The company’s recent innovations expand LTL management functionality and platform enhancements for automation, visibility and third-party integrations.
HOUSTON – February 15, 2022 – PCS Software, a leading AI-powered transportation management (TMS) platform provider for shippers, carriers and brokerages in North America, reached an important milestone in the fourth quarter with 12 major technological advances in its AI-powered transportation management platform.
As part of the release, PCS added LTL Mobile Dispatch to existing Truckload and Intermodal Mobile Dispatch modules in Mobile Express, an app that connects office personnel and drivers with the SaaS-based platform.
LTL Mobile Dispatch enables carriers and brokerages to create and dispatch LTL shipments directly from Mobile Express. As part of the release, PCS also created a pre-planning LTL feature to schedule loads, days in advance, and forecast available capacity in trailers to accurately plan, dispatch, and optimize.
“The ongoing pandemic and supply chain disruptions have challenged personnel at motor carriers and brokerages to find better solutions for taking work with them wherever they go,” said Paul Beavers, chief technology officer at PCS. “Our latest innovations give customers greater mobility, automation, and visibility to manage all aspects of business operations remotely.”
Other TMS and mobile innovations in the fourth quarter release are summarized below:
Voice Assistant
PCS added a convenient “Hey PCS” voice assistant for Mobile Express users to query the extensive Carrier TMS database in a safe, hands-free manner. The “Hey PCS” feature has a list of voice commands for drivers to ask questions like “Where is my next pickup?” Similarly, dispatchers can ask questions like “Where is driver John Doe?” or “Where is John Doe delivering today?” If a question is not registered, the system records it for consideration to add in a future release.
Open API
Another milestone in the fourth quarter is an Open API that gives PCS customers total freedom to integrate proprietary and third-party systems with the platform database for sharing bi-directional data. The first APIs that PCS made available are for Loads, Invoices, and Locations.
One of many possibilities to use the open API is for replacing electronic data interchange (EDI). By using the Loads API, a carrier or brokerage can set up a direct connection with shippers to receive load offers directly in the TMS. With the Locations API, the platform can send and receive automatic shipment tracking updates to shippers.
Strategic Partnerships
PCS partnered with Drivewyze, Thermo King, and Uber Freight, to release three strategic integrations. The Drivewyze PreClear weigh station bypass service and notifications are now available via the driver version of Mobile Express. Thermo King adds trailer GPS locations, temperatures, fuel levels, alerts, and other visibility tools to the platform for managing temperature-controlled logistics. The integration with Uber Freight automates manual processes, including carrier matching, pricing loads and invoicing.
Reporting and Payments
Carrier TMS users now have direct access in the system to an embedded Asset Tracking Management (ATM) feature, which provides a digital map view of tractors, trailers and loads with filter and search functions. Previously, users accessed ATM by clicking on a link to open the map view in a separate browser.
As part of the release, PCS created additional reports and data visualizations for PCS Business Intelligence, a reporting module that gives complete database access to users of the platform through a hosted business intelligence solution.
Another update is for PCS Payments Express, a module that carriers and brokerages use to add a “Pay Now” button to email invoices. With the update, users can now charge fees to their customers for credit card payments. Users can also set up no-fee ACH payments.
About PCS Software
PCS Software is an AI-driven transportation management platform leader fielding disruptive innovation for mid-to-large sized enterprise shippers, carriers, and brokers in the United States and Canada. Cloud-based, API-integrated, PCS Software automates the entire transportation logistics operation via a single, comprehensive solution. Accessible via the web or the companion mobile app, the PCS platform delivers powerful functionality to manage rate and route optimization, mode selection, dispatch/tendering, carrier and fleet management, safety & compliance, freight yard management, settlement/accounting and more. For more information, please visit www.PCSSoft.com.
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