Dallas, TX, — July 19, 2022 — HaulSuite, a leader in LTL optimization solutions and a division of Optym, has won the Supply & Demand Chain 100 Award for 2022 for Top Supply Chain Projects. The SDCE100 Award spotlights successful and innovative transformation projects that deliver bottom-line value to small, medium, and large enterprises across various supply chain functions. HaulSuite won for its route planning and scheduling solution deployed by Saia.
“HaulSuite is pleased to have won this prestigious award for our project with Saia,” said Rambabu Yadlapalli, Director – Routing Systems, HaulSuite. “RouteMax improves the planning process for clients, allowing for greater efficiency. Its unique combination of route optimization and intuitive user workflows has delivered better visibility, rapid route planning, and improved utilization of drivers and equipment.”
"This new application makes it much easier for our drivers to find and service our customers efficiently,” said Patrick Sugar, Saia’s EVP of Operations. “Every step is laid out for the driver and is documented electronically when it’s completed. The software will continually optimize route assignments and automatically update drivers as the day progresses.”
"The past 18 months have been a tumultuous time for US supply chains," says Marina Mayer, Editor-in-Chief of Supply & Demand Chain Executive and Food Logistics. “But, the core reason today's supply chains haven't completely fallen apart is that solutions providers have worked diligently to partner with customers and clients to streamline processes, implement emerging technology and deliver results that improve bottom lines and the environment. For many of these collaborations, it's about achieving full visibility, complete forecasting, end-to-end leverage, and the ultimate in sustainability."
Saia LTL Freight operates 175 terminals across the country and employs over 11,000 people. Saia had a legacy, internally developed route planning solution, which was short on graphical tools. Users relied on tribal knowledge to finalize plans for routes organized by zip codes. Saia worked closely with HaulSuite, using Optym’s optimization engine and visualization tools, to jointly create RouteMax, which helps planners be more productive, make real-time adjustments, and perform “what-if” simulations as Saia’s business changes throughout the day. RouteMAX is deployed across Saia’s terminal network to pre-plan routes for pickups and deliveries.
Saia inbound planners use RouteMAX daily to build routes across all 169 terminals. The software's intuitive user workflows combined with an optimization engine results in productivity gains for the users. RouteMAX also sends proactive notifications to planners about impending issues in the plan based on real-time data changes from linehaul and dock, such as heavy traffic, new bills, re-weighs, and more.
Saia has also deployed RouteMax’s Mobile App to over 3000 city drivers across the US. The RouteMax Mobile App improves Saia's overall driver experience and service levels and helps streamline dispatchers' communications and management. Saia city drivers have a tool that makes it easy to manage their tasks and follow an optimized route based on customer constraints while keeping customers and dispatchers updated. This allows drivers to spend less time planning their route and focus on driving safely instead.
“With this new mobile application, our city drivers have a tool that makes it easy to manage their tasks and follow an optimized route based on customer constraints while keeping customers and dispatchers updated. This allows our drivers to spend less time planning their route and focus on driving safely instead,” said Rohit Lal, Chief Information Officer, Saia, Inc.
The RouteMax Mobile app includes an intuitive driver workflow and hands-free/text-to-speech capabilities. This has significantly impacted drivers from a productivity and safety standpoint as they don’t have to touch the device anymore or pull over to read the notifications.
Go to https://sdce.me/5s59mx to view the complete list of this year's Top Supply Chain Project winners. Go to www.SDCExec.com/awards to learn more about upcoming Supply & Demand Chain Executive awards.
About Supply & Demand Chain Executive
Supply & Demand Chain Executive is the only supply chain publication covering the entire global supply chain, focusing on trucking, warehousing, packaging, procurement, risk management, professional development, and more. Supply & Demand Chain Executive and sister publication Food Logistics is also home to LINK and LINK. Educate podcast channels, LINK. Live, SCN Summit, SupplyChainLearningCenter.com, and more. Go to www.SDCExec.com to learn more.
About HaulSuite
Backed by decades of experience, research, and development, HaulSuite is focused on making the future of less-than-truckload operations more efficient. By combining modern technology with cutting-edge optimization techniques, our solutions determine the best decisions for the complex challenges unique to today's transportation and logistics companies. HaulSuite has been in the works since 2010 under Optym, a 20-plus-year industry-leading provider of optimization solutions for the transportation and logistics space. For more information about HaulSuite, visit www.haulsuite.com.
About Optym
Founded in 2000, Optym is making the world more efficient through optimization. The company builds mathematical models for solving complex business problems that enumerate and evaluate millions of feasible solutions to find the optimal solution for various industries, including airlines, railroad, trucking, and automotive. Optym’s software divisions, Axele TMS and HaulSuite, determine the best decisions for complex optimization problems encountered in transportation operations. www.optym.com
