Insights - March/April 2018 - 25
evolution in transportation didn't happen very quickly," he
told Intermodal Insights. "Potential users won't make
decisions about the technology without understanding the
opportunities."
Mathew Elenjickal, CEO of FourKites, said distributed
ledger technologies, or DLTs, are promising for intermodal
transportation. In a deeply fragmented system where companies
interact on a "many to many basis," FourKites believes there
needs to be a system that "facilitates data sharing without
friction, and with fine-grained data access rights, so that only the
right parties can see the right information."
"Intermodal fits the blockchain
concept perfectly because it can
tie together disparate information
systems through the use of DLT."
Intermodal Involvement
picking up the next load on time versus getting paid detention on
delayed loads," he said. "DLTs may eliminate these
ubiquitous losses enough that many categories of current
ecosystem participants may experience net surpluses."
He added that technology often develops first in a single
mode, but later expands to benefit all types of transportation,
citing the emergence of real-time GPS tracking through
connectivity with trucks and trailers.
McLeod believes that blockchains with standards will have
to be interoperable across freight modes. To buttress his point,
he noted that "among the largest modern shipper blockchains,
almost all of them involve multiple modes, often for the same
shipment."
Tom McLeod, president of McLeod Software, said, "We
expect all sorts of supply chains to take advantage of blockchain
technology. It is not just a transportation transaction that will
employ it, intermodal will certainly be
involved in these blockchain-enabled
supply chains. The same is true for
truckload, LTL and airfreight."
Leonard said TMW has identified
54 business cases in transportation
where blockchain can apply to 3PLs
and motor carriers, enabled by the
improvement in encryption software
to ensure data security.
He also offered the example of
McLeod
insurance verification for brokers, saying
that blockchain could reduce the time needed for such action to
5 or 6 seconds from the traditional 20 to 30 minutes.
Elenjickal said that blockchain represents a set of evolving
technologies that can be used together with significant potential
to reduce errors. The technology can be used to address the
consequences of poor information, processing delays, manual
errors and other barriers to efficient transportation recordkeeping.
"We know that carriers and shippers both wish to avoid long
dwell times. Carriers, in particular, prefer to make money through
- John Kingston, head of community engagement,
Blockchain in Transportation Alliance
'Industry Needs and Wants Standards'
In the U.S., several steps need to happen for blockchain to
advance intermodally.
One element for blockchain to work effectively and to realize
its potential is the development of standards, which will be
needed for payment systems and any other transaction involving
multiple parties. It remains to be seen how these standards
evolve, both within an individual freight mode or an intermodal
move. The Blockchain in Transportation Alliance, or BiTA, has
been formed with the stated goal of creating them.
"Intermodal fits the blockchain concept perfectly," said John
Kingston, head of community engagement for BiTA, because it
March/April 2018 | Intermodal Insights
25
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Insights - March/April 2018
IANA News
Washington Begins Work on Infrastructure
Equipment Condition, DVIRs Benefit Terminal Throughput
Effective Steps Can Be Taken When Terminal Capacity Is Tight
Freight Report
Chassis Market Changes Focus on Pools, Efficiency
Blockchain Presented as Option to Aid Intermodal Information Flow
Buying Decisions, Truck and Real Estate Costs Transform Transloads
Gender Diversity Makes Good Business Sense
Government News
International Intermodal News
Intermodal Information Services News
New Members
People News
Intermodal Calendar
Insights - March/April 2018 - Cover1
Insights - March/April 2018 - 2
Insights - March/April 2018 - 3
Insights - March/April 2018 - IANA News
Insights - March/April 2018 - Washington Begins Work on Infrastructure
Insights - March/April 2018 - 6
Insights - March/April 2018 - 7
Insights - March/April 2018 - 8
Insights - March/April 2018 - 9
Insights - March/April 2018 - 10
Insights - March/April 2018 - Equipment Condition, DVIRs Benefit Terminal Throughput
Insights - March/April 2018 - 12
Insights - March/April 2018 - 13
Insights - March/April 2018 - 14
Insights - March/April 2018 - Effective Steps Can Be Taken When Terminal Capacity Is Tight
Insights - March/April 2018 - 16
Insights - March/April 2018 - 17
Insights - March/April 2018 - 18
Insights - March/April 2018 - Freight Report
Insights - March/April 2018 - Chassis Market Changes Focus on Pools, Efficiency
Insights - March/April 2018 - 21
Insights - March/April 2018 - 22
Insights - March/April 2018 - Blockchain Presented as Option to Aid Intermodal Information Flow
Insights - March/April 2018 - 24
Insights - March/April 2018 - 25
Insights - March/April 2018 - 26
Insights - March/April 2018 - Buying Decisions, Truck and Real Estate Costs Transform Transloads
Insights - March/April 2018 - 28
Insights - March/April 2018 - Gender Diversity Makes Good Business Sense
Insights - March/April 2018 - Government News
Insights - March/April 2018 - 31
Insights - March/April 2018 - 32
Insights - March/April 2018 - International Intermodal News
Insights - March/April 2018 - 34
Insights - March/April 2018 - Intermodal Information Services News
Insights - March/April 2018 - New Members
Insights - March/April 2018 - 37
Insights - March/April 2018 - 38
Insights - March/April 2018 - Intermodal Calendar
Insights - March/April 2018 - 40
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