Are you already using logistics technology at your carrier?

Do you know the best way to make your transport operations faster and more efficient? Logistics technology has a major role in this task.

Technology has changed the pace of the market in every segment, and freight transport is included. This impact of technology on logistics stems largely from customer demands, but also from the need to make decisions using data, reduce rework, and coordinate teams, vehicles, and deliveries more clearly.

Let me explain:

A customer makes an online purchase, the company relies on the carrier to deliver within X hours or days, and you, as an employee in transport, need to work to make that goal possible.

And what is technology’s role in this system? It can vary depending on the type of technology you decide to invest in, which can range from a management system to an electrically powered truck, for example.

But, in general, its ultimate objective should be to increase efficiency in transport operations.

Logistics technology: making transport faster and more efficient

A carrier’s entire logistics system can be positively affected by technology. In fact, one of a fleet manager’s jobs today is to stay informed about new developments and which type of technology will meet the company’s needs.

Tools and software can cover everything from internal processes to the type of vehicle. This includes company management systems, vehicle maintenance, transport monitoring, delivery support, and trucks that use less fuel and have advanced driving features, among others.

So, how do you know which technology to choose? Which is the most suitable?

These questions have no single, definitive answer. Each carrier will have its own problems and demands. Each manager therefore needs to analyze their situation and learn about the solutions each technology offers.

However, we can offer this advice: bear in mind that technological resources should make all processes simpler and faster, and likewise reduce operating costs.

Freight transport technologies available today

Today, we have various alternatives for implementing technology in logistics. From a complete management system to software for a particular area of the carrier, there is no shortage of options on the market.

These options include:

• vehicle monitoring and tracking systems;
• radio-frequency identification;
• geolocation;
• transport management systems;
• warehouse management systems;
• route planning systems;
• complete fleet management software;
• tire management software;
• electronic checklist software.

It is also worth considering how the tool is delivered. Many current solutions operate as software as a service, where customers access the system over the internet, usually through a browser, without having to install and maintain the program locally. This model can make adoption easier when a carrier needs to start with one area and expand later.

Each solution also has versions from different developers. In other words, each company offering an electronic checklist, for example, may have particular and even exclusive features. This allows you to research and choose the option that best suits both your management needs and the budget available for investment.

Each has its own characteristics, so if a company only wants a system to help with preventive maintenance for the fleet, it can choose simpler software requiring less investment.

However, if it seeks a system to manage the entire carrier, including strategic planning, inventory control, employee records, and financial control, among others, it needs a larger investment.

Logistics technology trends for the coming years

Although various technologies are already on the market, this field is constantly evolving. Technology grows very quickly, and you need to keep up with launches, the maturation of tools, and changes in each operation’s priorities.

Some innovations in logistics and freight transport remain on companies’ radar, such as vehicles with increasingly advanced driving features. Autonomous transport, meaning transport that dispenses with a driver at the controls and makes the trip on its own, still requires careful analysis of maturity, application, and operational context before entering a carrier’s planning.

Electrically powered vehicles are also already part of fleet modernization discussions. They can provide savings in certain scenarios and help reduce the environmental impact trucks usually cause, but the decision depends on the route, infrastructure, total cost, and usage profile.

Business intelligence (BI) also remains relevant. BI is a set of technological processes for collecting, managing, and analyzing organizational data, turning raw data into useful information for decision-making. In logistics, this can support analysis of operations, costs, productivity, and resource use.

Another prominent topic is telematics, understood in the market as a method of monitoring vehicles and assets using GPS and onboard diagnostics. It collects vehicle data through GPS and other sensors, sends it to the cloud, and turns the information into insights. This type of solution needs to be assessed as a category of its own, according to each operation’s objectives and constraints.

Of course, we need to watch closely to see what will actually happen and where it is worth investing in 1, 5, or 10 years.

At the pace things happen today, long-term planning becomes difficult. You need to proceed a little at a time and adapt projections for the coming years as current events unfold.

That said, tools already exist to meet your business’s demands and make transport operations much better. Want to learn about today’s main technologies for freight transport management?

Find out right here on our blog: What are these 5 logistics technologies, and what are they for?