THAME, OXEN, U.K. -

One company new to the North American market contends vehicle logistics can be simplified and says it has the tools to make this possible.

According to Car Delivery Network’s vice president of North America Rod Hicks, the company believes it has a solution to the potential communication issues that can arise between shippers, drivers and carriers.

“What happens to my shipments once they hit the road?”

That question may be on the mind of many dealers after buying in the lanes, and CDN aims to provide a “simple” answer, with tools such as mobile apps and tracking software.

The U.K. based company — which utilizes an independent cloud based software platform — is set to pilot at Auction Broadcasting Company’s St. Louis Auction before rolling out through the ABC Auction network.

Further explaining its philosophy and plans for the industry, Hicks asserted, “CDN believes that vehicle logistics can be a lot simpler … We believe that by being better connected to your customers and suppliers, information can flow through the supply chain releasing material business value.

“As a company, we continually challenge the industry and study why we do things and the way we do them. As an industry, we need to learn from other industries so that we can all benefit. The Car Delivery Network is solely focused on improving the vehicle distribution network by providing it,” he continued.

Removing the ‘Blind Spot’

In talking with Auto Remarketing, CDN noted it plans to establish a more direct connection between shipper and driver. Hicks stressed the need for a "joined-up network" between all parties.

"And this type of network can collaborate, connect, communicate and have the visibility that is available and provided from CDN,” he added.

How does the company intend to do this?

Hicks noted that shippers and dealer customers can track their shipments through “any Web-browser from anywhere; no large capital investment (CDN has done the investing), free software and low monthly access fee or cents-per-vehicle moved.”

Moreover, the company is utilizing free mobile apps for drivers to download, which “gives the carrier and/or shipper the ability to follow the status of their vehicle from pickup to delivery plus capture the condition report, signatures and pictures of the vehicle, all in real time,” officials explained.

“The CDN provides five core services that enable the communication of information between shippers, carriers and drivers. The services are cloud based and provide the missing functionality for putting in place a vehicle distribution network. Shippers, carriers and drivers can connect their existing systems to the service and start using the services in a low-cost, shared cost fashion,” Hicks explained.

“By linking the drivers via ‘apps’ to their carriers and all carriers to their shippers, information can then flow to dealers electronically,” he continued.

Hicks also went on to note that this type of network is “nothing really new.”

“Banks have been doing this for years with their connections to the clearing house. This allows any of bank A’s customers to go to bank B’s ATM and access his or her own private account, receive money or print a statement. This same type of data information exchange is at play within the CDN. We then know ‘together you’re better connected,’" Hicks added.

To better explain the services it plans to provide to shippers, drivers and carriers alike, CDN noted it is attempting to create what it called a “joined-up network.”

“Fragmentation and disconnection of the distribution network and the lack of industry standardization means that information does not flow from buyer to seller to manufacturer to carrier to delivery driver and back again. A joined up network links all of these systems together. What chance do we have if everything is not joined-up electronically?” Hicks noted.

“A joined up network allows any business involved in automotive distribution to pass data in uniform fashion. Any business can communicate with any other business, reliably, consistently and in a shared cost, low cost manner,” he added.

5 Cloud Services to Simplify Communications

The company also highlighted in greater detail the cloud services it offers dealers and other customers. Officials contend their set of five cloud system services can “simplify logistics, connect companies together and challenge the way we do things.”

The company highlighted these offerings below and explained what they can offer users:

●    Connect once, “the ability for a shipper, carrier or driver to have one connection to all other parties involved in the supply chain, as opposed to having many interfaces and technologies to communicate information, on open API.”

●    Communication Hub, “the ability to communicate information between parties in a standardized electronic fashion manner as opposed to using paper, fax, phone, EDI (electronic data interchange), email or spreadsheet.”

●    Smart Networks, “the ability for a shipper to communicate delivery requirements to a managed network of carriers simultaneously and electronically, allowing carriers to take work as it fits their logistics model to improve asset utilization and optimization while allowing the shipper to manage who sees their work.”

●    ePoD data capture, “the ability for a carrier to extend their data capture reach out to their drivers using a highly scalable and functional mobile ‘app’. This allows a carrier to capture irrefutable electronic proof of collection and delivery information including signatures, photos, vehicle details, damage, and information about the vehicle and the delivery service and have that relayed back to a shipper in a secure and tamper proof way.”

●    Online TMS, “the ability for a carrier or shipper to utilize a fully functional Web based and networked transport management system so that they can interface and interact with any carrier or shipper.”

Rolling out in the US

The company also talked to Auto Remarketing about its plans for expansion into the U.S.

“The plan is to introduce CDN through pilot programs to shippers within the various automotive market segments and supporting carriers. Carriers were the first since most carriers are both, carrier and shipper,” Hicks shared.

“We chose this because when a carrier has surplus work, they usually subcontract it out, thereby becoming a shipper. This has been very successful and has provided valuable feedback from the shipper — carrier and drivers as well,” he explained.

And, as aforementioned, ABC is piloting CDN at their St. Louis auction before rolling it out throughout the ABC auction network, adding more shippers, carriers and drivers.

“And this is the beauty of the CDN, we replace nothing that they currently use, only enhance and provide true visibility that no other platform provides,” Hicks added.

Mike Hockett, founder of ABC, also offered his enthusiasm for the partnership: “We are very excited about piloting CDN.

“I think it has huge potential for the industry in allowing our customers to reduce their shipping costs and clearly identify their shipper, time of delivery and follow the process from pickup to delivery,” he added.

The company also noted that dealerships play a big role in its pilot plan. 

“We have setup a pilot at a local dealership in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. This dealership moves a considerable monthly volume of vehicles and have no way to visually see their vehicles as they move through the shipment chain. With CDN, they will achieve this and once demonstrated successfully, they will place the CDN in their other dealerships within their chain of stores,” Hicks explained.

Moreover, the company noted it is “being looked at by the big three automakers, as well as some of the foreign automakers.”

“The CDN most likely will be used to aid in the movement of their supplemental or non-contracted shipments. After that we have identified the large broker / freight forwarders, remarketing companies and the finance companies as potential pilot prospects,” Hicks added. “As each of these segments grasps the value of the CDN and what it will mean to their operation, we expect CDN to go viral.”

For more information on CDN, contact Rod Hicks at Rod.Hicks@CarDeliveryNetwork.com.

Editor’s Note: For more stories on the top transport solutions for the auto industry, as well as how transport firms are helping their customers get the most bang for their buck, see the Aug. 15–31 issue of Auto Remarketing