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A Deep Dive into our Latest Intermodal Visibility Features
In just the past week, the DrayNow tech team has rolled out two completely new features. Through Special Instructions and Dynamic Trip Types, the order creation process is now easier than ever, while in turn giving carriers more visibility when choosing and completing loads. And how did these features come about? Through feedback, of course.
After hearing from customers and carriers on both sides of the trip experience, it was clear that we had the chance to create even easier tech solutions surrounding trip visibility. Not every intermodal trip is the same, so these new features are the best way to let users post specific instructions for the carrier to follow.
The Special Instructions feature gives customers the most effective way yet to communicate specific trip information to carriers. In turn, the carriers can see these instructions before ever picking up the trip. That way, there are no surprises later on that could cause headaches in the long run. And the opportunity to add trip details can be found on each leg of the trip, so there’s generalizing or guessing on the carrier’s side as to which instruction refers to which part of the trip.
With Dynamic Trip Types, customers now have eight different trip types to choose from when inputting an order. The process of actually creating an order to post to the marketplace hasn’t changed much at all, but the new features allow for almost all intermodal trip types to be easily posted on the platform.
Dynamic Trip Types makes the carrier’s experience even simpler. Putting these trips into their perspective categories alters the number of steps that a carrier will see as they are progressing through the trip. So instead of seeing the standard eight steps that is shown on a regular pickup or delivery, carriers will see four steps for crosstowns, empty repositions, and six steps for one-way pickups and deliveries that don’t require as much information. For two-stop trips, they’ll see twelve steps to account for what needs to be updated at each point in the trip.
And don’t expect these features to stay the way that they are. There’s always opportunity to iterate and make things better. When that opportunity comes up, it’ll translate into an even better product.
And don’t expect these features to stay the way that they are. There’s always opportunity to iterate and make things better. When that opportunity comes up, it’ll translate into an even better product.
For example, look at our Location Services tool, which gives users real-time information on each load. Originally, this data was based solely on mobile app tracking from each carrier on every trip. It has now evolved into giving users grounding information for the container via an integration with Railinc, and geofencing around each rail yard so that the trip automatically updates once a driver has reached the rail. There are now three sources that contribute to the most precise real-time updates seen on the platform.
These new updates are already increasing visibility for both customers and carriers on every new trip put up on the platform. Carriers can make better decisions on which trips are the best fit for their operation at that moment, while customers can find tech solutions on a greater amount of their intermodal loads and be assured that their specific directions are in the hands of carriers. And with continuous development in our DNA, you can be best assured that these features will only get better as we see them in action, so stay tuned!
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