Asset tracking in the transportation industry.

• Author: West, Gail
• Position: TELECOM & TECHNOLOGY

Alaska has always been dependent on shipment of goods from the Lower 48 and other parts of the world. It would be difficult, indeed, for our businesses and residents to survive and thrive on what we produce locally. Historically, businesses tried to maintain a large inventory, but today most opt for the just-in-time approach to supplies. That, necessarily, involves knowing exactly when an order will arrive, and technology has been a boon to the asset- and shipment-tracking world.

Pacific Alaska Freightways (PAF) ships everything from construction and oil field materials to fish to hamburger chain supplies and office furnishings from its consolidation centers into and across Alaska. "Were an LTL [less than truckload] shipper," says Wes Renfrew, PAF's Alaska operations manager. To track its shipments, Renfrew adds, PAF has developed its own internal tracking system called Freight Expert. "It's an online, interactive program that does everything from assigning a tracking number to allowing clients to track their orders," Renfrew says. This software displays shipping, receipt, and the estimated time of arrival at its destination. "If an individual shipped a bike to Alaska for his son, he could track that bike from purchase until delivery."

The software also tells PAF they have a 94-percent on-time delivery average.

Renfrew says one of the three brothers who own the company was the one who developed the software as the company grew and as customers requested tracking abilities. "When you start shipping for larger corporations such as Sportsman's Warehouse, Cabela's, and Lowe's, they demand tracking abilities, so we offer that along with electronic invoicing," he adds. "We had to provide these abilities to grow alongside the Alaska market."

PAF has also implemented a GPS tracking system for its trucks, providing visibility of all its vehicles as they pick up and deliver freight. "We can see exactly where our trucks are at all times," Renfrew says. "In addition to shipment and delivery information, it's also a safety issue. If one of our trucks goes off the road, we'll know about it."

Staying up to date with technology is no easy task, and Renfrew says PAF is currently in the process of updating its tracking and is investigating new software capabilities.

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