Transcore is offering a solution that merges six separate logistics capabilities into a single platform for carriers, shippers and third-party logistics providers, called the “3sixty” product suite. The company launched the new system last Friday, including the first 3sixty-transformed segment, the DAT-powered Freight Match.
“Our vision was to remove stovepipe development and create efficiencies through cross-functional integration,” explained John Worthington, president of TransCore. “The basic infrastructure we had in place did not make it easy to add on products and services. Using web-based technology enables us to have a common interface that TransCore or its partners can use. The goal is to provide a seamless experience for our customers. With 3sixty, they will not have to navigate among various systems anymore.”
3sixty’s segments include the core capabilities required to manage large or small transportation companies, according to Worthington, whether that means transportation by truck, rail, air or all three. The segments include:
- Operations Management (formerly Keypoint) designed to enable control of virtually every facet of the transportation process from dispatch through accounting
- Freight Match powered by DAT (U.S.-based) and LoadLink (Canada-based) for matching loads to trucks
- Fleet Management powered by GlobalWave satellite asset tracking and communications
- Rail Intermodal powered by IntelliTrans for rail-oriented carriers and shippers
- Compliance Services
- Financial Services
More than 1,000 customers were involved in beta testing the 3sixty Freight Match solution since May 2006, according to Worthington. Before that, users were also involved in the design and development process. “DAT really grew from the ground up,” he explained. “The development of 3sixty was an entirely different process. We even hired a consultant to go out and videotape customers using our product. It really changed the direction we were going with the user interface.”
Existing DAT customers will not be forced to migrate into the new system, Worthington stressed. Instead, they will have to “opt in.”
For customers ready to begin the 3sixty conversion by switching to the updated Freight Match, integrated tools include: a raw database with over 4-million North American lane rates; automatic search queries with streaming, real-time results; interchangeable map and data views; plus a comprehensive industry directory containing credit, insurance, pay history, safety, authority and association information--all designed to be faster and easier to navigate.
More information is available at: www.transcore.com.
