Technology has become an essential part of the transport industry due to electronic commerce and globalization. Technology is applied to ensure efficiency and smooth movement of goods from the manufacturer to the warehouse, and finally to the end-users. The use of expertise in the shipping process has simplified intermodal transportation. The adoption of the tracking and Barcode technology, environmental monitoring, and control, as well as the transport management systems, have enhanced efficiency, higher security, and cost-effectiveness in the inter transport system.
Cost Effective
The use of technology to monitor the movement of products on the trail is cost-effective. Technically, 34 million containers are actively in transit at any given time worldwide. Everything in the world finds its way to the destination through shipping. Massive intermodal freight shipping systems need smart movement to manage and trace the movement effectively. In this case, the application of the Transportation Management Systems (TSM) is crucial. According to Ullo (2018), the system ensures that the whole process moves smoothly while tracing containers right from the manufacturing works until they reach the warehouses. The systems allow monitoring of the shipments as they move across the various modes of transportation. Furthermore, the technology eliminates the need for data collection from multiple sources by creating it in a single database.
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Typically, Transportation Management Systems (TSM) enhances the organization of information in one place for quick and easy reference in case of a notice. It minimizes the amount spent to conduct studies and paying for services regarding data organization (Turban, Pollard, & Wood, 2018). TSM helps businesses to make better decisions by not only providing accounting departments with easy access to all information but also confirm the invoices for processing. Transportation Management Systems (TSM) has an end-to-end supply chain visibility tool. This allows entities to be exact, make some aspects of their processes automated, and streamline others.
The technology allows virtual travel with consignments in relative real-time, which continues to increase its importance as merchandises move through the different modes of transport. The ability to track and know where the container makes it easy for business personnel to make decisions (Turban, Pollard, & Wood, 2018). Having a robust and operational interface for handling accumulated information over an intermodal procedure is critical. It eases companies the burden of stressful work of collecting and consolidating data from different sources. The advanced TSM does it all without any forms of errors. Generally, the system helps the accounting department in gathering invoices, rates, bills, and other information that is related to logistics. Unlike in the traditional management of information, with TSM, data is easily obtained from different places into a distinct interface that is easy to use.
Efficiency
Barcoding and RFID technology are utilized in trail bikes with smartphone applications. It uses cameras and scanners with the ability to read codes, thus easing the process of quickly collecting information and uploading it on the flight. Track’n Trace equipment is a great tool that helps the users in obtaining the essential info from a compound supply chain whenever and wherever they require it. Usually, the technology is used to send data into the cloud and distantly access it as needed via the user interface. According to Luke & Taylor (2018), barcoding and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology are among the most critical tools in making intermodal transportation resilient, reliable, and more so the most preferred method of moving long hauls. Usually, the Barcodes and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags scanned and upload to populate detailed track and trace data stored in the TSM systems throughout the entire intermodal journey.
Shipment tracking is enhanced through the use of customers, interactive, and sophisticated technology that is available 24/7. Among the information conveyed to users by the system include; product description, product code, the identity of the vendor, and the country of origin together with the destination (Lun, Lai, & Cheng, 2010). Typically, automated alerts are available in case of critical events like loading, arrival, delivery, and sailing. It allows customers to enquire about their shipments online via the purchase order number and SKU product codes. The system is protected using passwords and encryptions to ensure security for both the products and the information.
Other tracking and status information on the location and content of the container are tracked using the GPS-enabled tracking device that is attached to the truck. The combined information ensures that shippers have up to date visibility of both the location and status of the shipment while still in transit. Also, the technology prevents loss of freight during their transfer from one point to the other. With a GPS device, it is easy to confirm the route taken by a container and identify instances of malicious track hijacking and catching up with them within the required time. Tracking is a brilliant way to enhance the security and safe delivery of the goods in transit.
Safety and Security
The Environmental Monitoring and Control technology is essential in ensuring that food and drugs maintain their freshness while in transit. The Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) necessitates companies dealing with drugs to ensure constant monitoring of the products while in the movement (Ullo et al., 2018). This is to avoid the environmental issues that may cause the destruction of the pharmaceutical enroute. The act helps in compliance with regulations of drug supply for lot-level product tracing and inhibiting product recall due to cases of spoilage or contamination.
Advanced environmental sensors installed in containers and warehouses are utilized in monitoring the temperature, humidity, shocks, and vibration levels throughout the transit process. Incidences of product recall negatively impact suppliers and manufacturers financially (Monios & Bergqvist, 2017). Therefore, maintaining temperature control to ensure the freshness of products is vital for the manufactures and suppliers. It is also critical to the repackagers, wholesale distributors, dispensers, as well as third-party logistics providers.
The strict regulation on sensitive goods requires that entities provide visibility for products while in transit. It requires the availability of operation info and history as the shipment move across the various associations of the supply chain. The technology delivers up to one-minute information on the essential factors that need to be monitored. Changes in the containers concerning temperature and humidity are made using the remote modulation. It enables maintenance of the optimal temperatures, thus avoiding losses through damages of the products.
Conclusion
Intermodal freight transportation involves the movement of goods using several modes of transport. Through the adoption of the increasing technology, the method of transportation enhances security, reduce damage and loss of goods and transportation, as well as reduce cost over road tracks of products from the source to the destination. Among the most effective techniques used to enhance the process during intermodal transportation include the transportation Management Systems (TSM), environmental monitoring and control devices, and the tracking and barcode technology. These technologies work in unison to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in the intermodal freight transport. The technology does not only help with the secure management of information and protecting products until they reach the customers in good conditions.
References
Luke, H. S. H., & Taylor, M. W. (2018). U.S. Patent No. 9,911,296 . Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Lun, Y. V., Lai, K. H., & Cheng, T. E. (2010). Shipping and logistics management . London: Springer.
Monios, J., & Bergqvist, R. (2017). Intermodal freight transport and logistics . CRC Press.
Turban, E., Pollard, C., & Wood, G. (2018). Information Technology for Management: On-demand Strategies for Performance, Growth, and Sustainability . John Wiley & Sons.
Ullo, S., Gallo, M., Palmieri, G., Amenta, P., Russo, M., Romano, G., ... & De Angelis, M. (2018, March). Application of wireless sensor networks to environmental monitoring for sustainable mobility. In 2018 IEEE International Conference on Environmental Engineering (EE) (pp. 1-7). IEEE.
