Insights - May/June 2017 - 24

Hub's implementation began at its Unyson logistics division,
with an intermodal configuration that is being rolled out this year
and next.
"The benefits will include visibility across all modes, driving
more efficient operations and scalability to meet growth demands," she added.
Smith said XPO has a proprietary system to create dynamic
estimated arrival times, or ETAs, for deliveries based on historical
and current performance. The system works particularly well, he
said, if there are issues during rail interchange or other delays.

'Continually Evolving'
"Our IT team is continually evolving Rail Optimizer with regular
enhancements based on feedback from our customers and operations teams," Smith said.
Punzel said Celtic, which is owned by logistics company
Transplace, purchased a TMS instead of building its own, but
retains the rights and the ability to tailor the system to customers'
needs, communicating primarily by EDI.
Punzel said that Celtic's and Transplace's systems operate independently, rather than trying to manage the intermodal process
on the parent's system that's geared to over-the-road moves. He
acknowledged that not owning intermodal assets can create challenges, which Celtic meets by having a mutual understanding of
volume and commitment requirements with draymen.
Garry Old, CEO of COFC Logistics,
said his company's approach to a
TMS is different from others, but must
serve the customer as well.
COFC, which was founded in 2011
and specializes in providing domestic
container equipment, built a system
to communicate with railroads and
customers about equipment management and pricing.
"We didn't have the money or
Old
sophistication that a Class 1 [railroad]
system has," he said. "To get what you want as a startup can be
more than you can afford. So you have to take what is reasonable
and figure out how to adapt. On the customer side, we have to
figure out the EDI exchange and how to send information to them.
We have to spend a lot of money to match our system to theirs."
One important feature, Old said, is that all COFC containers
are equipped with GPS, which helps the company to better plan
its equipment management. Improved equipment management
boosted COFC's average turns per month last year by 7% over the
year before.
Old also said that COFC's TMS, built in-house from a shell
system, has created equipment management advantages so that

24 Intermodal Insights | May/June 2017

brokers can rebook and reload the same container for intermodal
moves.
Old believes that a TMS is an important consideration for
3PLs. Many, he said, recognize the need to get into or expand
their intermodal offerings, but have to cope with different needs
that require dealing with three carriers instead of a single trucker.
"Because intermodal has a lot more moving parts, it's a little
more complicated," Bob Voltmann, president of TIA, told Intermodal Insights. "3PLs have to be able to address that in their TMS
systems. A couple of TMS providers
have developed fully functioning intermodal systems. Some 3PLs have built
their own proprietary ones."

'Intermodal in Their Quiver'
"Our members need to have
intermodal in their quiver. We need to
get our members to fully embrace the
need for intermodal," said Voltmann.
TIA's quarterly freight reports
Voltmann
consistently show only about 10 percent
of members' moves are intermodal, compared with 90 percent
over-the-road. He noted the huge potential for intermodal growth.
That could occur, Voltmann said, if 3PLs that control more than
$100 billion in annual freight spending move 5 percent to 10
percent of those shipments to intermodal.
There is more to be done in other important respects, several
officials said.
There is still room for further improvement in technology to
make information flow a little more dynamically, Shook said.
"Railroads and the draymen have done a really good job
making strides in that area over the past four or five years," he
explained. "Now we have to focus more on getting a little more
predictive and being proactive."
The TMS outlined by the 3PLs can help the intermodal industry to further refine service by addressing specific issues, such as
a bad order chassis that requires a replacement, slowing down
drivers who are ready to make a delivery.

'Effective and Profitable'
One of the challenges the industry is facing, and will continue
to face, is in the driver area. We have to find ways to make drivers
more effective and profitable," Shook said. "Anything we can do
to give them the ability to get in and out [of terminals] quickly and
plan their day instead of having dead time is critical."
XPO is creating additional decision-making tools for a Web
portal that currently provides real-time tracking and delivery
ETAs based on carrier information. The goal is to streamline
the customer experience since "an intermodal move can involve


http://www.eqhorizon.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Insights - May/June 2017

President’s Message
IANA News
As Infrastructure Plan Excitement Builds, Payment Questions Are Still Prominent
Full Year 2017 Intermodal Business Volume Growth Is Projected
Maintenance & Repair Committee Focuses on Practical Steps to Aid Safety
Operations Committee Advances Chassis and Terminal Safety Efforts
Progress Achieved in Chassis Safety, More Work Ahead
Highlights from IANA's Operations & Maintenance Business Meeting
3PLs Rely on Transportation Management Systems to Meet Customer, Company Information Requirements
Freight Report
Suppliers’ TMS Offer Flexibility, Visibility to Meet Unique Intermodal Requirements
Independent Contractor Status Could be Strengthened by Recent Developments
Government News
Intermodal Information Services News
International Intermodal News
People News
New Members
Intermodal Calendar
EXPO 2017 Education Sessions Descriptions
Insights - May/June 2017 - Cover1
Insights - May/June 2017 - 2
Insights - May/June 2017 - 3
Insights - May/June 2017 - IANA News
Insights - May/June 2017 - 5
Insights - May/June 2017 - 6
Insights - May/June 2017 - 7
Insights - May/June 2017 - 8
Insights - May/June 2017 - As Infrastructure Plan Excitement Builds, Payment Questions Are Still Prominent
Insights - May/June 2017 - 10
Insights - May/June 2017 - 11
Insights - May/June 2017 - 12
Insights - May/June 2017 - Full Year 2017 Intermodal Business Volume Growth Is Projected
Insights - May/June 2017 - 14
Insights - May/June 2017 - Maintenance & Repair Committee Focuses on Practical Steps to Aid Safety
Insights - May/June 2017 - 16
Insights - May/June 2017 - Operations Committee Advances Chassis and Terminal Safety Efforts
Insights - May/June 2017 - 18
Insights - May/June 2017 - Progress Achieved in Chassis Safety, More Work Ahead
Insights - May/June 2017 - Highlights from IANA's Operations & Maintenance Business Meeting
Insights - May/June 2017 - 21
Insights - May/June 2017 - 22
Insights - May/June 2017 - 3PLs Rely on Transportation Management Systems to Meet Customer, Company Information Requirements
Insights - May/June 2017 - 24
Insights - May/June 2017 - Freight Report
Insights - May/June 2017 - Suppliers’ TMS Offer Flexibility, Visibility to Meet Unique Intermodal Requirements
Insights - May/June 2017 - 27
Insights - May/June 2017 - Independent Contractor Status Could be Strengthened by Recent Developments
Insights - May/June 2017 - 29
Insights - May/June 2017 - 30
Insights - May/June 2017 - Government News
Insights - May/June 2017 - Intermodal Information Services News
Insights - May/June 2017 - 33
Insights - May/June 2017 - International Intermodal News
Insights - May/June 2017 - People News
Insights - May/June 2017 - New Members
Insights - May/June 2017 - 37
Insights - May/June 2017 - 38
Insights - May/June 2017 - Intermodal Calendar
Insights - May/June 2017 - EXPO 2017 Education Sessions Descriptions
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