iTECH: Less-Than-Truckload ‘Wakes Up’ to Technolgy

ickup and delivery, the grunt work of trucking, but also arguably the most important element of freight service, is undergoing a technological makeover.

P&D can determine success or failure for both shipper and carrier. Until relatively recently, most pickup-and-delivery operators hauled freight over fixed routes, used a predetermined number of drivers and trucks and relied essentially on phone calls and paper documents to keep track of shipments.

Now customer demands for time-definite service are forcing carriers to give shippers real-time visibility of freight. Rising costs for labor and equipment are putting pressure on carriers to improve the efficiency and productivity of P&D operations.