Telematics and GPS Navigation » Transportation and Logistics

Freight Tracking and Shipping and Logistics Planning Software

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 05:31:56 +0000

Telematics involves more than just vehicles. Freight is also tracked as it is shipped from one point to another. The combination of the tracking hardware and the software (logistics and planning) allows a company to not only know where their freight is, but what is the temperature, if it’s been opened and the health of the engine. This article talks about more of the freight tracking from the software point of view.

Since the deregulation of the trucking industry in the 1980’s, trucking companies have offered an increasing range of shipping solutions that helps the manufacturer minimize shipping costs; one of which is less than truckload (LTL) shipping. In LTL shipping, companies that ship less than full truckloads of goods can save money by paying a fraction of full load shipping fees. For trucking companies, shipping earnings remain the same. They create a full truckload out of partial load shipments and receive payment from each company. For manufacturers, arriving at the optimal LTL solution usually requires the implementation of logistics planning software, which analyzes the cost of shipping and transportation needs in relation to product destination.

The obvious advantage of LTL shipping is that it allows companies to decrease shipping costs. But the downside is that products often take longer to reach their destination due to the multiple destinations implied by the shared load. In such cases, using logistics planning software to analyze a shipping situation instead of opting for standard LTL is the best way to integrate a solution that brings lower shipping costs while ensuring timely delivery. Whereas as LTL companies specialize in LTL, logistics software specializes in developing solutions that combine each element of the shipping process into a streamlined, cost effective delivery system. A company that requires freight tracking services in addition to simple pick up and delivery would benefit more from using logistics software than relying on the advice of an LTL shipping company.

Most companies that utilize logistics software consistently run a large number of products that are assembled at multiple locations before they arrive at retailers. At first glance, incurring the start up cost and service fees of logistics software might seem contrary to the goal of decreasing operating costs. However, studies show that companies who implement logistics software regularly reduce their shipping costs by ten percent in the first year alone. Exactly how is this savings created? In part, it results form the fact that logistics software eliminates costs associated with other logistical solutions, such as annual software maintenance costs, TMS software costs, 3PL costs, freight margins, gain shares and common rate base licensing costs.

While logistics software is popular among companies whose yearly shipping costs can amount to more than a small company’s annual earnings, it can also offer solutions for smaller companies. For example, a company that simply wants to improve delivery time can use the software to analyze road construction trends and highways traffic patterns. In either case, the software never fails to improve a manufacturer’s finances by making its system of delivery markedly more efficient.

Delivering goods in a cost effective timely manner is one of the biggest shipping concerns in the manufacturing business. To accomplish both, large and small manufacturers are implementing logistics planning software. By providing cost effective shipping solutions like the best LTL shipping opportunities, logistics software saves companies money both in practice and by removing the need to hire third party logistics experts.

More on freight tracking:

air-freight-tracking

Sending packages is now worry-free with air freight tracking. As long as you have the waybill number with you, you can check the exact location of your shipment when it has not yet been delivered to its destination. …

Publish Date: 07/23/2010

Incoming search terms:

Share on Social Networsk

Hide Sites

Fleet Management – Put Your Fleet Fueling Policy in Place For 2010 – Part 1

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 06:05:52 +0000

One of the big benefits of fleet management is the reduction in fuel costs that it can provide. Using a smart and well laid out strategy for managing your fleets can be done more easily with the right software. If the right software is used, then fleet management policies can be easily tracked. In this article, the author discusses using fleet management as more of a fuel management policy. Read on for more.

As a new year quickly approaches, it’s an ideal time to review current policies that your company has in place. I can’t think of a policy that can help your fuel management program better than reviewing what you are doing now for fleet fueling. And if you don’t really have a policy, now is the time to start your fleet fueling program.

Establishing a fleet fueling policy makes sense. After all, fuel is usually the single largest variable expense for a fleet of any size. A fleet fueling policy-carefully planned, implemented and enforced can be a company’s most effective tool in the battle to reduce unnecessary overspending. In this day and age, saving money and cutting costs are a great way to survive and to add to your company’s bottom line.

We have talked about fleet fuel cards before, and the electronic capturing of fueling data at the pump through the use of electronic fleet fuel cards. By doing this, fleet managers now have timely, accurate data they can use to battle waste, abuse, theft and fraud. It is a very important tool in helping to control your fleet fuel spend. People are always surprised to learn that, on average, over 1.5 percent of a company’s fuel budget is lost to fuel theft. We are talking about the kind of fuel theft that happens when employees at your company steal fuel from you. Employee theft accounts for 81 percent of the fuel that’s stolen. The other 19 percent of the time, an outsider is stealing from you through siphoning or using your fleet fuel card without proper authorization.

If a driver makes a purchase outside parameters set by the fleet manager, such as when a driver buys premium rather than regular gasoline, this information is recorded instantly and appears on a regular billing statement along with the individual driver and vehicle number. Through the use of tools like exception reporting and purchase alerts, fuel managers can enforce cost-saving policies quickly, not weeks after the fact. Hours make differences, and as a fleet manager, you want to be able to quickly enforce your fleet fueling decisions.

We have all heard of management by exception, and when you’re dealing with hundreds to tens of thousands of fleet fuel transactions, it is really the best way to go. For many, highlighting problem areas is a very cost-effective, accurate and efficient way to implement, manage and enforce a successful fleet fueling policy. With exception reporting, fleet fueling information is funneled through the company’s policy parameters and is sorted to show where, when and by whom fleet fueling policies are being disregarded.

Glen Sokolis
President
Sokolis Group
Fuel Management & Fuel Consulting
Industry Expert
http://www.sokolisgroup.com
gsokolis@sokolisgroup.com

More on Fleet Fuel Management:

Ways to Save Energy without Really Trying | Fuel Management …

carbon footprint diesel fuel diet eating right fleet fuel fleet fueling free fuel audit fuel; fuel audit; goals; pricing errors; fuel pricing; save money fuel analysis fuel audit fuel card fuel consulting Fuel Management fuel planning …

Publish Date: 05/27/2010

Share on Social Networsk

Hide Sites

Air Freight Tracking – What is It?

admin — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 16:51:56 +0000

Telematics and tracking seem to go hand in hand. There are many types of tracking beyond vehicle tracking. One of these types is air freight tracking. While most cargo seems to go by ship, some cargo needs to get to it’s destination much more quickly. What kinds of tracking systems need to be in place for air freight cargo? This article discusses what air freight tracking is and what kinds of services it can provide customers who make use of it. You will also read about some of the companies that provide these services. Read on for more info.

Air freight tracking is a service that is provided by many air freight companies in order for their customers to have the information relating to where their freight is at any one time from the moment it leaves their location to the moment it arrives at its destination.

Many people are able to visit the freight company’s site and just by entering your waybill details you should be able to have the exact location of where your package is at that time.

However if you carried out a search of the internet by keying in “air freight tracking” you will find a myriad of sites listed who can find out where your goods are by you either keying in your way bill details or just by clicking on the Air Freight Company that is transporting your goods for you.

There are many companies around the world suggest as UPS who are a single source provider and they can provide people with instant access to their world wide network by allowing them to use their advanced air freight tracking and visibility system which will help people to manage their shipments from departure to delivery.

There are also a number of companies who offer a software package which many sites use for people to enter their air freight in order to track their goods. Below are details of one such package.

Magaya Live Track is the most revolutionary software product on the market today and it allows people to track cargo that is moved by companies that are part of the Magaya Network worldwide. This software allows you to view information such as pick up orders, warehouse receipts and cargo releases (very important for those who have strict deadlines they need to meet) immediately on line. As well as this they can view and print all the documentation that relates to their cargo in a clear and accurate format.

Whilst another company that offers air freight tracking is Trackweb which was set up in order to allow users to have access to the various websites of air freight carriers and shipping company websites and leads you straight to their specific tracking page. All the links they provide are direct to the companies tracking pages and can be accessed easily from any PC.

However, it is important to remember that when you are using an air freight tracking service you will need to provide details of either the waybill or invoice number in order to find out where your cargo is.

Evert DuToit is a writer and website publisher from Pittsburgh, PA. For more information about the air freight industry [http://airfreight.information-pages.biz], and air freight tracking [http://airfreight.information-pages.biz/eyes-on-your-package-with-air-freight-tracking.php], visit us at airfreight.information-pages.biz.

More on Air Freight Tracking:

What Does an Air Freight Agent Do?

Using a highly regarded air freight agent who understands the air transport procedure ensures a stress free, easy, and safe delivery of your air freight cargo. A trusted freight company will provide postal service right from your home. …

Publish Date: 03/26/2010 15:17

Incoming search terms:

Share on Social Networsk

Hide Sites