Agriculture trucking technology, reducing empty miles, video telematics and more

Angel Coker (00:00):

This week we have an acquisition in the agriculture trucking technology space, an integration that exposes carriers to more available loads, a beta launch of an AI-powered software platform for the trucking and transportation industry and more. Welcome to CCJ's Tech Shorts, your weekly look at technology and trucking. I'm CCJ'S Tech Editor, Angel Coker. Go ahead and subscribe and let's get started.

(00:25):

Supply chain software provider Ever.Ag has acquired Roger, a bulk agriculture commodity trucking, technology and logistics company to expand its portfolio of software, risk management resources, and market intelligence offerings. Roger develops digital tools to help shippers and carriers unlock the power of bulk freight networks by digitizing the entire shipping process. With a focus on transparency and traceability, Ever.Ag will leverage the Roger platform to manage bulk movements across all commodities. Roger was created by a group of agriculture industry companies, including The Andersons Inc., Cargill, Consolidated Grain and Barge, Koch Fertilizer, the Scoular Company and Bushel. They shared a vision of a neutral logistics platform that would digitize and streamline bulk ag hauling and chose to sell to Ever.Ag to ensure its future success. All charter member companies will continue to use and expand Roger solutions across their businesses long-term and will remain members of the Roger Shipper Advisory Board

(01:23):

Video telematics provider Lytx has added four new enhancements to its digital Driver Vehicle Inspection Report, or DVIR solution, to help fleet stay on top of their brake systems and overall vehicle safety. Released in July, 2022 to help drivers and fleet managers perform more thorough and proactive reporting and streamline their maintenance programs, it provides drivers and fleet managers with a comprehensive electronic option for vehicles outside the ELD mandate, and includes a customizable checklist that can be accessed through the Lytx driver app, and Lytx account. These are the new enhancements, walkaround photos. Drivers can now be instructed to capture and submit four walkaround photos via the driver app, giving managers a more complete 360 degree view of the current condition of the vehicle. Multiple inspection lists, managers who require periodic supplemental inspections can now create multiple lists for select vehicles and trailers that direct drivers to inspect specific items.

(02:22):

Email notifications, to avoid constantly checking each individual DVIR, managers can stay on top of key issues by opting to receive new proactive email notifications that can be customized based on specific items such as the type of vehicle defect. And scheduler enhancement, for fleet managers who prefer more flexibility and customization when scheduling periodic inspections, the new scheduler enhancement tool allows for routine maintenance inspections to be set up in advance and tracked for a specific time period, including daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly.

(02:59):

Logistics software solution, Muftar, has released the free beta launch of its AI-powered software platform for the trucking and transportation industry. Muftar software solution helps trucking companies streamline their billing processes, reducing administrative costs, and improving cash flow. By automating the invoicing process, companies can generate accurate invoices quickly and track payments ensuring they get paid on time. Additionally, efficient logistics planning reduces delivery times and empty miles and optimize routes, reduce idle time, enabling carriers to lower fuel costs. These features are available on the Muftar SaaS platform, real-time data analytics that provide insights into market trends, demand patterns and operational inefficiencies. Automated workflows that minimize human error that can result from routine tasks like invoice processing, load assignment, and payment tracking. Adaptive learning, where user behaviors, industry trends and feedback enable the platform to provide solutions that are ahead of the industry needs.

(04:01):

A driver app that offers features like real-time tracking, digital bills of lading, an efficient route planning, allowing drivers to manage deliveries effortlessly. A carrier dashboard that provides fleet management, shipment tracking, and digital paperwork. The dashboard enhances efficiency with real-time tracking and effective load management, and improves communication between fleet management drivers and dispatchers. And a broker dashboard, designed to manage and streamline complex logistics tasks so freight brokers can optimize workflow and improve service quality.

(04:35):

Sheer Logistics, which provides managed transportation services, TMS technology and integration platform as a service solutions, now offers enhanced visibility into shipments with its proprietary middleware. It's middleware, SheerExchange, connects disparate systems like TMS, ARP product suites, fuel programs, ratings engines, and more. This empowers shippers to maximize the capabilities of their real-time transportation visibility platforms. SheerExchange's automated data cleansing and normalization functions ensure that the data that is fed into real-time transportation visibility platforms is accurate and complete. It eliminates gaps in transportation data that degrades supply chain visibility, including incomplete location IDs, missing SCAT codes, improperly formatted tractor IDs and more.

(05:25):

Rob Cook, CTO of Sheer Logistics said, "Real-time visibility is essential to managing complex modern supply chains. Today's RTTVP's can provide unprecedented supply chain visibility, but they are only as good as the data they receive from the shipper's ERP. Integrating your RTTVP with your ERP is vital. As doing so allows shippers to take visibility and control to the next level, going beyond real-time location of a truck to the location of specific products." SheerExchange supports visibility for hub and spoke shipments by automatically sending an email to dispatchers prompting them to enter the correct tractor ID into the TMS even when the shipment has been passed from a truckload carrier to a local feeder and then back to a line haul provider.

(06:10):

This automatically updates SheerExchange with the correct tractor ID, initiating the tracking and maintaining visibility. SheerExchange supports visibility for ocean moves by automatically capturing the SCAT code for the underlying ocean carrier and the container number, and then integrating the clean data back into the shipper's ERP system and to the RTTVP. This automated process eliminates the need for manual data entry. For inbound ocean shipments, SheerExchange automates push reporting for on-time load performance.

(06:44):

A new integration is exposing carriers to more load options. Brokers using MercuryGate software are getting more visibility for their posted available loads via direct digital connection to Trucker Path, a mobile app used by nearly 1 million carriers. This API connection allows MercuryGate users to quickly and easily post available loads to the Trucker Path community, representing nearly one third of North American carriers. For carriers using Trucker Path's truckloads digital freight exchange, the new MercuryGate integration provides the ability to quickly and easily view available loads, the opportunity to book loads instantly, and the capability to communicate with brokers directly via their MercuryGate TMS where they spend the majority of their time.

(07:31):

Trucker Path Chief Marketing Officer, Chris Oliver said, "With a direct digital load posting integration via API, we are facilitating greater access, faster transactions, and enabling several new features for brokers using MercuryGate. Our collaborative integration increases the exposure of available loads to qualified capacity, streamlines freight matching and drives time savings and efficiency, creating additional revenue generating opportunities for both sides of the transaction."

(08:03):

That's everything from us for now, be sure to subscribe and hit that bell to catch CCJ's Tech shorts again next week. Until then, you can read more and sign up for our newsletter at ccjdigital.com. Thanks for watching.