Global logistics software group, WiseTech Global acquires Australasian land transport solution provider, CMS

14 August 2017 WiseTech Global today announced the acquisition of CMS Transport Systems (CMS), a leading provider of integrated road transport and logistics management systems across Australia and New Zealand.

CMS provides its flagship Transport Management System (TMS), Freight 2020, to over 130 corporations including ABC Transport, SRT Logistics, McColls Transport, Richers Transport, Cahill Transport, Secon Freight Logistics, K&S Group, Greyhound Freight, John L Pierce Transport and many large road and freight transport houses in Australia and New Zealand.

WiseTech Global CEO, Richard White, said: “With the explosion in e-commerce driving exponential growth in ‘fast mile’ transport volumes, speed and complexity, the mounting margin pressures, regulatory burden and demand for land transport logistics services requires deep integration, automation and order-of-magnitude increases in productivity to address the challenges.”

“WiseTech Global has been investing research and development resources into machine learning, natural language processing, robotic process automation and guided decision tools. We will be working with the talented CMS team and our customers as we progress our Land Transport and integrated Telematics development pipeline for the next generation of road and freight solutions.”

New corporate branding for the company behind Freight2020

CMS Managing Director, Robert Mullins, said: “Joining WiseTech, the market leader with scale and capacity to accelerate innovation, allows us to combine our vision and deliver on a product roadmap utilising CMS’ decades of road freight industry knowledge. Their resources and technology will enable us to take integrated land transport solutions to a new level resulting in a profound and positive impact on our customer base, the Australian road freight industry, and ultimately road freight logistics internationally.”

Remaining under the leadership of Managing Director, Robert Mullins, and General Manager, Grant Walmsley, CMS operations will be integrated within the WiseTech Global group. The CMS team will continue to deliver its flagship product, Freight 2020 in Australia and New Zealand and, over time, WiseTech’s global logistics execution platform, CargoWise One.

WiseTech Global CEO, Richard White said: “As with our targeted acquisitions in Germany, Italy, Brazil and Taiwan earlier this year, and our recent Digerati transaction, bringing CMS into the WiseTech group accelerates our ability to improve the timeliness, accuracy, and completeness of logistics solutions for our customers to better manage complexity, growth, costs and regulatory burden. Each new geography and adjacency we acquire adds a valuable point on our strategic map, accelerates the network effects and makes CargoWise One even more compelling to local and global logistics providers and their customers.”

Across 125 countries, CargoWise One enables the execution of highly complex transactions in areas such as freight forwarding, customs clearance, warehousing, shipping, land transport and cross-border compliance and for logistics service providers to manage their operations on one database across multiple users, functions, countries, languages, and currencies.

About WiseTech Global

WiseTech Global is a leading developer and provider of software solutions to the logistics execution industry globally. Our customers include over 6,000 of the world’s logistics companies across more than 125 countries. Our flagship product, CargoWise One, forms an integral link in the global supply chain and executes over 34 billion data transactions annually. Our breakthrough software solutions are renowned for their powerful productivity, extensive functionality, comprehensive integration, deep compliance capabilities, and truly global reach.

For more information on WiseTech Global and CargoWise One, please visit:

Company website www.wisetechglobal.com
Investor centre www.wisetechglobal.com/investors

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Mark Battersby of PK Logistics, new to the Freight2020 community, attended VISION 2017

36 years strong, and the leading Australian-developed transport management system, Freight2020 is now used by more than 130 transport and logistics organisations in Australia and New Zealand.

There are more than 2,000 day-to-day users of the Freight2020 system (managers and administrative staff), and an exponential number interacting with the system through the Online Customer Portal and driver/warehouse Mobility interactivity. In 2016-2017 Freight2020 is processing almost 3,000,000 of the industry’s freight bookings and around $4bn of its combined revenue.

A user community of this size and intensity of engagement called for the advent of the annual Freight2020 VISION User Group Conference and the establishment of an online WIKI, where users can easily access system documentation and share knowledge with other users in the community.

Jane Altass previews the new development and community platforms for Freight2020

Long-time users of Freight2020 on-premise were quick to request upgrades to the latest version of Freight2020 when the new UI with new Google-like menu icons and user-friendly features such as drag-and-drop functionality were unveiled and demonstrated in action.

Users of Freight2020 SaaS (in the cloud) are automatically updated with latest version releases but if you’ve been running the same version of Freight2020 on-premise for quite a while, you should enquire about booking your system update to the new UI (via the Freight2020 HelpDesk).

Get Your Freight2020 Upgrade

Terry Bingham describes Coastal Midwest Transport’s advanced deployment of Freight2020 in some of the world’s most remote locations

While some companies are still only contemplating the integrated digital automation of their transport, depot, and warehousing operations via Freight2020, Terry Bingham (consultant to Coastal Midwest Transport) showed everyone at VISION 2017 how it’s really done by explaining their advanced deployment of Freight2020 (online customer bookings, driver/depot mobility with RF-scanning, etc), servicing outback locations in Western Australia with astonishing efficiency.

Sharing this fascinating story of technological triumph greatly impressed visiting Progress executives at the inaugural Freight2020 conference. Terry soon found himself interviewed on video and asked to feature in a case study for promotion to the international tech-community by Progress. Watch for the next Freight2020 newsletter and release of the video and Progress case study on Coastal Midwest Transport and Freight2020.

Download presentation

One click on a legit-looking email and a cryptovirus disabled SRT’s business systems – never again!

When SRT Logistics suffered a cryptovirus attack which brought down all its business systems – including Freight2020 – the urgent rescue orchestrated by CMS Transport Systems through the USA headquarters of technology partner, Progress, led to a world-first services package now available to all Freight2020 users: Freight2020 MDBA.

Leigh Cripps, manager of finance and IT at SRT Logistics, shared the story of SRT’s data disaster and recovery at Freight2020 VISION 2017. There were plenty of laughs but the risks were made clear. Of course, SRT became the first customers of Freight2020 MDBA. Three international MDBA experts from Progress were at VISION to meet Freight2020 users in person and answer questions about MDBA. Freight2020 MDBA offers businesses 24/7 data protection and assurance of business continuity no matter what happens (cyber attack, hardware failure, fire, theft, calamity, etc).

More about Freight2020 MDBA

Sample screens from the launch presentation of Freight2020 BI360, the new real-time business intelligence dashboard for managers

Most business owners and managers can only dream of being able to easily analyse business performance in real-time – no waiting for data to be updated, reports to be generated, and comparisons to be interpreted (by which time it might be too late for timely decision-making).

So, it was understandable when the launch of Freight2020 BI360 – the new real-time business intelligence and data analytics dashboard – caused a great deal of excitement for manager-types at the 2017 Freight2020 user group conference. It’s “awesome” to use, and fully customisable.

More about Freight2020 BI360

At Freight2020 VISION, Denise Zumpe shared real-life case studies of heavy-vehicle accidents

Denise Zumpe, SafeSense Workplace Safety, joined with Grant Walmsley of CMS Transport Systems to walk through the forthcoming changes in CoR for heavy vehicle safety, and together suggest ways for companies to manage compliance more easily and effectively with Freight2020.

Using real-life accidents, investigations, and outcomes as recent examples, Denise was able to answer questions and offer clarification on requirements, “compliance” being a hot topic of interest for most of the transport company management representatives attending the conference.

Ask about Freight2020 Compliance

Attendance was strong for both Transtech breakout sessions at the Freight2020 user group conference

Veteran specialist suppliers to the Australian trucking industry, renowned for state-of-the-art driver fatigue management solutions, and backed by the might of TeletracNavman, Transtech partnered with CMS Transport Systems at Freight2020 VISION 2017 to showcase their latest ruggedised devices and software solutions running fully integrated with Freight2020.

With safety and compliance the over-arching priority throughout the trucking industry, particularly where long-haul drivers are concerned, there was strong attendance for each of the Transtech breakout sessions at Freight2020 VISION 2017.

Transtech and CMS Transport Systems have maintained a strong spirit of ‘mission partnership’ for many years, helping numerous trucking companies to raise their in-vehicle and system-integrated safety and compliance management standards to the highest level available in the industry.

Download presentation

More on integrated Telematics

Upstream gave breakout presentations on digital document management

Achieving paper-free administration is an exciting, cost-saving, and environmentally-friendly idea that many transport and logistics organisations are keen to explore and start implementing. Jelena Quinlan and Steve Maxwell from Upstream were at VISION 2017 to run breakout sessions on digital document management in the transport and logistics industry. Some Freight2020 users are already enjoying the benefits of Upstream solutions combined with Freight2020 – taking their businesses into the future of document management, streamlining processes, and increasing efficiencies.

The Upstream sessions were very well attended. Afterward, there were incoming enquiries from delegates wanting to find out more about joining the paper-free revolution and simplifying cumbersome, labour-intensive activities.  

More on digital documents

Jim Morgan [right] talking with Freight2020 implementation consultant, Glenn Ozanne

Jim Morgan, Morgan Transport Insurance, the broker who enjoys going in to bat with insurers for companies challenged by complex claim histories and risk-management scenarios, chatted with delegates in the foyer at VISION 2017 and suggested that Freight2020 users could get claims paid much faster than companies without a fully-integrated compliance management system.

Everyone at Freight2020 VISION 2017 took home a conference bag stuffed with goodies, and one of the most welcome giveaway items was Jim Morgan’s “Championing Your Claims When Things Go Wrong” stubby cooler. It was carefully pre-tested and proven reliable for long-haul off-road drinking.

The conference bags themselves were a handy drawstring style that could be carried or worn as a super-light backpack, the reflective stripes making them ideal for cyclists. Other branded gifts in the bag for delegates included a charcoal-grey baseball cap embroidered with “Freight2020”. 

Transport depot RF scanning with Freight2020 integration at Coastal Midwest Transport

Also exhibiting in the foyer at Freight2020 VISION 2017 was Gamma Solutions, the specialist suppliers of integrated data-gathering devices and associated solutions.

Delegates were able to examine various hand-held devices over coffee and discuss with Gamma representative, Paul Pleming, the potential for integrating their Freight2020 depot/warehouse mobility with RF-scanning capabilities.

The phenomenal benefits of automating and integrating transport and depot operations by barcoding and RF-scanning were illustrated by the presentation of Coastal Midwest Transport, inspiring plenty of interest in Gamma offering the latest devices and related gear for making it happen. 

The charming streets of Melbourne CBD welcomed visiting delegates to Freight2020 VISION 2017

Several delegates attending Freight2020 VISION 2017 opted to stay around in Melbourne for an extra day or so for business meetings and the chance to see a major theatre production or footy game.

Rydges Melbourne, the venue for Freight2020 VISION 2017, is just around the corner from Melbourne’s Chinatown, in the centre of the theatre district. Musical productions in the neighbourhood at the time included the smash-hits “Book of Mormon” and “Kinky Boots”.

The timing of VISION was also intentionally close to the Australian Grand Prix which ran in Melbourne, around Albert Park Lake, on 26 March 2017.

With the dates for VISION 2017 proving to be popular and convenient for just about everyone, the VISION 2018 event will be staged at the same time of year.

The post Exciting new releases, customer stories, and partner solutions at Freight2020 VISION 2017 [downloads] appeared first on Freight2020 TMS.

While many Australian transport and logistics companies using the Freight2020 transport management system have already adopted the Freight2020 Online Customer Portal for efficient customer self-service with real-time booking requests, track-and-trace, PODs, and accounts-related information, not all have had their portals fully customised and integrated with their company’s website.

Portal interfaces almost infinitely customisable

Demo example of customised Freight2020 Online Customer Portal login screen with Freight2020 branding as generic placeholder (by Ginormous)

The Freight2020 Online Customer Portal interface can be skinned and configured to suit the corporate image and layout requirements of any Freight2020 user organisation, explained Melanie Williamson, CEO of the Ginormous B2B Marketing agency. Ginormous has completed numerous portal customisations and can work directly with the Melbourne-based CMS development team on advanced layout modifications which are increasingly required by Freight2020 user organisations as online access to freight and warehousing services becomes more common.

“Although the Freight2020 Online Customer Portal is hosted separately to the company’s main website, facilitating live access into a cloud-based self-service system, there is no need for the transport company’s customers to experience any major change in branding or environment between the company’s main website and online customer portal for Freight2020,” Mel said.

Compared to the overall cost of full website development, recently quoted in MyBusiness magazine as typically between $5,000 and $40,000, it can cost very little to have the Freight2020 Online Customer Portal customised with a company’s own branding with the same kind of online look-and-feel that their customers are used to experiencing.

Customisation can cost very little

Actual Freight2020 Online Customer Portal inner-page/menu customised to match website of Mid West Transport Services (by Ginormous)

“We can customise the main Freight2020 Online Customer Portal login page from as little as about $600, and include customisation of the inner screens and menu layouts from about $1,000 as a starting point, depending on the complexity needed to meet the company’s requirements.”

“When we’ve been asked to customise a Freight2020 Online Customer Portal it has quite often led to full website redevelopment. However, this is definitely not a pre-requesite as far as our team is concerned. We’re always happy to customise Freight2020 system screens to match with an existing website design, which the company’s regular website designer can then simply integrate by adding a menu link. We can also assist with interpreting technical requirements for any web developers undertaking this kind of work for the first time. As Freight2020 front-end specialists just through our years of association with the system, we’re here to help anyone if needed,” said Mel.

The options for customised branding, colour schemes, and backgrounds are almost limitless with the Freight2020 Online Customer Portal. As with most web-accessible databases, including the popular WordPress platform for content-based websites, the Freight2020 Online Customer Portal without a cosmetic ‘skin’ will display the company’s logo by pre-set default but otherwise appears extremely plain and generic.

Impetus for long-postponed website update

Mid-page screenshot of simple but very effective new website for MWT with branded customer login page integration on main menu (by Ginormous)

“Some transport companies are finding that the deployment of an online customer portal gives impetus to a long-postponed website update. This could be due to changes in the business since the existing website was produced, the existing website not being responsive on mobile devices, or the business needing to step-up and become more competitive in a marketing sense.”

“We’ve been working with companies in the Australian transport and logistics sector for more than five years, so we understand the nature of the industry and how businesses depend on growth, no matter what size they are. We also understand how each business can differentiate its service offerings and values to help win and retain more customers, no matter how crowded the market.”

To enquire about deployment of the Freight2020 Online Customer Portal, or to arrange an initial discussion about the customisation of your portal, contact Peter Romana at CMS Transport Systems on 03 9018 7080 (direct) or email info@transportsystems.com.au.

Freight2020 Online Customer Portal login page for Coastal Midwest Transport (by their own designer)

Customised Freight2020 Online Customer Portal login page for Morrows Freightlines (by Ginormous as per specific design brief)

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Any transport company using a sophisticated ERP system like Freight2020 is essentially ‘data-driven’. When an organisation is highly dependent on data, MDBA can provide reassurance to the organisation and its customers through effective data maintenance, data-loss disaster prevention, and data recovery capabilities.

SRT Logistics, the super-efficient FMCG carriers based in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Data can become lost or corrupted for many different reasons – some of the more common reasons including a building fire, hardware failure, or cyber attack. The potential for disaster cannot be avoided completely but with MDBA, the organisation’s data is safeguarded. Recovery of business systems is more rapidly achievable. Any impact on customer service and continuity of operations is minimised. For a relatively small monthly subscription, MDBA can ultimately protect the company’s reputation and revenue from the consequences of data-loss disaster.

Major freight carrier impacted by ‘black swan’ event

Freight2020 MDBA was developed following a request from the very successful Tasmania-based FMCG carrier, SRT Logistics. What happened to prompt this request from SRT to CMS serves to demonstrate how even the most well-managed and efficient businesses can become threatened at any moment in time by a serious, unpredictable (‘black swan’) event.

Leigh Cripps, manager of finance and IT at SRT Logistics, spoke about the incident at the launch of Freight2020 MDBA during Progress Exchange Asia Pacific 2016.

“The data-related horror story I can share with you today, as a case study, began very simply,” said Leigh. “One of our staff received a legitimate-looking email advising that our company was being investigated by the Australian Taxation Office. The email instructed the reader to click a link. Once the link was clicked, it was too late for anyone to have second thoughts about the legitimacy of the email. A cryptovirus attack had been unleashed.”

Leigh Cripps, Manager Finance & IT, SRT Logistics, at the Progress Exchange Asia Pacific conference, Hilton Sydney, 13 July 2016

“The effects were immediate and devastating. All of our business systems, including our transport management system, Freight2020, were compromised. We didn’t know where trucks were located, what drivers were doing, the status of consignments… the situation was potentially disastrous for a logistics-based organisation like SRT and in turn, our valued freight customers,” Leigh said.

“The system downtime was extremely inconvenient and stressful for everyone concerned. Emergency assistance from data recovery specialists wasn’t something we’d budgeted for either,” said Leigh. “Once we’d finally regained control of our systems, and everything returned to running smoothly, we were determined to protect SRT from the risk of anything like this ever happening again.”

Freight2020 MDBA offering formulated with Progress

Grant Walmsley, general manager of CMS Transport Systems, Australian developers of the Freight2020 transport management system, explained to the Australian OpenEdge developer community how the new Freight2020 MDBA service offering was formulated in consultation with Progress.

“When SRT was looking for a fail-safe data-loss prevention strategy, I recalled how Progress, the global company behind Freight2020’s development environment, OpenEdge, had been able to rescue another Aussie freight company from near-disaster just a year or so prior to the cryptovirus incident at SRT.”

“On this occasion, in late 2014, the other transport company suffered a major on-premise infrastructure failure which rendered their data inaccessible. As a 24/7 business, they needed urgent data-recovery assistance, but it was after-hours on a Friday night in Australia. Because of our close relationship with Progress, and the Australia to USA time difference, we were able to connect our stricken Freight2020 customer with Mike Furgal, principal lead software engineer at Progress in Boston, Massachusetts. Mike was able to rescue our customer’s operations in Australia overnight, during his working day.”

Mike Furgal, Principal Lead Software Engineer at Progress, Boston, USA, was in Sydney to speak about Freight2020 MDBA at Progress Exchange

“With SRT’s needs in mind, and our previous experience with this other customer being helped so successfully by Mike Furgal, we entered into collaborative discussions with Joe Genovese, Progress consulting manager for the Asia Pacific region. Our discussions led to the idea of an MDBA option for Freight2020 users, with the world’s best technical services provided by Progress,” Grant said.

“The scale and reach of Progress, and efficient packaging of services by CMS to suit Freight2020 users, would make Freight2020 MDBA not just extremely effective but also very affordable.”

SRT Logistics first to sign-on for Freight2020 MDBA

SRT Logistics recently became the first Australian transport company to sign-on for Freight2020 MDBA with CMS, representing a world-first for Progress as a white-label MDBA service offering through a developer partner.

Freight2020 MDBA is now available to users of the Freight2020 transport management system throughout Australia and New Zealand.

CMS and SRT become newsmakers at Progress Exchange Asia Pacific

Colleen Reidy, Client Success Marketing, Progress

Freight2020 MBDA was launched on Day 2 of Progress Exchange during a group presentation led by Grant Walmsley of CMS Transport Systems with special guest, Leigh Cripps of SRT Logistics, and Joe Genovese and Mike Furgal representing Progress. Attendance at this year’s Progress Exchange event was strong, and the atmosphere vibrant with new technology unveiled by Progress to reflect the theme, ‘Empowering Digital Transformation’.

“By attending Progress Exchange as a guest of CMS, and participating as a speaker, I got a very real sense of SRT’s day-to-day operations being backed by some of the world’s most responsive and capable technology experts through CMS,” Leigh Cripps said. “It’s hard to put a value on peace-of-mind for people managing a data-driven, 24/7 business like SRT Logistics. For us, and our customers, the value of data dependability is priceless. The surprisingly low cost of ongoing MDBA is definitely worth every cent.”

Tucked away in a breakout room at Progress Exchange was a video production studio set up and managed by Colleen Reidy, the Boston-based client success marketing manager for Progress. Colleen interviewed Leigh Cripps, Grant Walmsley, Mike Furgal and Joe Genovese for the global roll-out of Progress white-label MDBA services following the world-first launch in Australia by CMS. When released, the video will be featured on the Progress website and promoted throughout the Freight2020 user group in Australia and New Zealand.

Ask about 24/7 MDBA for Freight2020

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Always setting the pace of technology development for the management of road freight transport businesses, Freight2020 became one of the first transport management systems in the world to offer real-time driver interactivity with live freight bookings via a free mobile app with the release of Freight2020 Driver Mobility for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch in 2014.

Since then, Freight2020 Driver Mobility has been adopted by a large number of Australian trucking companies, starting with one of Victoria’s freight leaders, Asixa, the company which produced a corporate video on its instrumental role in the development and road-testing of the app, and the benefits of being able to do away with paper consignment notes and slow notification systems.

Free download from Google Play

CMS Transport Systems, the long-established Australian technology company behind the Freight2020 transport management system, recently released an Android version of Freight2020 Driver Mobility and this new app is now available as a free download from the Google Play store.

The features of Freight2020 Driver Mobility for Android are just as powerful and user-friendly as Freight2020 Driver Mobility for iOS app including driver shift logging and vehicle safety and condition checks, driver booking allocations, live interaction with pick-ups and deliveries, sign-on-glass proof of delivery, customised instant automatic email notifications and updating of online track-and-trace information, full integration with the Freight2020 transport management system, and much more.

You don’t need to be a current Freight2020 user to explore the power of Freight2020 Driver Mobility for free, as CMS offers an unlimited demo with trial data download and instructions for evaluation purposes. Simply complete a Freight2020 Driver Mobility test-drive request for instructions on how to download and unlock the trial data, or book a free personalised demonstration.

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Freight2020 Container Freight software

“Over the years of Freight2020 development and implementations we were noticing that container carriers tend to use common journey legs and zones for their customised calculation of ratings,” said Rob Mullins, managing director of CMS Transport Systems.“For example, all operators in the same capital city will typically pick up from the same port facilities and deliver empty containers to the same set of container storage yards for de-hiring. These general similarities allowed us to offer a much faster implementation pathway for Freight2020 whenever the Container Freight version of Operations Management is central to the new system,” Rob said.

Container Freight Management is one of seven specialised configurations of Freight2020 Operations Management, which include Contract Logistics, Earthmoving, Energy Distribution, General Freight, Heavy Haulage, and Livestock Transport. Freight2020 Operations Management can be combined with other management modules and interactivity options for a fully-integrated transport system.

Advanced features and options for container freight cartage and management of containers

Superbly coupled with a live interface to 1-Stop Voyage and Vessel data, Freight2020 Container Freight Management makes light work of the management of container collection and delivery locations; slot-time management; rating management; container stage alerts and reminders (de-hire, empty-collect, etc); interlinked journey legs; driver allocations; vehicle allocations; fees, levies, demurrage management; de-hiring; manifesting; invoicing, and much more.

As a modular system, advanced features and extended functions can be configured and implemented from the beginning or added to your Freight2020 system at any time down the track.

Freight2020 Driver Mobility can allow drivers to interact with live bookings data by using a common mobile device. Auto-Email Notifications can be configured to issue real-time alerts about container pickup, delivery and de-hiring events automatically. Additionally, the custom-branded Freight2020 Online Customer Portal can provide freight customers with self-service access to real-time track-and-trace and detailed account information.

Customised live demonstrations available

Demonstrations of Freight2020 Container Freight Management can include sample consignment notes and container-related booking information from your own organisation to reflect real-life, everyday scenarios for test-driving the system. The submission of sample paperwork is invited during the pre-demo coordination process.

The demonstration itself can take 1-2 hours depending on the number of modules and optional features being reviewed. There is no obligation and transport and logistics companies can feel free to explore the power of Freight2020 first-hand.

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A growing number of Australian transport and logistics organisations are taking a more proactive approach to the management of driver fatigue through the deployment of Electronic Work Diaries (EWDs) to augment the paper-based work diaries currently needed to comply with safety legislation.

New Sentinel EWD fatigue management system

Transtech, one of the most experienced Australian developers of fatigue management systems, recently released a new version of their Sentinel EWD for real-time online and offline driver fatigue management. Sentinel uses the iFace, a 7″ in-vehicle touchscreen device, for mobile interactivity.

“With Sentinel on iFace, the driver simply presses an on-screen button to start or stop their work and rest periods. Sentinel does all the calculations and keeps the driver aware of their fatigue status within their individual rule-set, even when journeys are outside of the cellular network,” said Paul Weiss, Business Development Manager of Transtech. “Real-time processing delivers back-office insights into fatigue information, advanced alerting, reports with visual aids, and historic feedback.”

“Transtech and CMS have worked together collaboratively on integrated and complementary solutions for a number of major transport companies,” said Grant Walmsley, general manager of CMS Transport Systems, developers of the Freight2020 transport management system.

“Any Australian transport company with a heavy-vehicle fatigue management system already in place should be commended for showing commitment to improving worker safety and reducing the road toll,” Grant said.

* Estimate deduced from fatigue-related road accident and crash fatality statistics quoted by the Traffic Accident Commission of Victoria and Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

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Still image from the animated home page header of the new TransportSystems.com.au website for Freight2020

The new website is designed to illustrate the modular nature of Freight2020 and the power of fully-integrated modules working together. The creative development and technical production of the new website took more than nine months to complete. The new website pages are Google-friendly and responsive across different desktop displays and mobile devices.

Perfect 20/20 vision for businesses

“There was nothing much wrong with our previous website. It just failed to convey the excitement surrounding Freight2020, and where the system stands in terms of capabilities and performance,” said Grant Walmsley, general manager of CMS Transport Systems. “The computer-generated animation on our new home page is a visual metaphor for the way Freight2020 allows managers to enjoy perfect twenty-twenty vision and a 360-degree view of their entire business in real-time.”

“It’s also a lot easier to understand the depth and breadth of Freight2020 now that we have images to represent each module and interactive feature within the system. For example, Freight2020 Operations Management is available in eight different configurations: General Freight, Container Freight, Contract Logistics, Earthmoving, Energy Distribution, Heavy Haulage, and Livestock. Some businesses may need only one of these to suit the way they’re doing business, others two or more. Operations Management is where revenue is generated so it’s important to get the right fit in a transport management system. Businesses shouldn’t need to change just to fit their software.”

Easier to appreciate the Freight2020 system

Freight2020 Operations Management is one of five management modules including Financial Accounting Management, Fleet Maintenance Management, Human Capital Management for compliance, payroll and HR management including subcontractors, and Warehouse Management. Then there are system-wide interactivity options such as the custom-branded Online Customer Portal, Auto-Email Notifications, Driver Mobility, and Item-Level Tracking. Any configurations of Freight2020 can be implemented as a perpetual license or pay-by-the-month cloud-based (SaaS) subscription, and the system can integrate with popular third-party solutions. With our new website, it’s easier to appreciate how data captured into any part of the Freight2020 system is automatically updated and shared throughout the system in real-time. Everyone has the most up-to-date version of information at any moment. The business runs more efficiently with a high level of automation. Customers are kept informed automatically. The business is more profitable and compliant on every level because of the tighter controls and elimination of common errors.

Partnership in multi-channel marketing

The successful development of the new website for Freight2020 is the result of a long-standing collaborative relationship between CMS and the company’s partner in multi-channel marketing, Ginormous, represented by project manager, Melanie Williamson. “We were really pleased to deliver CMS with a new website which is truly reflective of the power and sophistication of their Freight2020 transport management system,” Melanie said of the TransportSystems.com.au B2B website design, copywriting, and production.

“CMS is not just one of the most advanced technology companies in Australia, but the whole world, and it is our privilege to be able to contribute towards their success. We created the new Freight2020 website in WordPress for visual wow-factor, combined with user-friendliness and device responsivity. It is a fairly large-scale website with numerous metaphoric images, and the latest plug-in technology for delivering touch-friendly navigation throughout, but all the hard work has been worth it. The website is an engaging showcase for Freight2020 and CMS, and we have seen a significant increase in the number of inbound enquiries from people wanting to know more about Freight2020 since the new website was launched.”

Focus on the people behind the system

“Another great attribute of the new Freight2020 website is the focus on the people behind the system,” said Melanie. “CMS possesses outstanding strengths in development, training, implementation and support. As a company, CMS is all about empowering Australian road freight transport and logistics businesses, and their technical experts and business-transition consultants are individually and collectively dedicated to achieving this mission.”

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The new video, titled The Four Deadly Sins of Transport Management (and how to avoid them), runs for less than two minutes but manages to highlight the four most common causes of revenue leakage in transport and logistics operations.

Click image to view “The Four Deadly Sins of Transport Management”

Lost bookings, duplications, missing paperwork, and rating errors – these are just four of the problems caused by using outdated, patched-together systems which can erode margins and cause frustration to the transport business and its customers.

The key messages of the video are that Freight2020 eliminates risk to the business from the four deadly sins of transport management, and this is just the start of what Freight2020 can do for a transport business. With the fully integrated Freight2020 transport management system, the business can become more efficient, more competitive, and more profitable. All it takes is a live demonstration to find out how Freight2020 can transform almost every aspect of your business.

Produced for CMS Transport Systems by multi-channel marketing partners Ginormous, The Four Deadly Sins of Transport Management is an example of the new type of multi-media productions called “explainer videos”, according to Ginormous project manager, Melanie Williamson. “Explainer videos typically run for about one or two minutes. They can tell big stories in bite-sized instalments. Viewers don’t need to commit too much time, or fear they’ll get bored,” Melanie said. “An entertaining, compelling video production will hold attention right through to the end. A call-to-action at the end tells people what to do if they’d like to know more. CMS has already received a number of requests for Freight2020 demonstrations directly from people who just viewed this video.”

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The Freight2020 Mobile App is quickly accessible and easily utilised by drivers from any location on the road, or on-site with any freight customer, using any iPhone or iPad device, and soon also Android devices.

No need for specialised SOG hardware

“Until now, for a freight company to offer real-time electronic proof-of-delivery, each driver would need to carry a specialised device. The cost of this dedicated mobility hardware is prohibitive for many smaller organisations, and so with the competitive offer of sign-on-glass capabilities there were haves, and have-nots, with a wide gap in between,” said Grant Walmsley, general manager of CMS Transport Systems.

“By building on the touchscreen and location-finding capabilities of common mobile devices, CMS was able to develop an app that will capture and transmit the receiver’s on-screen signature for real-time proof-of-delivery, and handle many more live interactions between drivers and bookings, payroll, fleet maintenance, and the customer. The app is extremely sophisticated yet also very fast and easy to use.”

Whilst the delivery of affordable SOG is headlining the launch of the new Freight2020 Mobile App, the app is also allowing drivers to interact with live bookings data, and helping to manage the administration of drivers and vehicles over the entire shift – from the driver’s login for start of duty hours and completion of compulsory vehicle safety and operational performance checklists, to their logout at each shift-end.

Real-time logging of driver duty hours and vehicle condition reports

“Getting started with the Freight2020 Mobile App is quick and easy,” Grant Walmsley continued. “We designed the user interface with the driver’s convenience in mind. The app is so simple and efficient to use that it only takes one second for any driver to login for the start of their shift. The driver’s live login details are integrated to human resources and operations management within Freight2020, so the system is instantly updated to show that the driver has started duty hours from a specific location.”

“The app then requires the driver to complete a vehicle fault and safety checklist before setting out on their journey. We made this procedure very fast and user-friendly for the drivers too. Details of any fault can be reported in notes, and any photographs are uploaded easily. This information is integrated to fleet maintenance management within Freight2020, so that workshop scheduling and budgeting for repairs or parts can be done in the first instance. Where vehicle safety or performance could become at risk, issues can be addressed before they become serious or even more costly,” Grant said.

Interaction with bookings including track-and-trace, sign-on-glass and automatic POD notifications

Once the driver has completed the Freight2020 Mobile App’s shift-start requirements, live booking data is available to the driver on-screen, with options for viewing all manifests for the current shift, the current week, or all-time. One touch of any manifest heading opens the detailed freight booking screen, where all of the up-to-the-minute information about each booking is available to the driver.

The driver can interact with the Freight2020 system booking data in real-time via pickup and delivery routines which include capturing proof-of-delivery with a signature written on the screen, just as with the more costly specialised hardware for sign-on-glass. POD evidence is then available throughout the Freight2020 system, from where notifications to freight customers can be distributed automatically.

Updates to track-and-trace information are made available in real-time for instant online viewing by freight customers. Advanced features such as real-time driver location tracking, and location maps for the driver, are managed transparently by the Freight2020 Mobile App working with the drivers’ mobile device.

“Each driver logs out of the Freight2020 Mobile App at the end of their shift, and end-of-shift details are made instantly available throughout the Freight2020 system, for operations management and payroll calculations,” Grant continued. “Between the core Freight2020 transport management system and the Freight2020 mobile app, CMS has provided a complete end-to-end solution for freight services delivery, operations management, administration and customer service. And as the Freight2020 Mobile App is free to download, with no specialised hardware required, implementation is extremely cost-effective,” Grant said.

Free download and easy implementation

The Freight2020 Mobile App is available as a free download from iTunes. Anyone with an iPhone or iPad can explore the Freight2020 Mobile App’s features and functions using the “Trial Driver” setting and its pre-installed demo data to simulate interactions with checklists and bookings from the driver’s perspective. An Android version of the Freight2020 Mobile App is already being developed by CMS.

Organisations already using the Freight2020 transport management system can take full advantage of the Freight2020 Mobile App immediately, and if using sub-contractors, they can have sub-contractors download and use the Freight2020 Mobile App to cover the ‘last mile’ with onforwarding.

Always a place for dedicated mobility solutions in transport industry

“There will always be a place for dedicated mobility solutions in the road transport industry, specialised hardware and software, I believe. Driver fatigue management is just one area where at present only dedicated devices and software can offer the highest degree of control. The Freight2020 Mobile App is not designed to compete with these systems as such, but to extend many of the advantages gained by using mobility solutions to smaller organisations, for little or no investment in hardware. Our app is helping to bridge this need.”

CMS credits their long-standing Freight2020 customer Asixa with inspiring the development of the Freight2020 Mobile App, and partnering in the development process including live on-the-road testing within their fleet over the period leading up to the release of the finalised app technology. “Asixa is a forward-thinking organisation and their commitment to excellence in freight services was of immense assistance in focusing and driving the development of the Freight2020 Mobile App by CMS,” said Grant.

For more information about the Freight2020 Mobile App for the Freight2020 transport management system, call Freight2020 representative Peter Romana on 03 9018 7080 (direct) or email info@transportsystems.com.au.

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