Peterson’s ecosystem of software applications Lighthouse which digitalises the end-to-end logistics supply chain has launched a transport management system optimiser which is achieving exceptional results for its operational teams and clients.
Through the use of historical and live data, as well as feedback from operational teams, the algorithm in the TRANSPORT module has an acceptance rate of proposed job allocations from the optimising solution of 88%. It has also dramatically reduced manual data handling man hours from the controller team.
TRANSPORT has also delivered an increase in trailer space utilisation and in average tonnes per hour, as well as a reduction in individual movements leading to a reduction fuel consumption and unmeasured at the time CO2 emissions.
The optimiser has been launched seven years since the application was first deployed. Jaye Deighton of Peterson:
“It was 2017 when we first deployed our transport management system, aptly named TRANSPORT. The goal of TRANSPORT was to maximise the utilisation of the trucking fleet, limiting the costly movement of ‘fresh air’.
“The solution delivered as expected and with immediate strong efficiencies being achieved.
“This is an incredibly complex space and to work hand-in-hand with our operational teams highlight that the movement of offshore cargo via truck was not only a science, but it’s an art. The rules, the regulations, the parameters that the transport team have to work with was (and still is) mind boggling.
“We enhanced TRANSPORT to dive deeper into the science, looking at aspects such as the scale and impact of waiting or idle time, how we could use the data to look at alternative business models, and how receptive our team of drivers had been to the deployment of tablet devices allowing them to update job status real time.
“By late 2022, it was time to look at enhancing optimisation, but this time the approach was less feature first and more data first. Harnessing the power of five years’ worth of data, we carried out a feasibility and data quality assessment to understand if we could use our data to automate the transport cargo allocation process. It turns out, we could.
“It would be a lie to say we had all the data from day one. There were of course gaps we needed to fill, gaps that until now had been filled by the logic and artistry of our skilled team of transport controllers. The complete build of the optimiser and allocation algorithm took just under a year to develop. Testing and validation of the algorithms suggestions was crucial to ensure a quality, accurate solution.
“The journey doesn’t stop here. We continue to enhance the optimiser, adding in and tweaking rules to drive up that acceptance rate. Fleet utilisation has also increased as a result of the computer based, human originated, logic which in turn reduces CO2 emissions and provides Peterson with enhanced data for future decision making.”
TRANSPORT is one of 11 applications within the Lighthouse suite which provides real-time visibility for clearer, smoother, and faster decision making in daily operations, as well as industry benchmarking. Lighthouse has been designed and built by industry experts from the ground up. It’s a powerful software that uses decades of logistics experience to provide digital assurance for every step of the cargo planning process.
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