can be deployed for high-cost routes and ad hoc deliveries. SHARED TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS Shared transportation refers to loading a trailer with three or four different shipments and then using load planning technology to build a route that efficiently moves them to their destinations, says Lawrence of Fox Logistics. This sounds similar to less-than- truckload (LTL) shipments. With LTL, however, a shipment is picked up, taken to a local dock, and then offloaded, stored, and reloaded onto a truck heading to another terminal that’s in the direction of the final destination. During the trip, the same shipment may be unloaded and reloaded at several terminals, increasing the likelihood of loss or damage. With shared transportation, the shipment is loaded directly onto the truck that will make the final delivery. “Route planning software is key to making this work, as shipments need to be loaded in reverse order of the deliveries,” says Lawrence. That is, the last shipment must be in the nose of the trailer. “For shippers and carriers, it’s a win/win,” he adds. ANALYSIS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS Myriad factors can lead to the need to expedite shipments: machine breakdowns, natural disasters, and human errors, to name a few. An effective business intelligence toolset
Drone use is projected to grow over the next few years. Air logistics company Swoop Aero provides a technology platform for sustainable and scalable drone logistics. The solution enables two-way deliveries across multiple destinations, organizations, and providers.
apps can offer shippers an accurate, unbiased view of their on-time deliveries, allowing them to address problems. For instance, the app may show that a piece of equipment fails often, causing delays, and should be replaced. DRONES Drones can leapfrog ground-based transportation barriers, such as traffic congestion, says Erik Peck, CEO and co-founder of Swoop Aero, an Australian drone logistics company. And by employing a hub-and-spoke model, drones allow organizations to centralize warehousing facilities, reducing operational expenses. Peck might be expected to focus on drones’ benefits, given his position. Yet, while the market for drone deliveries is in its infancy and faces numerous regulatory and other obstacles, it’s expected to ramp up quickly. The global drone package delivery
if they need to leave them to enter a building. That can mean fewer trips into and outside a building to ensure the shipments remain safe. The eCarts allowed FedEx Express couriers to increase package deliveries by 15% per hour in New York; in Toronto, FedEx couriers handled 25% more packages per day with the eCarts. “We find significant operational improvements,” Hornyak says. Also in this space, DHL has partnered with REEF Technology to deploy electric cargo cycles across Miami. The three-wheeled cycles are equipped with an accompanying cargo container and can pull up to 400 pounds. For the Miami pilot, a DHL straight truck equipped with a customized trailer will carry up to nine cargo containers for the cycles. The containers are delivered to the REEF hub garages, where they’re quickly connected to the cycles for last- mile inner-city deliveries. The vehicles “significantly reduce the challenges associated with urban business deliveries, improving safety, productivity, and costs,” says Greg Hewitt, U.S. CEO of DHL Express. MOBILE APPS FOR DRIVERS Mobile apps can reduce paperwork and errors—and thus, time—by enabling drivers to digitally sign and manage key documents. And by maintaining a digital log of arrival and departure times, these
market, which generated $0.94 billion in 2021, is
projected to reach $32.1 billion by 2031—a compound annual growth rate of 43.3%, according to Allied Market Research. Even so, drones won’t replace traditional transport models. “By augmenting traditional transportation methods, drones serve to increase the efficiency, impact, and reach of the network,” Peck says, noting that drones
34 Inbound Logistics • November 2022
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