As food and beverage companies take on more tasks in managing their freight, they face a growing need to integrate more transportation software silos, according to the October Food Logistics.
One example is Republic National Distributing Co. (RNDC), the nation’s second largest wine and spirits distributor, which believed there were some inefficiencies with its routing software and last-mile transportation initiatives. The Atlanta, Ga.-based company operated a fleet of more than 1,000 trucks and delivers from 29 warehouses across 16 states. The company was using an on-premise route planning package and multiple GPS tracking solutions for its fleet, none of which had the ability to produce the results RNDC was looking for.
RNDC wanted access to real-time delivery information in order to make route planning more effective, but their route planning software system was not capable of providing that level of functionality. “We needed to get the plan updated to better mirror what was actually happening in the field to improve delivery results and customer satisfaction levels,” says Distribution Director John Friel. “If we don’t route efficiently, we can’t ship (efficiently).”
The routing system had the technology to integrate GPS/telematics data, but RNDC found it too expensive, antiquated and not right for RNDC’s business. In addition, the GPS system they were using did not include vehicle performance data that RNDC would need to compare vehicle performance with forecasts.
Hence, the problem was two-fold: RNDC needed a better dispatching and fleet performance platform and it needed more vehicle performance data.
RNDC found a more economical solution by deploying a cloud-based vehicle dispatching and fleet performance platform from Orlando, Fla.-based Greenmile, along with Geotab telematics devices supported by Scottsdale, Ariz.-based E2. RNDC was able to access critical data on their delivery day in real time – as well as course correct on potential delivery issues such as missing a customer’s promised delivery time window.
E2 also provided visibility to the telematics data coming from vehicles in real-time, allowing management to quickly spot issues such as jackrabbit starts or harsh breaking, which have a dramatic impact on fuel economy. Most importantly, with integration already built between the routing software, Greenmile and the GPS/telematics data from the Geotab telematics devices, RNDC was able to install the GreenMile solution in a matter of hours, not weeks or months.
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