Technology news and briefs for the week of Aug. 6, 2023:
Insurance company launches telematics program
Trucking wholesale insurance company Northland Insurance, a subsidiary of The Travelers Companies Inc., has launched a telematics program, a cargo theft reporting tool and a curated set of safety and risk mitigation resources.
The telematics program promotes safe driving habits by providing customers with real-time performance data. Customers who enroll in the program may receive either a premium discount or device subsidy. The cargo theft reporting feature expedites the claim process by enabling users to report thefts directly from a mobile app to the Northland claim team and Travelers’ Special Investigation Group (SIG). And a curated set of risk management tools and resources called the Northland Innovation Network is a central hub that provides customers with access to programs, platforms and research to help them keep workers and fleets operating safely and effectively.
These new customer benefits are added to the Northland Advantage suite of products and services, which include dedicated risk control safety specialists, experienced claim professionals and transportation industry attorneys.
Truckstop partnership enhances pricing, load insights
Freight marketplace Truckstop has partnered with GoodShip, an all-in-one platform for transportation procurement and optimization, to offer logistics decision makers more pricing data and deeper analysis of load details.
GoodShip will use spot market rate data from the Truckstop Rate Insights tool within its smart recommendation engine, providing shippers with contextualized, actionable insights about their carrier network's performance and cost. GoodShip users will also be able to run procurement events in the platform and compare incoming bids to current and predicted market rates provided via the Truckstop API.
Truckstop's Rate Insights tool uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to provide accurate, same-day rate estimates at the load level. Carriers, brokers and shippers can access daily market rates specific to load attributes, including equipment type, location and dates.
ProvisionAI integrates load-planning software
Transportation | Warehouse Optimization (T|WO) has integrated its load-planning software AutoO2 into ProvisionAI's LevelLoad to help companies cut their long-term transportation costs by 8% and build fuller trucks, lower deadhead miles and improve sustainability.
In addition to maximizing payload, AutoO2 also makes loading trucks easier with 2-D and 3-D load instructions. The algorithms within AutoO2 optimize load planning based on factors such as equipment, weight, size and the states through which the shipment will pass, leading to better utilization of transportation capacity. The tool evaluates multiple parameters and constraints to generate optimal load plans.
LevelLoad uses demand and supply-planning systems and combines transportation data with the overall network's constraints. It performs daily optimization and generates a globally optimized replenishment transportation schedule, recommending early trucking capacity reservations across the entire network. This approach creates a smooth, optimized flow of products throughout the supply chain.
New collision prevention product hits market
GiraffeG4 Systems LLC has developed a new low-clearance collision prevention product called GiraffeG4 Sentinel System.
The system provides a tracking app and patented hardware that measures the accurate heights and GPS locations of potential low-clearance hazards of any heights between 9 feet and 20 feet. That information is saved in a database. The app uses that database to give drivers a warning before they reach the low-clearance hazard.
The user app information can be integrated into the fleet telematics system a company utilizes so there is no need for the driver to interface with any phone or electronic equipment. Local companies, whose tractor trailers, work trucks and ambulances have been hitting trees, parking garages, wires, trestles, etc. can pre-measure those locations and protect their drivers and fleet.
The Sentinel System has already accurately measured and GPS located low-clearance hazards in New York City, Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. That information exists in the database now. Plus, the GiraffeG4 System provides a warning at all Parkway entrances in New York State, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts where commercial vehicles are prohibited, fines are high and bridges are low.
Idelic offers insurers fleet performance data
Idelic, a provider of commercial driver performance management solutions, is now offering a new platform to help insurers overcome challenges and improve profitability in their commercial auto portfolios.
The Safety Suite Platform gives insurers a wealth of fleet performance data, including telematics, cameras, FMCSA, accidents, claims and training consolidated into a single view.
“This holistic view of driver performance enables insurers to make more informed underwriting decisions, monitor portfolio risk effectively and prioritize their risk mitigation programs,” said Idelic Chief Technology Officer and Head of Product Brian Filip. “Leveraging our industry leading integration ecosystem and combining it with our best-in-class machine learning capabilities, we can consistently enable 20% accident reduction for our fleet partners. Providing these same data feeds and analytical insights at the portfolio level for insurers is a force multiplier in risk reduction across the entire commercial auto industry.”
By gaining deeper insights into fleet driving performance at the portfolio level, insurers can now proactively prioritize intervention programs and adjust service levels to drive quantifiable improvements across key metrics such as crash frequency, loss ratio, retention, claim quality and efficiency.
FreightSmith rolls out new scheduling platform
FreightSmith, a SaaS provider of modular supply chain solutions, has rolled out a new scheduling platform. SchedulePro, designed by experts from inbound warehouse operations, aims to streamline and simplify warehouse appointment scheduling.
With an easy-to-use interface, SchedulePro allows carriers, shippers and receivers to reduce time-consuming manual tasks and simplify communications.
The platform's capacity and performance-driven scheduling capabilities allow distribution centers to set inbound appointment options to fit the unique needs of each facility. It also gives users the ability to easily change appointments as needed without having to worry about data management or tedious manual tasks. In addition, it helps reduce headcount so organizations run more efficiently while leveraging technology to create the daily inbound plan.
FreightSmith SchedulePro features include real-time digital appointment scheduling; a simple and intuitive user experience; fully customer configurable scheduling; scalable plug and play deployment; full integration into existing systems or other FreightSmith products; and 24x7 customer service.
