Con-way Freight, one of North America's largest less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation companies, has rolled out an advanced technology platform utilizing mobile applications for its daily pickup and delivery (P&D) and freight management operations, and under a new contract with AT&T, is utilizing AT&T as the wireless network services provider supporting its operations.
Utilizing more than 11,000 hand-held devices supported by dock automation software applications, Con-way Freight is driving new efficiencies into its business by gaining real-time information on shipment pickups and deliveries from its driver workforce in the field. The new applications, combined with AT&T's network, provide faster access to more complete and accurate information, giving the company the ability to respond faster to customer needs while improving operations planning and execution. The company also is gaining benefits through better equipment utilization, with the entire P&D city operations in over 290 cities nationwide running applications over the AT&T wireless network.
As drivers return to Con-way's 290 freight service centers across the U.S., the new dock automation application is utilized to streamline cross-dock handling; resulting in higher capacity and higher quality loads. These applications help improve operational efficiencies through better shipment data and operations planning designed to reduce damage claims, improve transit times, and achieve more cost-effective equipment utilization. On-time and damage-free shipments and faster pick-ups and delivery are not only contributing to greater customer satisfaction but also to higher employee satisfaction.
“Satisfying our customers is our greatest goal,” said Jacqueline A. Barretta, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Con-way Inc. “AT&T is helping us put real-time customer information at the finger tips of our drivers and operations, enabling us to enhance customer satisfaction,”
Con-way also deploys an AT&T Virtual Private Network (AVPN) providing a business continuity solution for both the P&D and Dock Automation applications. For both applications, the mobile devices cross both networks – wireless and AVPN – to enable a built-in business continuity/disaster recovery solution.
