contributes to compounding ef ciency gains throughout the entire supply chain. Technology and innovation are poised to drive a major transformation of the drayage eld in the years ahead. REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES “The traditional methods of conducting drayage operations, which may have relied on manual processes and outdated systems, will increasingly be seen as slow, resource-intensive, and costly,” Ricksecker says.
“This transformation will affect various facets of drayage—including booking, scheduling, tracking, and reporting—with the goal of streamlining operations and enhancing customer service,” she says. “Over the next ve years,” Ricksecker adds, “the drayage eld can expect revolutionary changes that leverage technology to improve ef ciency, sustainability, and customer experiences, ultimately reshaping the way goods move from point A to point B.” n
“Ef ciency gains inside their own operations and their ability to run their businesses more effectively allow drayage operators to better serve their customers,” Mecca says. When a drayage trucking company achieves operational ef ciency and gains the capacity to offer comprehensive information and data to its customers, this translates into improved service overall. And, enhanced operational performance across drayage companies
TECH SHOWS CHASSIS SOME LOVE, TOO
private partnership with the Georgia Ports Authority, the Jacksonville Port Authority, the North Carolina State Ports Authority, and the Ocean Carriers Equipment Management Association. Truckers can reserve chassis over a network of locations using an online portal. The system will lead to fewer motor carriers waiting in line in and out of terminals and an overall more ecient and reliable approach for drayage, Wilson says. “Our program is to assure that we have enough chassis in the fleet to accommodate cargo demands, as well as to ensure that the asset itself is of high quality," he says. “This way, when a motor carrier picks up a chassis or uses one of our chassis, it is reliable, and they don’t break down on the road, causing them to be delayed and incur lost time.” In addition, chassis are growing more technologically advanced. Chassis innovations over the years have bolstered safety, with advancements such as hub- piloted wheels, anti-lock brakes, LED lights, radial tires, brake systems that keep the brakes cooler, and improved visibility. “We have equipped the chassis with electronics to be able to plug and play for GPS and telematics,” Wilson adds. “You won’t see them on every chassis tomorrow, but over time, these telematics, which are essentially sensors in dierent operating components in the chassis, will be common.” Chassis are evolving, just as much as tractors, trains, ships, and warehouse systems. “Chassis are keeping up with the technological evolution that we’re seeing in the transportation industry,” Wilson says.
For drayage operators, the availability and reliability of chassis is essential to success. Delays and interruptions in chassis supply can undermine the broader supply chain, and a chassis shortage added to the congestion issues that arose at some ports during the pandemic. Eective and ecient chassis supply is as important to drayage as eective and ecient tractor supply, notes Mike Wilson, CEO of Consolidated Chassis Management (CCM). Aiming to improve eciency in chassis supply with the aid of its CIT fleet management technology, CCM launched SACP 3.0 in 2023. Here's how it works. Previously, various leasing companies put chassis in a chassis pool in the region, and CCM managed those chassis for those providers. That system, however, encountered persistent challenges keeping enough chassis in the pool and assuring their quality. Under SACP 3.0, CCM has become the provider of the chassis, and can now oer “total asset control” under a single-provider utility model that is a public-
168 Inbound Logistics • January 2024
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