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Tag: Transporeon

Logistics Business Magazine, September 2025

Posted on by Will Priestman

The September 2025 issue of Logistics Business magazine is packed with insights into the technologies, strategies and solutions reshaping global supply chains. A strong focus is placed on artificial intelligence and automation, with Samsara showcasing its latest driver safety and fleet optimisation tech from the Beyond event in San Diego. Further AI coverage includes interviews with Coupa’s international head and Transporeon, both exploring how data-driven platforms are transforming spend management and freight visibility.

Supply chain strategy takes centre stage in an exclusive interview with Siemens’ Alexander Tschentscher, who advocates a shift from reactive resilience to strategic robustness. Meanwhile, Ewals Cargo Care shares how its “warehouse on wheels” model and modal shift approach are reducing emissions while expanding operations across Europe. Port innovation is also in the spotlight as PEMA President Achim Dries outlines how ports and terminals are digitising, automating, and gradually weaning off diesel in favour of electrification and smart power management.

Inside the warehouse, automation continues to surge. Hyster discusses its big-truck innovations at TOC Europe, and a new automated distribution centre in Coventry demonstrates what’s possible in modern DC design. Case studies from CLAAS, Axfood, and others show how internal logistics and fulfilment strategies are evolving to meet increasingly complex demands.

Sustainability is another dominant theme throughout this edition. The magazine looks at how plastic pallets, automated packaging and green fuels—such as HVO used by DHL’s Formula 1 fleet—are cutting carbon without compromising performance. E-commerce brands like Bathroom Mountain and major supply chain software providers such as Soloplan and IFS also feature prominently, revealing how automation, AI and smart planning tools are supporting faster, leaner, and more resilient operations.

From warehouse doors to multimodal transport, and from predictive software to people-centric AI, this issue offers a comprehensive and engaging snapshot of the forces shaping logistics in 2025.

Smarter Logistics can drive Sustainability Gains

Posted on by David Priestman

Smarter logistics, by using AI, can drive sustainability gains, writes Philipp Pfister (pictured, below), Sector Vice President, Transporeon.

How do you decarbonise an industry built on movement? Freight alone is responsible for an estimated 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions: a stark reminder of the sector’s environmental footprint. The cost of inefficiency is simply too big to ignore. As supply chains stretch and demand for fast, flexible delivery keeps rising, the pressure is only mounting. From underserviced fleets to empty mileage and poor routing, the industry suffers from breakdowns in planning and execution that don’t just drive up emissions — it also chips away at profits. But these challenges can be tackled.

Driving sustainable change with AI

AI is already delivering real sustainability gains across two critical areas that one wouldn’t necessarily consider at first sight: fleet maintenance and transport operations. By enabling faster decisions, streamlined processes and smarter systems, it’s allowing logistics to move cleaner, without compromising performance.

The stakes are high. According to Siemens, the world’s 500 biggest companies lose almost $1.4 trillion annually through unplanned downtime. This is equivalent to a staggering 11% of their revenues. Logistics operations, with their tight delivery windows and high asset utilisation, acutely feel this impact.

Fleet maintenance is often overlooked in the sustainability conversation, but it’s a critical area for impact. Vehicles that are overserviced waste resources — not just materials but time. Those underserviced are prone to breakdowns, costly repairs and early replacement. Either way, it’s bad news for both business and the environment.

Smart AI-enabled maintenance to extend asset life

AI offers a better way forward, starting with standardised maintenance. Predictive and optimised maintenance are gaining traction, particularly in North America, where new industry standards are pushing AI-driven approaches to the forefront. At the heart of this evolution is the need for standardised data. Without it, fleets rely on inconsistent or proprietary codes to track service intervals, making it almost impossible to train AI models at scale or share insights across systems.

Philipp Pfister, Transporeon

New frameworks like the Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards (VMRS), developed through the American Trucking Association’s Technology and Maintenance Council, are changing that. By creating a universal language for tracking maintenance items, they lay the foundation for adaptive, AI-powered decisions, such as when to change oil based on real-world engine load and usage, not arbitrary intervals.

While VMRS is a strong step forward in North America, there’s still a long way to go globally, where much of today’s maintenance data remains fragmented. To unlock AI’s full potential, the industry needs a shared data foundation: code key standards that act as a common language across fleets, platforms and regions. Some platforms are already building toward that future by developing open, interoperable data models designed for global adoption.

The impact is tangible. AI can identify the ‘sweet spot’ for servicing, reducing waste from premature oil changes while avoiding unnecessary wear and tear. Today, maintenance often relies on a dashboard light, but AI enables a future where the vehicle doesn’t just alert the driver. It books its own appointment, sends performance data to a third party and rolls into the shop at exactly the right moment.

Optimising operations for fewer empty miles

Beyond the vehicle itself, AI is transforming how freight is planned, routed and executed. One of the biggest challenges in logistics today is empty mileage: trucks that travel without cargo, burning fuel and time. While some inefficiencies are structural — rooted in geography or how the freight network is organised — many can be addressed with the right technology. AI-powered systems now analyse real-time and historical data to recommend the most efficient routes, plan multi-stop loads and continuously recalculate in transit to adapt to delays, traffic or weather.

AI in load planning, procurement and visibility

Cloud-based platforms are already putting these capabilities into practice, using AI to dynamically match loads with carriers and minimise waiting times at docks. They’re also reducing the strain of just-in-time logistics, where tight delivery windows leave little room for error. Autonomous procurement tools can now handle transport sourcing with minimal human input, using statistical and symbolic AI to analyse unstructured requests, identify suitable partners and select the best fit across time, cost and environmental criteria. Combined with intelligent load planning tools that maximise truck space and reduce the total number of journeys required, these systems help cut emissions across every kilometre travelled.

The future is collaborative and AI-enabled

When applied across maintenance, execution and operational processes, AI can help drive significant sustainability gains in the logistics sector. While AI does consume considerable energy, particularly in generative AI (GenAI) models, the types of applications used in transportation and logistics are far less compute-intensive. The efficiency gains and emissions reductions they enable usually outweigh their footprint. It’s the net effect that matters. And in this context, AI is already showing transformative potential in building a more sustainable future for the industry.

However, sustainability in logistics depends on shared data, interoperable systems and collaboration between carriers, shippers, OEMs and tech providers. Whether it’s maintenance schedules or routing algorithms, AI only works when it can access reliable data and apply it across a broad enough sample to generate meaningful insights. That’s why standardisation is so important. We’re not just building tools. We’re shaping a smarter ecosystem, one where every decision, whether on the road or in the yard, contributes to a more efficient and sustainable whole. AI won’t transform logistics in a single leap. But by focusing on the fundamentals, it’s already reshaping how goods move, how fleets are managed and how sustainability goals are met. Because when the industry moves together, we lay the groundwork for a cleaner, more resilient future.

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Podcast: AI for smarter, more efficient and resilient business

Posted on by David Priestman

In this insightful transport management focused episode of Logistics Business Conversations, Peter MacLeod sits down with Jonah McIntire, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Trimble, to explore how artificial intelligence—particularly generative AI—is reshaping the logistics and transportation industries.

Jonah challenges the misconception that AI must be fed a company’s proprietary data to be useful. Instead, he explains that modern generative AI systems can thrive even in messy, incomplete environments, learning patterns and improving performance with limited structure. These AI systems function less like traditional software and more like digital colleagues—adaptive, communicative, and capable of learning from real-world complexity.

This transport management podcast conversation, delves into Trimble’s Transport platform, a multi-party ecosystem connecting shippers, carriers, and retailers. AI plays a pivotal role in helping these parties work together more efficiently, solving shared problems like real-time ETA prediction, theft detection, and enhanced visibility. Jonah offers a compelling example: onboarding new users to the platform, a process that previously required a large team, is now being handled autonomously by AI agents, speeding up operations and freeing up human talent for strategic tasks.

Jonah also outlines a future where logistics professionals evolve into managers of AI teams—overseeing intelligent agents that handle tactical execution while humans guide direction and decision-making. Rather than replacing workers, AI is augmenting their capabilities, enabling smarter decision-making and greater resilience across the supply chain.

This transport management podcast episode offers a realistic and optimistic view of AI’s role in logistics, showing how it’s not only improving business performance but also redefining how people work within the industry. A must-listen for logistics professionals looking to understand how to harness AI for smarter, faster, and more collaborative operations.

Click here to listen

E-Documentation – Not Just a Legal Obligation

Posted on by David Priestman

The benefits of e-documentation in logistics are improved collaboration, operational efficiency and substantial reduction in costs.

For years, the transport sector has relied on the use of paper documents. However, with sustainability now at the forefront of people’s minds, it’s time to replace certain ‘traditional’ practices with a more digital approach. The need for digitalisation has somewhat been hurried along in recent times too, with regulations – particularly the upcoming eFTI regulation and mandatory eCMR regulations – leaving businesses with no choice but to adapt. However, some businesses have been slow to respond, but greater awareness of the tangible benefits of paperless transport could ensure that legislation serves merely as an additional incentive, rather than the primary driver.

The current state of play

Each transport operation requires more than a dozen different paper documents, whether that is making agreements and organising processes to assigning responsibilities or collecting evidence. According to Trans.eu’s transport market 2024/2025 report, about 99% of the documents used in the sector are still paper.

A survey by ODeX highlights several reasons for the sector’s slow uptake of digital tools. The main reason is that 25% of respondents to the survey stated they were concerned about data security when using these tools. On top of this, more than 20% of shippers stated that they were unaware of the existence of digital solutions and what they offer. Also, 15% indicate insufficient adaptability and/or experience in using digital tools, followed by implementation costs.

“We see large differences in e-document adoption by sector and modes of transport. While aviation and maritime are leading the way, led by standardisation efforts and the complexity of global trade, road transport is digitising significantly slower due to its localised nature and varying regulations,” said Gerry Daalhuisen, Senior Director of Dock & Yard / Fleet Products at Transporeon. “Also, large companies often deploy advanced technologies faster than smaller ones and that the B2C sector is adopting the change faster than the B2B sector. Some logistics companies are choosing to reduce investment in yet non-essential digital tools due to reduced freight volumes and revenues, but on the other hand, many companies are also increasingly investing in their business to be more resilient with regard to the current geopolitical and economic environment.”

eCMR:a first step towards a paperless sector

The digital consignment note, or eCMR, represents a crucial first step in the shift to a paperless industry. Its use is expected to become mandatory in July 2027. By then, the eFTI Regulation should also be fully in force, encouraging authorities in EU Member States to accept electronically shared information via certified eFTI platforms.

Regardless of whether e-documentation is mandatory or not, adopting paperless processes can provide significant benefits to transportation businesses. One example of this can be found in the switch from a paper bill of lading to eCMR. The entire process, which includes document preparation, freight inspection, confirmation of delivery and other administrative tasks, takes about 23 minutes in the current paper-based process. If the freight order is processed digitally, this is reduced to 9 minutes, according to research by SIRA Consulting Research for the Danish Ministry of Transport.

This time saving of nearly a quarter of an hour translates into significant financial savings. In total, the European transport logistics sector could save as much as €1 billion a year, the organisation eFTI4EU expects. And this does not even include the reduction in waiting times at borders due to increased efficiency.

Increased transparency, fewer (human) errors

Moving to a digital approach also significantly improves communication, collaboration and efficiency within the supply chain. For example, it provides data on shipments and enables real-time visibility, ensuring that all stakeholders are constantly aware of the latest shipment status. This transparency means that missing products and delays can be identified early, allowing timely intervention. At the same time, human error is eliminated, ensuring greater accuracy and an additional improvement in internal operations such as inventory management.

A sustainable competitive advantage

Finally, e-documentation is a more sustainable approach, helping transportation companies make significant strides in their sustainability ambitions. For example, by reducing paper waste and the carbon footprint associated with paper-based processes. “The benefits of e-documentation far outweigh the implementation efforts,” indicates Daalhuisen. “It delivers clear operational and financial benefits, such as reduced costs and increased productivity, while working toward a sustainable future. In addition, documentation challenges, such as errors and delays that result, are seen by half of transportation logistics players as the biggest bottleneck in operations. To this, too, e-documentation is the answer.”

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Barilla Pasta’s Supply Chain Evolution

Posted on by David Priestman

If you’ve ever walked through the pasta aisle of your local supermarket, chances are you’ve come across Barilla, the world’s largest pasta manufacturer. Known for its premium-quality pasta, sauces, and Italian culinary products, Barilla has built a global reputation for excellence since its founding in Parma, Italy, in 1877.

Following the reorganisation of its logistics processes accompanying its exponential growth, Barilla needed to find a centralised technological solution that could integrate its existing systems and facilitate communication between the ecosystem, carriers, and retailers over the long term.

Driving pasta-bilities with Barilla

Each year, the company transports approximately 600,000 tonnes of products, half of which move by road, across more than 100 countries. With around 110,000 full truckload shipments annually, Barilla’s international logistics operations depend on a highly complex and dynamic infrastructure. In 2014, as part of a strategic reorganisation to support its global expansion, Barilla recognised the need to enhance its logistics framework, particularly the process of assigning loads to carriers. The company sought advanced solutions to optimise its transport operations by making them more agile, efficient, and seamlessly integrated with existing IT systems.

Barilla faced several significant challenges:

• Managing delivery volumes across a vast and diverse international landscape.
• Relying on manual processes for assigning shipments such as methods that were time-intensive, error-prone, and cost-inefficient.
• Coordinating a wide variety of carriers and routes, reflecting the company’s expansive global footprint.
• Limited ability to anticipate or respond quickly to carrier availability issues, disrupting service and planning.

Rigatoni on the Road: Logistics Done Right

To tackle the growing complexity of its global logistics operations, Barilla partnered with Transporeon, a modular, neutral, and collaborative global transport management platform. Acting as a digital bridge between Barilla, its carriers, and distributors, the platform seamlessly integrated with existing IT systems, bringing greater visibility, automation, and control to the entire supply chain.

The partnership has delivered significant efficiency gains across key areas of Barilla’s transport and warehouse management such as:

• 20% Reduction in Waiting Times: The early adoption of Transporeon’s Time Slot Management tool has helped streamline loading and unloading operations by optimising dock scheduling, ensuring smoother flows between warehouses and distribution points.
• Automated Transport Assignment: With the Transport Assignment solution, Barilla has eliminated manual shipment allocation. Routes are now automatically assigned based on factors like geographic coverage, carrier suitability, and delivery guarantees, improving accuracy and saving valuable time.
• Real-Time Response to Disruptions: The Rate Management tool allows Barilla to respond instantly to unforeseen events, automatically identifying alternative carriers when needed. This flexible solution covers all of Barilla’s global shipments, maintaining over 95% assignment accuracy across a vast network of routes and partners.
• Smart Centralised Control: All logistics data is centralised at Barilla’s control centre, where routes are assigned using two automated modes: No Touch Order for pre-contracted shipments and Best Carrier for ad-hoc needs.

From Penne to Precision

The result? A more agile, resilient, and digitally connected supply chain. Today, Transporeon’s solutions are used in all of Barilla’s Italian facilities and most of its European factories. After a decade of collaboration, this scalable digital partnership remains a key driver of Barilla’s international growth and innovation.

Gianluigi Mason, Logistics Director Italy, Barilla said, “To support our extensive national and international network, adopting innovative solutions like those offered by Transporeon is essential to effectively manage our logistics volumes, which exceed 600,000 tonnes annually. In an increasingly interconnected world, embracing digitalisation and modern supply chain strategies is key to maintaining our leadership in the global food industry. This commitment also extends to advancing intermodal transport as part of our broader sustainability goals.”

Andrea Chiaravalli, Account Manager at Transporeon, concluded, “The ability to customise every aspect of the transport process is a key value we bring to our partners. Our team has worked, and continues to work, closely with Barilla to develop a tailor-made solution that ensures the right transport capacity is available every day. This is achieved through a precise and intelligent matching of routes and carriers, fully aligned with Barilla’s operational needs. We can’t wait to see how we can continue to support them in the future!”

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Four Myths About AI in Transport and Logistics

Posted on by David Priestman

AI’s transformative influence on the transport and logistics industry is significant, but there are still many misconceptions that need addressing, writes Bernhard Schmaldienst (pictured), Senior Director Transport Execution and Visibility Products, Transporeon (a Trimble company).

This is common for new technology. Change can be challenging, and while it is an incredible tool that has helped businesses streamline operations, cut costs, and improve efficiency, it will take time before all AI myths are debunked.

Time is running so let us get to work so we can speed the process up. Myths and misinformation about AI lead to resistance, slowing the adoption process down, meaning the supply chain industry will lag behind and miss out on the real benefits AI has to offer. So, let’s tackle four common myths and set the record straight with real-world insights and evidence.

Myth 1: AI-powered transportation is expensive and doesn’t deliver measurable savings

The reality: Like any tool, AI-powered transportation solutions have a cost to start with, but they deliver rapid returns, often within weeks. By leaning on automation and data-driven decision-making, AI cuts costs and makes the whole operation significantly more efficient. The proof: Companies using AI-driven freight procurement solutions have achieved measurable savings. AI-driven autonomous procurement tools integrate seamlessly with existing transport management systems, and for a leading FMCG customer, they have been proven to reduce freight costs by more than 10% while simultaneously cutting down on manual workloads by 80%. One global food and beverages company reported securing lower spot rates while reallocating team resources to higher-value tasks.

Myth 2: AI-powered transportation requires big internal changes

The reality: Quite the contrary. Over the past five years, the logistics and supply chain industry has seen a lot of changes, and AI has been a big part of that. Earlier-stage AI-powered solutions required time to adapt, though now they are designed to integrate seamlessly with existing systems for easy adoption. The proof: Many businesses have implemented AI solutions without overhauling their existing processes. Autonomous procurement solutions, for example, can connect via APIs, facilitating quick adoption with minimal disruption. The ‘big internal change’ in this instance would then be that the team spends less time on simple activities like accepting offers and more time on value-adding, strategic tasks. In other words, there is a degree of internal change – but it’s beneficial, not disruptive.

Myth 3: AI-powered transportation adds little value and can’t actively perform critical tasks

The reality: AI isn’t purely about automation anymore. It now actively improves decision-making, helping people optimize procurement, pricing, and carrier selection, resulting in better and faster decisions. The proof: AI earned its place as an established tool in logistics. For instance, AI-driven procurement solutions identify the best transportation capacity at the most competitive rates, lowering cost and increasing efficiency. A logistics company using AI-powered tools saw a 7–12% reduction in freight expenses while increasing automation, letting their teams focus on important negotiations instead of day-to-day transactions.

Myth 4: AI-powered transportation damages relationships with carrier partners

The reality: It’s the other way around. AI actually strengthens relationships with carriers by ensuring transparency, in-market pricing, and efficiency. It doesn’t replace human interactions – it strengthens them. The proof: Many AI-powered procurement platforms provide carriers with instant visibility into available shipments and instant pricing. With features like ‘buy-it-now’ options, carriers can accept shipments with confidence. One logistics leader noted that AI freed time up for the team to build stronger partnerships instead of being bogged down by manual negotiations and coordination activities.

Conclusion? AI is a strategic asset, not a liability

Companies in the transportation and logistics industry are under constant pressure to cut costs, improve efficiency, and adapt to shifting market dynamics. AI-powered solutions are not just another tech trend, they’re a tried and tested approach. Companies that embrace AI are already seeing considerable cost savings, streamlined operations, and strengthened relationships with carriers and partners. Rather than fearing AI, businesses should see it as a tool that complements human expertise, automates routine tasks, and empowers teams to focus on strategic growth.
The key takeaway? AI in transportation is all about helping people to work smarter, and achieve better results more efficiently.

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State of the Road Transportation Market

Posted on by David Priestman

Despite Brexit, the UK continues to maintain strong connections with European markets. And although the UK boasts a robust maritime infrastructure, it relies heavily on road transport for trade with Ireland and mainland Europe, with road freight accounting for more than 80% of domestic cargo movements.

However, in recent years, a combination of factors, such as declines in international trade due to Brexit, rising fuel and operational costs, and labor shortages, has placed considerable pressure on local carriers, resulting in high insolvency rates, especially among smaller carriers. So how does the landscape look just over three months into 2025? Christian Dolderer, Lead Research Analyst at Transporeon, a Trimble Company, explores this further.

Demand characteristics

Our data shows, South East England, including London, is the most significant area for transportation demand, due to its high population density and concentration of industries, as well as its role as a major centre for trade and commerce. Additionally, North West England, with cities like Manchester and Liverpool as well as the Midlands, with a regional centre in Birmingham, are key areas with high transport demand.

However, there was a significant imbalance in UK international transport: inbound transport (75.9%) far exceeds outbound transport (24.1%). In 2024, the main inbound routes originated from Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland and France, while primary outbound routes led to Ireland, Germany, Belgium, and France. But despite ongoing shifts toward a service-dominated economy, road transport demand in the country remains strongly influenced by industrial activity, port operations, and population centres.

Yet, cross-border shipments in the UK are heavily focused on neighbouring European countries and a large portion of transport is facilitated by ferries offering diverse routing options, complemented by the high capacity of the Eurotunnel shuttle system.

Infrastructure characteristics

The UK’s road infrastructure plays a crucial role in its transportation capabilities. The UK has a rather unusual road transport network, with only 3,864 kilometres of high-capacity motorway (19th place in density in Europe) accompanied by a vast network of lower-class main roads. While the UK benefits from well designed motorways, limitations such as congestion levels in urban areas and at key ports continue to rise, impacting the efficiency of freight movement. The supporting infrastructure, including truck stops and loading zones, is causing concern on availability and quality, as well as present need for significant investment in maintenance and upgrades to cope with motorway traffic volumes.

Another market affecting feature of the UK road infrastructure is ferries, enabling cargo to travel to Northern Ireland, minor islands and internationally. To combat the demand, a plethora of ports offer ferry connections, with natural connections going to Ireland from the West Coast and to continental Europe from ports of South-Eastern England.

Capacity characteristics

Capacity within the UK’s road transport market is defined by several factors. The UK registered 37,920 new heavy trucks in 2024, an 8.7% decrease compared to 2023, a notably lower number than the 12% average decrease in Europe. However, the fluctuation of the rejection rate is low, indicating a stable capacity availability after Brexit turbulence.

The UK relies mostly on internal capacity to fulfill domestic demand, as the level of cabotage in the UK was less than 1% of all truck activity, with Polish, Irish and Romanian registered trucks taking the largest share of that small market. Average level of cabotage penetration in the UK is significantly below that of the EU, which makes it harder to fulfill extra demand during short peak periods and might become a strategic concern in future in case of considerable demand increases.

One of the possible solutions to the looming capacity problem might be increasing the share of intermodal road-rail-road capacity on the key north-south routes, but it comes with its own set of infrastructure issues to solve.

Rate characteristics

The grand picture for transport rates in the UK is significantly more influenced by trade imbalances than by market developments. Due to the significant prevalence of imported goods volumes over exports, international transport rates for transports going into the UK from mainland Europe are significantly higher. The discrepancy is sometimes reaching over 100% increase for inbound transports versus outbound. Domestically this effect is also visible, within transports to South West England or Scottish Highlands and islands.

The UK’s road transportation market is characterised by a high domestic focus, significant inbound transport activity and infrastructure attributes specifics. The existing motorway network is densely utilised, the country experiences an imbalance in trade flows and an ongoing decrease in transport activities, but without accompanying capacity increases, as truck registrations are declining, and driver shortage is significant.

However, considerable challenges related to maintenance and congestions also exist. So, while the current domestic market still maintains a stable capacity environment with moderate rate variations, this might gradually change in coming years, as sustained and focused efforts are required to ensure the British road transportation sector can adequately support the broader economy.
While COVID-19 had a short-term impact for cross border transportation, Brexit appears to have instigated a lasting shift. This enduring change in price imbalance is likely due to reduced competition and foreign capacity for outbound transports, as UK specialists absorb operations, leveraging their expertise to navigate administrative complexities. Additionally more business to local UK carriers, operating on a different cost basis compared to continental carriers, have bolstered outbound prices.

Four years on, it seems this reduced imbalance proportion has become the new norm, poised to remain until another external factor disrupts or gradually alters the market. Considerable challenges related to maintenance and congestions also exist. Therefore, although the domestic market maintains a stable capacity environment with moderate rate fluctuations, this may gradually change over time as sustained and focused efforts are required to ensure the British road transportation sector is capable of adequately supporting the broader economy in the coming years.

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Freight Marketplace Capabilities Expanded

Posted on by David Priestman

Transporeon, a Trimble company and transportation management platform with one of the largest logistics networks in Europe, has announced a significant expansion of its Freight Marketplace solution. The company is introducing new capabilities specifically designed for the forwarder-to-carrier spot freight market, marking Transporeon’s strategic entry into the traditional Freight Exchange segment.

While Transporeon’s platform has long facilitated connections within its extensive network, this expansion directly addresses the dynamics between freight forwarders seeking reliable capacity and asset-operating carriers looking for spot loads. It offers a modern, efficient alternative to established freight exchanges, leveraging Transporeon’s technological foundation and user base.

This enhanced Freight Marketplace functionality tackles common pain points in the spot market. It introduces a disruptive pricing model: free access for forwarders posting shipments, and a flat, low monthly fee of €100 for carriers, regardless of company size or user count. This typically represents an average 50% cost savings compared to other incumbent platforms.

Built with modern technology and drawing on Transporeon’s industry expertise, the expanded Freight Marketplace features an intuitive interface. Key innovations include:

• AI-Powered Verification: Automated checks of carrier identity and insurance details replace cumbersome manual processes, delivering greater speed and accuracy.
• Integrated Negotiation: Price negotiation occurs directly within the platform, enhanced by access to anonymised market rate benchmarks and trends, moving beyond inefficient offline haggling.

“This is a strategic expansion for us, leveraging the power of our platform and network,” said Jonah McIntire, Chief Platform Officer at Transporeon. “We are now extending our proven capabilities to specifically serve the forwarder-carrier spot market, a segment that deserves modernisation and lower prices. We are introducing a significantly more cost-effective, efficient, and transparent solution, incorporating AI and integrated negotiations to fundamentally improve how forwarders and carriers connect and transact spot business.”

The launch of these new capabilities follows strong market interest. Ten anchor forwarders are already actively using Freight Marketplace for their spot freight needs, migrating volume previously handled via other Freight Exchanges. Thousands of carriers have joined a waitlist and will gain live access to these new forwarder-focused features starting in April.

“As a leading freight forwarder, we are always looking for innovative solutions that enhance efficiency and transparency in the spot freight market,” said Markus Fuerlinger, chief information officer at Gartner KG. “Transporeon’s Freight Marketplace presents a compelling opportunity to streamline our operations, providing a modern, cost-effective alternative to traditional freight exchanges. With its intuitive interface, integrated negotiation tools and AI-powered carrier verification, we see great potential in this technology to improve how we connect with reliable carriers and manage our spot freight needs.”

The expansion of the Transporeon Marketplace into the forwarder-carrier segment signals a new phase for the European road freight spot market, leading to enhanced efficiency, greater transparency, and improved accessibility built on a trusted, large-scale network.

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How Shippers and Carriers Optimise their Supply Chain

Posted on by David Priestman

In transport logistics, for both shippers and carriers, resources are finite: employee bottlenecks, delays in the yard, external influences on route planning and a lack of transparency force everyone involved in the transport chain to replan at short notice. So, how can shippers and carriers bullet proof their supply chain further? Philipp Pfister (pictured), Sector Vice President at Transporeon, a Trimble company, explores this further.

Continuous Supply Chain Pressures

It’s fair to say that uncertainty is the norm when it comes to working in logistics. And having the ability to adapt quickly in emergency situations is becoming one of the most valuable tricks of the trade. However, with ever changing geopolitical situations, environmental disasters, strikes, and personnel shortages, businesses in the transportation chain will be forced to continue modifying their plans at short notice. Although, when supply chain disruptions occur, it may be necessary to show data across various modes of transportation-and in different time zones-adding additional work and costs and wasting precious time.

Fragmented Systems and Networks

However, the key to solving supply chain disruption lies in digitisation, offering real-time visibility of all shipments across every mode of transportation. But isolated solutions still dominate in today’s modern supply chain, meaning that in a fragmented system, achieving end-to-end transparency or driving efficiency gains remains out of reach.

The more systems in the network have to work with each other, the more difficult it is to exchange information between participants. Large heterogeneous networks therefore require standards that can be recognized, interpreted and processed by different systems – a real challenge. Take telematics systems as an example. With dozens of providers, each tool produces a large volume of data. When shippers or forwarders work with multiple freight companies, systems for analysing different data sources must be integrated.

A resilient, scalable, and forward-thinking solution lies in a cloud-based, transportation management platform. A smart unified platform can bridge shippers, carriers, forwarders, and retailers, allowing them to connect across many channels. It analyzes incoming data from various sources, converts it to a unified standard, and creates a shared pool of data in a standardised format.

Better Interoperability at Dock and Yard

For example, with a dock and yard management tool, businesses can better predict when loads will arrive. In fact, what seem as ad hoc delays, such as strikes or traffic jams, may be part of hidden patterns that are revealed when artificial intelligence (AI) models analyse data over time.

Thus, the leading European logistics service provider LKW WALTER handles over 7,000 FTL (Full Truck Load) transports every day and books around 25,000 time slots per week adopted a smart dock and yard management tool with the aim to simplify the planning complex process for transport partners and drivers. This visibility enhanced the entire supply chain for LKW WALTER. Drivers can now plan their routes more effectively, with knowledge of petrol stations, service areas, and secure parking along the way. Moreover, when all parties — including warehouses — collaborate, time slots can be adjusted in real time. Early arrivals can take the slots of latecomers, and vice versa. This not only simplifies drivers’ tasks but also reduces long waiting times, helping to address the driver shortage problem.

How AI and Machine Learning lend a Helping Hand

By integrating interoperability, data analysis, and using AI and machine learning, companies can make the most efficient use of its resources, all while staying mindful of sustainability. Real-time insights help spot inefficiencies, so companies can reduce empty miles, train employees in eco-friendly driving, and combine transportation resources in smarter ways to cut down on emissions. The magic happens when this is done collectively and carriers can find loads for return trips within the transport management platform, reducing those empty trips.

Today, AI and ML play a significant role in procurement and quotation: Whereas a considerable amount of time was once dedicated to manual research and offer creation, the spot area offer process can now be automated. For instance, companies who utilise a smart autonomous quotation tool allows transportation and logistics providers to prioritise inbound transportation requests and deliver precise spot truck transportation pricing based on forecasted market prices. Quotes are generated according to users’ personalised strategies, with criteria such as margin requirements, transport type or equipment, distance, destination, and pickup and delivery windows. This module relies on a trained forecasting model, enhanced by data science and machine learning algorithms, which continuously improve over time by incorporating the results of previous offers. The more data is transmitted and shared, the more accurate the algorithms become over time.

From freight procurement to transportation processing, dock and yard management, and payment audits, advanced digital solutions powered by AI are already there to help solve specific challenges in logistics. Data hubs on neutral platforms provide valuable insights into logistics processes, market developments and CO2emissions, while visibility tools ensure transparency in supply chains. The challenge is to achieve a global awareness of the need to promote interoperability beyond simple connectivity.

By overcoming technical challenges, setting standards, and enhancing data quality simultaneously, the industry can optimise supply chain interoperability. This enables all stakeholders to concentrate on the key tasks at hand — transporting goods and production materials — and increase customer satisfaction.

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How Digital Dispatchers are Revolutionising Fleet Operations

Posted on by David Priestman

In the long-haul full truckload (FTL) industry, dispatchers have traditionally relied on manual processes and years of experience to navigate a complex regulatory landscape, fluctuating fuel prices and evolving customer demands. While functional, this approach is far from optimal, putting pressure on dispatchers and leading to inefficiencies and missed cost-saving opportunities.

But this is finally starting to change. The logistics landscape is undergoing rapid digital transformation, and the dispatcher’s role is no exception. No longer a route and schedule coordinator, the modern dispatcher is evolving into a data strategist, harnessing technology to optimise fleet operations and drive efficiency. So, what technologies are driving this change? And how can we expect the dispatcher’s role to evolve further?

From dispatcher to data strategist: The power of predictive analytics

In the past, dispatchers had to scramble to gather information from various sources in order to estimate disruptions (e.g. weather forecasts, GPS and messaging applications). Often, they relied on a reactive ‘firefighting’ approach, using manual processes to calculate and recalculate available driver hours and ETA.

However, predictive analytics – such as utilising AI and machine learning to identify the likelihood of future outcomes based on historical data – is transforming dispatcher operations. Thanks to this, dispatchers can forecast potential disruptions, such as congestion, adverse weather events or vehicle maintenance requirements, and preemptively adjust routes, schedules, and resource allocation. Data suggests dispatchers see time-savings of 25-45% from the automation of itinerary monitoring and recalculation.

Predictive analytics tools transform dispatchers into proactive data strategists, allowing them to play an active role in boosting the bottom line by minimising delays, reducing operational costs and enhancing customer satisfaction.

Data-driven decisions: Real-time insights

The same FTL long-haul trip can have hundreds of different execution plans depending on driver availability, day of the week, time of year, planned roadworks, customer requirements and more. The possibilities are endless. Experienced dispatchers are great at putting together feasible execution plans considering these factors. However, relying on real-time data is the best way to make an optimal choice.

Real-time data is only useful if companies have the tools and resources to analyse it and action the resulting insights. Dispatchers are perfectly placed to help maximise the power of real-time data. They just need the right tools.

Thanks to recent advances in AI and ML, algorithms are emerging that simultaneously consider commercial tasks (loading, unloading, secure parking, etc.), non-commercial tasks (parking, refuelling, border-crossing, etc.), driver regulations and route planning to create the ‘ideal’ trip execution plan which is a game-changer for dispatchers. For instance, recent data indicates that dispatchers can save an average of 2.5 cents per litre simply by optimising refuelling, given that fuel prices differ by up to €0.60 per litre across Europe. This might seem small, but it adds up to €30,000 in monthly savings for a fleet of 500 trucks.

Some compare these algorithms to a ‘digital version’ of an experienced dispatcher’s brain. But the truth is much more nuanced. They won’t replace dispatchers, but enhance their capabilities and empower them to make better decisions based on real-time data.

What’s next for dispatchers?

The dispatcher’s role is evolving from a tactical executor to a strategic orchestrator of complex logistics networks. In short, the digital dispatcher isn’t just a trend – it’s the future of logistics.

The next era of dispatching lies in embracing technologies like AI and ML to automate routine tasks and analyse vast datasets. To gather the data needed for AI and ML algorithms, we’ll see greater use of IoT sensors on trucks, enabling dispatchers to monitor vehicle performance in real time, predict maintenance needs and prevent costly breakdowns.

The above technologies free dispatchers from tedious manual calculations, allowing them to focus on higher-level strategic decision-making. By embracing them, they can unlock new levels of efficiency, productivity, and customer satisfaction, ultimately driving the success of the business and the entire industry.

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