Ryder Launches App to Track Freight in Real Time
Ryder System Inc. has launched a new cloud-based app available on iTunes and Google Play called Ryder NaviShare that allows trucking professionals and others in the supply chain to track freight in real time.
“Through our partner FourKites, we’re able to feed in GPS updates from LVCs, or longer vehicle combinations, on trucks or cellphones. It’s being used to drive a proactive estimated time of arrival and, if exceptions occur, offer analytics around that,” said Ryder Vice President of Supply Chain Excellence Gary Allen.
Navishare, said Allen, will benefit retailers with multiple storefronts, and where they are highly distributed and “trying to plan deliveries and schedule appointments down to the minute.”
He said that seven Ryder Dedicated Transportation Solution customers are “up and running” on the solution. “For our supply chain and transportation management solution customers, we have 250 out of our 350 truckload carriers up and running.” The company said it has 177 users on iOS and 33 on Android currently.
Matt Elenjickal, CEO of FourKites, told Transport Topics that real-time visibility means, for example, “If you are a receiver at a warehouse, open the app or go on to the portal, search the truck ID, trailer, bill of lading or purchase order number and see exactly where the truck is and the estimated time of arrival at your location.”
Of course, every new tool has its downsides or at least challenges. Asked about that, both Allen and Elenjickal cite security concerns that originally arose. Those were soon overcome, said Allen, because any fear of intrusion into say the trucker’s onboard computer data was rendered moot.
“The individual tractor or truck itself will not be tracked till the load is shipped out,” Allen said. “The carrier assigns a tractor number to the load and tracking starts. Once a delivery is made, tracking is shut off and discontinued. No sensitive data is integrated at all.”
Besides tracking trucks, the software offers event management capability for shippers, spits out updates and routing instructions for drivers.
Ryder Supply Chain Solutions ranks No. 13 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.
