Carrier API Integration Programs Signal New Era

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The modern consumer demands a smarter and simpler movement of goods, while also expecting to be completely informed throughout the entire process. This is commonly referred to as the Delivery Economy, and it is completely changing the way shippers need to do business in order to remain competitive.

Retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and the 3PLs managing their businesses should be executing a fully digitized end-to-end shipping experience, complete with instantaneous implementation and actionable, real-time data. This means a complete shift away from paper-based and manually entered data to the implementation and use of new and emerging technologies that automate processes. 

That is simply not possible with EDI and the other legacy technologies that have been used in this industry for decades. They’re too complex and costly, and over time they have become more cumbersome to use because they aren’t flexible enough to fit modern business processes.

API Integration is the Solution the Industry Needs

The need for technological innovation is ramping up at a swift pace. By joining forces with industry-leading carriers, project44 is taking the API integration burden from your IT departments while making access to shipping automation seamless and efficient.

That’s why major market-leading carriers like Old Dominion, UPS Freight, XPO, and FedEx Freight are starting to adopt carrier integration API programs, which are designed to optimize the carrier connection process by enabling multiple carrier connections through a single integration point.

APIs function as that integration point, and the fact that progressive carriers are investing in the technology is proof that the API revolution in trucking and logistics is here to stay. 

As an early adopter of APIs for advanced visibility, project44 is connected to the largest network of carriers, making it easy for customers to gain visibility data. The benefits of such programs can be felt in every link of the supply chain, but those shipping goods will see the largest change.

Take a look at some of the high-level benefits of API integration:

1. With the ability to connect to multiple APIs through a single integration, a one-to-many approach, it’s easier than ever before to gain real-time tracking data. 

2. Because APIs allow for automation, you can receive instant, accurate rate quotes that match the invoices without the time-consuming manual processes.

3. Dock congestion can be reduced with an automated Bill of Lading.

4. Automatic PRO# generation and real-time connection to dispatch speeds up the entire shipment process.

5. Real-time communication provides instant Rate Quote ID and confirmation numbers, eliminating the need to call or email.

6. Reduce costs by eliminating the need for rate bureaus like SMC3, and eliminating the time-consuming, expensive process of setting up EDI.

The supply chain has experienced more change in the last year than in the previous three decades. New technologies afford us the opportunity to engage more deeply with customers, but that requires a level of speed and precision that manual legacy approaches can’t meet. 

According to project44’s recent Delivery Economy report, Aligning the Supply Chain in the Age of the Delivery Economy, 79% of supply chains are using a combination of suboptimal methods to manage transportation processes.

As the industry becomes ever more reliant on modern technology to meet customer needs, progressive carriers are blazing a new trail. API integration partnerships drive the industry forward, proving that automation and optimization are the cornerstones of the modern supply chain.

It’s clear that adopting modern connectivity as soon as possible is a tremendous opportunity for companies—failing to do so could mean falling behind customer expectations and ultimately losing market share. 

project44 automates the carrier onboarding process.

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