Two technology tools integrated into transportation systems will prevent information delays from slowing commodity movement and enhance customer service levels. First, efficient data capture techniques acquire data in the field without distracting workers from other tasks. Paper-based messaging allows drivers to accurately input entire bills of lading in less than one second. A 2-D bar code symbol currently deployed in other industries provides an efficient technique for capturing shipment data in the field. It allows shippers to encode an entire bill of lading in a symbol about two inches square.
Shippers produce the symbol with standard printers.
A hand-held scanner used by a driver reliably reads the document in less than a second. Information no longer languishes in truck cabs waiting for the mad rush at the end of the day. As drivers progress on their routes, information about shipments accumulates at the hub. Traffic managers see shipment patterns and can actively plan rolling stock and personnel requirements before the pickup fleet arrives at the hub. Real time information systems allow transportation companies to dramatically improve all phases of their operations, from pickup through hub operations to deliveries.