# Presentation: 009857

## Electronic Freight Manifest Initiative

- _ITS JPO Lead_: Kate Hartman
- _Technical Lead_: Mike Onder, Office of Freight Management and Operations

## Challenge

- Current economic forecast indicate that freight volumes will double by 2020.
- Existing and planned physical capacity to move this amount of freight will be severely challenged.
- Freight movement is multi-modal, among partners with different with needs for information.

## Opportunity

- The activities under this initiative will:
- Assist supply chain partners by using ITS to:
- Exchange information electronically in a standardized format;
- Provide an open architecture in which all shippers, across all modes can access needed information;
- Allow information concerning freight to be made available for security screening.

## Goal

- Improved operational efficiency, productivity and security of the transportation system through the use of a common electronic freight manifest (EFM) and message portal that enables access to shipment information to all supply chain partners in real time.

## Milestone/End Product

- Initial Milestone:  Can all supply chain partners integrate the EFM into their business processes?  Do we go forward with the deployment test?
- Initiative Milestone:  Do we expand to other modes?

## Roadmap

## Program Plan/Approach

**1. Coalition Building**
- Intermodal Freight Technology Working Group
- A neutral organization for industry and government to work together on applying technology to freight issues of mutual concern.
- EFM Steering Group
- Project leaders from industry and government to help shape / direct this effort

## Program Plan/Approach

**2. Foundation Elements**
- _EFM Standards_
- Create Data Dictionary Standard
- Electronic freight manifest
*Monitor Biometric Standards*
*Biometric identifier to positively ID the possessor*
*Monitor Electronic Tracking & Tracing Device Standards*
*Tracking and tracing devices on cargo or conveyances*
- Working through International Standards Organization (ISO) on all three.

## Program Plan/Approach

**2.  Foundation Elements (cont.)**
- _EFM Freight Information Highway (FIH)_
- Operation Plan and Tools
- Develop a concept for allowing an electronic message to move through a virtual portal for all supply chain partners to have equal access.
- System Architecture
- Develop an architecture approach for information flows between the virtual portal and the traffic management centers and traveler information systems.

## Program Plan/Approach

**2.  Foundation Elements (cont.)**
- _EFM Business Case_
- Develop Deployment Test Plan
- Map the supply chain and model the changes that an EFM would require.
- Determine the rules of engagement for partners.
- System Level Design Document
- Determine the operating procedures for adopting EFM, FIH and biometrics.
- Initial Decision Point

## Program Plan/Approach

**3. EFM Deployment Test and Evaluation**
- Conduct Deployment Test
- All procedures in place and adopted.
- Operate over 6-8 month period of time with new procedures.
- Evaluate Deployment Test
- Gather baseline data before test and operating data during test.
- Initiative Decision Point

## Summary

- Improve supply chain efficiency
- Technology
- Data Standards
- Freight Information Highway
- Improved methods of information sharing
- Deployable across modes when successful
- Broad benefits to industry