set of scheduling API standards.
“Scheduling system and interface fragmentation is a significant point of friction among carriers, brokers, and shippers,” stated SSC. Therefore, it's “vital to define and share a consistent data architecture and API standard for the distribution of scheduling information.”
The new technical standard will lead to creating freight- appointment scheduling standards to “provide consistent visibility into the supply chain.” The upshot will be easier booking and managing of appointments and optimizing of processes for carriers, shippers, and receivers alike. The standard is now accessible on the open source community, GitHub.
As a point of reference, in plain English API is a set of instructions that give application developers a common method for “writing software that builds upon each other,” according to Glenn Sullivan, Senior Director of Product Management at Infoblox, a provider of computer and network security. In other words, API enables developers to connect different systems without having to write their own code.
API can be seen as the level-up technology for scheduling compared to the less flexible Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) systems in use by many trucking companies.
Streamline and automate
“Many brokers and carriers are familiar with using APIs to streamline and automate cross-system interactions in other aspects of freight and logistics, e.g., load bidding,” Brooks McMahon, Chief Business Development Officer of Convoy Inc. told CCJ.
“The SSC scheduling API spec builds upon industry standards and conventions both from inside the logistics industry, as well as from other non-freight standards, he continued. “One advantage to introducing this as an industry standard vs. separate implementations by each TMS [develop] is enabling broader adoption among brokers, carriers, or fleets less familiar with building their own in-house systems.
“The leading enterprise TMS providers (Oracle OTM, BlueYonder, E2Open, Transplace Uber Freight, and One Network) are actively engaged in collaborating within the SSC to align on the API spec in its current and future iteration(s),” said McMahon. He noted that these participants are “encouraging adoption” among both their shipper customers and their 3PL/broker partners.
McMahon noted that SSC also includes many of the largest truckload brokers and carriers, including Arrive Logistics, Convoy, Coyote Logistics, DHL Group, Echo Logistics, JB Hunt, Lineage Logistics, Ryder, Transportation Insight / Nolan Transportation Group, Uber Freight, and Worldwide Express.
He advised that it’s possible that “some of the smaller brokers will require more support as SSC gains steam, and they will want and/or need to participate to keep up. We’re thinking through how to best bring these smaller brokers along, including (potentially with) transportation-specific system integrators.”
In addition, McMahon said that SSC is in “active discussions with various dock scheduling platforms (those owned and operated by large receivers, as well as independent software vendors), and hope to welcome them as SSC collaborators in the coming months and quarters as well.”
Chain reaction
Indeed, SSC participants see the release of the API standard as the start of a chain reaction. As industry leaders adopt the standard, a “significant transformation is set in motion,” with shippers benefitting from collaborating with TMS providers that invest in integration,” per the group. “This harmonization signifies more than just technical progress; it underscores a dedication to innovative solutions that enhance the logistics ecosystem as a whole.”
SSC pointed out that its API-based approach will allow companies to access the latest data to “make smart decisions to increase efficiency, reduce empty miles and waste, lower costs, and improve service outcomes. As each company aligns with these standards, the industry can better orchestrate freight needs with data-informed systems.”
"We're actively implementing these standards at Oracle and charting a course toward enhanced data sharing," said Srini Rajagopal, the firm’s Vice President of Logistics Product Strategy.
"Embracing these standards is not just an affirmation; it's a commitment to bring additional API capabilities to the industry's landscape,” said Chirag Modi, Corporate Vice President, Industry Strategy of BlueYonder. He said the firm will “weave these standards into the fabric of our operations to improve data sharing, foster operational fluidity, and unlock new dimensions of scheduling efficiency.”
Badges, too
SSC also introduced a badging system to recognize and differentiate industry participants actively contributing to the development and adoption of scheduling API standards. Two will be awarded, one for iInnovators that actively support or contribute to the group’s work and the other for Early Adopters, which are TMS firms that verbally commit to integrating the SSC Standards into their products by mid-2024. The aim is to help businesses select partners that are actively advancing scheduling standards.
"This moment is the culmination of everything the SSC has been working toward to date. Our objective was to develop a technical standard that would allow scheduling systems across the freight industry to consistently and efficiently communicate with one another, and that's exactly what we've achieved," stated the SSC's integrated product leads from Uber Freight, J.B. Hunt, and Convoy: Chris Chmielewski, Greg Granata and Brian Holley, respectively.
