Pandemic accelerates forwarding’s digital transformation

[caption id="attachment_65020" align="alignright" width="300"] Brandon Fried, executive director of the U.S. Airforwarders Association[/caption] Remote office operations have been successful for freight forwarders during the coronavirus pandemic, and many administrative workers have continued to work from home at least once a week as lockdowns have eased. The virus changed the freight workplace but, thanks to current advances in technology, these changes may accelerate the pace of automation in our business forever. Over the past decades, the freight industry invested heavily in essential technology, not only for back-office administrative management but to manage cargo logistics across widespread transportation networks. Our business is globally interconnected, necessitating extensive travel to offices around the world during regular times. Thankfully, industry technology providers have always understood that office automation must be accessible, regardless of a worker’s location, which could be a hotel in a city far from headquarters, a remote station in another country, or even a customer’s office. Accurate shipment information must be accessible in real time from anywhere, without failure. Even given the advances in automation, a physical presence to move the boxes in the distribution centers is needed. Fortunately, investments in technology, including radio-frequency identification (RFID), remotely controlled warehouse equipment and scanning continue to not only drive efficiencies in cargo handling, but also allow for the separation of workers during the pandemic. Workers pass forms to one another less frequently as electronic delivery receipts and shipment documentation eliminate the risk of disease transmission through sharing paper and human-driven machinery. Significant advancements in automation are accelerating at a rapid pace, not only in how we manage cargo in the office, but in the way we move it. Fully autonomous trucking may be closer to reality than many of us ever imagined. Several transportation providers are moving long haul cargo in trucks without humans controlling the vehicles and their routes. The shortage and high turnover of long-haul drivers and human risk factors are driving research and investment in this technology, but there are also negative impacts to consider. In addition to possibly displacing 2 million drivers currently on the road, regulators must create a policy that accommodates how self-driving trucks will navigate situations on the road, such as emergencies, cargo issues and encounters with law enforcement. Once cargo arrives at the terminal, autonomous robot vehicles will likely soon be delivering shipments to the customer’s door. The pandemic taught us about the need for social distancing, and several delivery firms are investing in driverless personal delivery devices capable of transporting small loads within communities. Recently proposed state legislation may usher in an era in which the traditional delivery van and driver give way to a low-emission delivery machine that brings the boxes. Safety must be a top priority and, as with automated trucks, there will be challenges — especially when these vehicles encounter potholes or pedestrians. Nothing is perfect but, in the future, expect autonomous vehicles to operate once officials satisfactorily address these concerns. In a recent early success for autonomous operations, a Cessna Caravan aircraft capable of hauling boxes or passengers between cities achieved a historic first by successfully taxiing, flying and landing test flights without a pilot on board. As with autonomous trucks and delivery bots, technology companies are quickly disrupting the notion that human operation of vehicles will always be essential to transport shipments. The disruption may not necessarily come from industry giants like Airbus or Boeing, but could emerge from one of the many small firms that continue to innovate. Of course, there are some downsides to the remote work. These include the lack of face-to-face interaction, burnout caused by an endless workday, the ever-present security concern created by remote access to computer networks, and the fatigue generated by the seemingly infinite stream of two-dimensional Zoom calls. We continue to learn many lessons during the pandemic that are essential to keep in mind for the future. For instance, sick employees must not return to the workplace, and the traditional open floor office plans may be a relic of the past. The office clean freak is likely to be far more appreciated as common areas may be a culprit in the spread of the virus. Creating an alternative plan for employee attendance is now more essential than ever, including one that emphasizes remote access to the office. Forwarders and their employees are ready for the challenge of work outside the physical building. The unpleasant memories of hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will be fresh in our minds for quite some time. Only time will tell if remote works is viable for people over the long haul. Technically, yes, it is possible, but once the pandemic subsides, will folks be anxious to leave the house and interact with one another again? We’ll see. The positive outcome is the realization that people will always be essential to the freight transportation industry. Still, automation is here to stay as a useful tool to help people within the industry do their jobs more efficiently. Where they work may change in the future, as will the ways in which they leverage technology to transport shipments, regardless of who is doing the driving and flying. This article originally appeared in the September/October Issue of Air Cargo World. Read the issue here

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