Consultant Insight: Last mile software comes to air cargo

[caption id="attachment_68221" align="alignright" width="298"] Cathy Roberson, Cargo Facts Consulting senior consultant and Air Cargo World columnist[/caption] Technology platform provider Fleet Enable is expanding beyond its final mile, on the ground focus by adding software for last-mile carriers delivering shipments imported by air. “We have identified a need in the air cargo market for a low-cost modern automated last-mile software solution,” Fleet Enable Chief Executive Krishna Vattipalli said a Jan. 18 release. "Over the last 12 months, we have been developing unique features and functionality to the air cargo business." Fleet Enable's solution addresses common issues such as final cargo tracking and visibility, truck capacity planning and manual shipment routing. "This is a very time-sensitive and complex business," said Vattipalli. "We focus on this unique industry and leveraging the latest modern software to help final-mile carriers scale and grow." Indeed, according to the company, the new software will provide the following: A recovery dispatch board that provides the earliest pick-up time for cargo arriving at airports; A capacity management algorithm that factors the weight and dimensions of freight and truck floor space when auto-routing deliveries; and Recurring shipment stops are created to accommodate the standard daily routes. While logistics providers, such as Forward Air, also manage and connect air cargo with trucks for final mile deliveries, Fleet Enable is marketing its software to air cargo carriers employing their own drivers or independent contractors. A mobile app is also available for drivers delivering shipments to cargo owners. Fleet Enable technology expansion Imaginnovate, a software development company supporting the freight transportation and logistics industry, spun off its Fleet Enable software platform as a stand-alone business in 2022. Since then, Fleet Enable has focused on the final mile by automating end-to-end operations, including scheduling, dispatching, billing, invoicing and driver settlement. In October, Fleet Enable launched Fleet Enable Intelligence software that predicts volume shifts, on-time deliveries, revenue and driver performance. A month later, the company introduced an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that loads final-mile delivery trucks to eliminate shipment failures. The Capacity Optimization software calculates cargo size and truck capacity, then dictates how orders are stowed in vehicles. The market outlook How much traction the company will gain with the combination of air cargo and final mile remains to be seen. A number of similar offerings are already available in the market. Route optimization and business intelligence tools have become the norm for most trucking and other carriers. However, its focus on small carriers could prove successful. According to the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), there are approximately 350,000 owner-operators registered in the U.S. Owner-operators are those individuals that own and operate their own trucking businesses, and they may lease on to a carrier or operate under their own authority. Of the total trucking market, 91.3% of fleets operate six or fewer trucks, and 97.4% operate 20 or fewer, meaning most carriers are small companies, according to the American Trucking Association.

Consultant Insight: Last mile software comes to air cargo

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