Top 7 Emerging Technology Trends for Transportation & Logistics Industry Table of Content 1. Private LTE/5G networks as a major tech trend 2. Automating and streamlining the hiring process for CDL drivers 3. AR (Augmented Reality) & IOT (Internet of Things) 4. Businesses will be investing in data technologies 5. Drone + Rail Intermodal 6. To provide an advanced TMS at a low price for small carriers 7. Due to shortage of workers, step in to support supply chain processes 8. Numerous trends will be on demand 8.1. AI 8.2. Self-driving cars 8.3. Supply Chain Visibility (SCV) 8.4. Warehouse Robotics 8.5. AI & VR 8.6. Blockchain 8.7. Autonomous Vehicles 9. Conclusion The next-generation advancements are creating huge waves across the industries and taking them to a great level. With improved services, technologies have completely reshaped the trades of the Transportation and Logistics sector. It has pushed the boundaries of the cargo businesses and certainly helped them with minimized cost and increased productivity in the supply chain. Apart from that, the built-in GPS inside the vehicle enables employers to seamlessly track their loaded vehicles, and monitor their driver behavior. Hence, to stay competitive and relevant, transportation businesses need to understand the dominant technologies and explore their future. Here in this blog, we will shed a light on technology trends for the Transportation and Logistics industry. Private LTE/5G networks as a major tech trend "Private LTE/5G networks as a major tech trend for transportation and logistics. If you're not aware, this is similar to a cellular network that we use daily with our smartphones, but it is owned, operated and managed by an individual business and bound to that firm's property. They own it just like they do a Wi-Fi network. Private mobile networks have only been possible the last few months, but with new spectrum available to these businesses, many logistics and transportation firms are looking at them for all the things that Wi-Fi cannot do - computer vision apps, outdoor connectivity in ports/railyards, autonomous robots/AGVs, automation and lots more.” - Jay Nichols from Nichols Communications Automating and streamlining the hiring process for CDL drivers "One major (and perhaps relatively unnoticed) tech trend that is growing in transportation & logistics is actually around automating and streamlining the hiring process for CDL drivers. The light industrial industry is fairly traditional in terms of their hiring processes, which means they utilize local recruiters, old school ATSes, and similar approaches to hiring drivers to transport goods to/from their distribution centers, warehouses, and retail locations. These methods take quite a long time to push someone from the top of the funnel to a completed hire, and it results in significant amounts of candidate churn. These hiring challenges have been compounded by COVID-19 in two ways. First, many people are opting not to put themselves at risk and instead rely on unemployment. Second, there's increased strain on the supply chain from higher demand for some goods -- which has often been somewhat unpredictable throughout 2020. These hiring challenges are pushing companies in the transportation and logistics industry to bring their HR processes into the 21st century through automations, programmatic job board marketing, faster tech-forward background check solutions like Checkr, centralizing recruiting operations using more sophisticated management tools, etc. Companies that are taking these steps are beginning to see their time to hire decrease significantly, resulting in better supply chain management and fulfillment.” - Janeesa Hollingshead from JJ Studio AR (Augmented Reality) & IOT (Internet of Things) "There are a ton of new opportunities for the travel and logistics industry for Augmented Reality. The latest iPhones beginning with the 11 and now 12, along with ARKit 4, is now the most capable and provides industries from travel and logistics the ability to innovate in new environments. Truly the first time in our opinion that AR has the ability to provide real-time value to these industries.” - Tyler Browning, Director of Business Development at MartianCraft Read More: Iot In Transportation And Logistics Industry "I think one trend that we will see more in the transportation and logistics industry is AR (Augmented Reality) since it helps make freight space calculations that much easier. When you have a 3D-model to work with, loading can be more efficient without anyone even having to be physically there. Augmented reality in conjunction with IoT-powered devices that provide load information in real-time will make life easier for companies such as Freightera and other freight brokers that use LTL (Less-than-truckload shipping). It will allow them to make better use of trucks with extra space and squeeze every last ounce of space with more precision.” - Tom Winter, Co-Founder of DevSkiller Businesses will be investing in data technologies "After the tumult of 2020, businesses will be investing in data technologies that remove the digital divides in their supply chains, through which products, data and ultimately revenue are slipping through the cracks. Mobile data capture, which has become ubiquitous in last-mile delivery this year, will empower logistics and transportation firms to implement end-to-end asset tracking with far greater visibility and transparency. Recent innovations in optical character recognition (OCR) technology now makes it possible for workforces to scan and digitize analog data such as container numbers, purchase order (PO) numbers, and seal numbers, alongside barcodes - with any standard smartphone.” Consumers are rightfully more wary about their products, and want to know more about where it was made and how it was handled. As visibility and traceability becomes a priority for businesses, mobile data capture keeps a digital trail from manufacturing to delivery, ensuring all data is completely trackable while creating a more efficient supply chain, a necessary step during these turbulent times.” - Michael Wilkinson, Head of PR & Content at Anyline Drone + Rail Intermodal "For 2021 an emerging technology trend in the transportation and logistics industry is Drone+Rail Intermodal. Class I railroads have begun exploring the use of the immediate airspace above their tracks as aerial corridors for freight transport using drones. The nationwide reach of railroad networks makes them ideal for safe, efficient and automated drone transport infrastructure. Moving smaller freight by drones allows rail companies to compete with less-than-truckload (LTL) services thus alleviating highway traffic and carbon emissions.” - David Christophersen, CEO of SkyRights Holdings LLC To provide an advanced TMS at a low price for small carriers "Approximately 52% of semis on the road today are run by small fleets ( Profitability of the small, for-hire truckload carrier has suffered several blows in recent years: Decrease in revenue due to ELD Mandate Driver turnover exceeding 100% Empty miles reaching up to 20% Market fragmentation, where most dedicated shipper contracts go to 1% of carriers While tools such as the Axele TMS, along with load boards, ELD, and back office systems that are not new to the trucking industry, they are new frontier to small carriers who are more familiar with spreadsheets and whiteboards than advanced technologies and artificial intelligence. Axele TMS addresses these smaller carriers providing them with advanced tools like optimization and automation to make their lives easier and their companies more profitable. So the technology trend is providing an advanced TMS at a low price for small carriers.” - Becky Boyd, VP of MediaFirst Due to shortage of workers, step in to support supply chain processes "Driver shortage will continue, which will make it as important as ever for technology companies in the freight space to build processes and technologies to optimize the profession through automation. There is also a huge opportunity for marketers in the space to improve the “truck driver brand” and make the profession more attractive for younger generations.” - Roy Rosell, Product Marketing Manager, NEXT Trucking "A shortage of warehouse workers and port workers due to COVID-19 are causing delays in the entire supply chain. This combined with the popularity of online shopping during the pandemic means technology will need to step in to support supply chain processes. Fewer warehouse workers and more social distancing is resulting in a supply chain that needs to be tighter than ever - increasing the importance of precision on-time pick up and on-time delivery.” - Ashley Lewis, VP of Product Management, NEXT Trucking Hire Transportation & Logistics Software Development Company - Contact Now See here Numerous trends will be on demand "Here are some of the major transportation and logistics trends in the year 2021: Blockchain Technology - This technology can help logistics share seamlessly sensitive data which makes it comfortable for various suppliers and couriers. IoT (The Internet of Things) - This technology easily connects with things making the digital process in the logistic industry a simpler one. AI (Artificial Intelligence) - It can be used to automate the algorithms based on the data collected from the previous processes. Driverless Vehicles - Driverless and multi-functional robots can now be integrated for a robust solution. Chatbots - Chatbots can instantly interact with customers and provide them with the desired information about the service and delivery.” - Marcus Clarke, Founder of Searchant.co   "Here are the trends of the next years we can note:   AI Logistics is developing very much, of course, primarily due to the increasing introduction of artificial intelligence. This is not a new trend, it is global and has been going on for several years. We would say, judging by our partners and customers, that there is an active restructuring of internal processes in the industry itself, someone has already introduced innovative technologies, and someone is at the stage of strategic business planning, as it is clear that in the next five years the industry will fundamentally change. Logistics is an excellent area where artificial intelligence capabilities can be applied in the best way. For example, what does artificial intelligence do? It perfectly reveals patterns, classifies data (data on routing, goods, etc.), creates optimal routes, calculates the cheapest logistics options, combines goods and knows how better transport it, etc.   Self-driving cars We especially want to note that self-driving cars will really turn the whole industry around! Perhaps this is not the trend of 2021, but in the next five years. Autonomous Vehicles will affect markets such as car sharing, taxi and freight. By the way, there are already models of trucks and they continue to improve. upply Chain Visibility (SCV) The technology that allows you to see the entire chain of cargo movement, the trend of this and next year is that this is happening in the real-time mode. Warehouse Robotics It allows you to automate and optimize storage, allocate logistics resources and plan your inventory system perfectly. For instance, Warehouse Robotics can load and load trucks, move boxes and built pallets.” - Alex Dorokhin, CEO & Founder at HuskyJam "An effectively developed logistic strategy will not only guarantee high performance but also improvement in supply chain management. There are various trends that would be taking over the world by storm next year. First of all, innovations and creative techniques such as cloud-based, AI, and VR based on the future of logistics. The connectivity between manufacturers, suppliers, and various corporations is very essential in enhancing consistency, visibility, and streamlines processes. So, using accurate data is very important for taking decisive decisions. For that, the implementation of automated systems that offer accuracy is important for your need.   AI & VR First of all, innovations and creative techniques such as cloud-based, AI, and VR based on the future of logistics. The connectivity between manufacturers, suppliers, and various corporations is very essential in enhancing consistency, visibility, and streamlines processes. So, using accurate data is very important for taking decisive decisions. For that, the implementation of automated systems that offer accuracy is important for your need. Blockchain Secondly, the blockchain trend is a buzz word that you will be hearing in every industry. CargoX is one startup that has emerged fully dedicated to bringing blockchain to the logistics industry by using the public Ethereum Network (transmetrics). Autonomous Vehicles Lastly, autonomous vehicles are still currently in the trial stage but they are a trend to look forward to. Self-driving trucks can be very helpful in increasing both efficiency and services in the future.” - Jennifer Willy, Editor at Etia.Com Conclusion In this digital world, it is highly impossible to stay competitive for any industry without utilizing the technologies. Talking about the Transportation and Logistics sector, technologies has brought a magnificent change and helped it with smooth workflow, increased efficiency, seamless tracking, minimized cost, etc. Here, in this blog, we have learned the technology trends for the transportation and logistics sector that help it to stay competitive in the market.