DC Velocity - September 2019

ELECTRONIC LOGGING DEVICES (ELDs) are a technology whose time has come. Carriers, drivers and shippers all will benefit as fleets upgrade their systems to be ELD-compliant by December 2019.

“The opportunities with ELDs lie in the data
these systems generate on a near real-time basis –
Barry Craver, Vice President
– Business Process and
Innovation at Old Dominion
Freight Line.

ELDs with their rich data, fast connections and geo-fenc-ing capabilities provide more comprehensive, location-spe-cific and timely data. That’s real-time operational intelligence that trucking companies can employ to the shipper’s benefit – through improved, more accurate pickup and delivery times; better compliance with customer-specific needs; and more precise operations that can contribute to the velocity of supply chain flow and order fulfillment. “Those enhanced, pre-cision-measured services can support improvements in other supply chain functions, such as faster inventory turns, tighter warehouse labor management, and more time-exact fulfillment of customer orders,” added Craver.

Achieving the benefits of ELDs will depend on carriers strategically and proactively working with shippers to use ELD data in creative ways as the foundation for solutions that maximize and optimize the mix of assets, services and capacity uniquely suited to the shipper’s needs.

Among the opportunities:

n Deploying trucking asset capacity as flexible, nimble “rolling warehouses” that can adjust and respond to surges or unexpected demands for inventory repositioning or replenishment;

n Executing more time-definite pickup and delivery services and real-time accurate ETAs to support “ Just-In-Time” inventory needs;

n Reducing labor costs through more precise scheduling of pickups and deliveries, leading to increasing warehouse productivity, better supply chain flow and velocity; and

n Elevating service levels with ever-more-precise operations and the provision of real-time shipment visibility throughout the entire shipment lifecycle. Superior carrier performance and responsiveness are critical since the carrier and their drivers, assets and quality of service are the last link in the overall customer satisfaction experience of the buyer.

These are all areas where Old Dominion Freight Line is actively exploring new data-driven strategies and tactics that elevate on-time performance and cost-effective precision operations for shippers – bringing OD’s industry-rec-ognized service leadership to yet another level. And that’s good news for shippers and their customers, both of whom can leverage OD’s assets, people, network and technology to drive cost out of their supply chains and benefit from the promise of precise, reliable and consistent on-time freight transportation services.