May 11, 2006 9:21 AM, from staff and wire reports

Stevens Transport reports success from using the Carrier Management component of Manhattan Associates’ Integrated Logistics Solutions.

Dallas TX-based refrigerated truckload carrier Stevens implemented the Carrier Management system to increase control over routing and fueling of its fleet. So far, the firm has increased equipment utilization by about 5% and cut fuel expenses by an average of $500,000-plus per year. This means a total savings of nearly $2 million over the four years the system has been in place.

Using the system, Stevens can match individual drivers to specific loads based on criteria including available units, vehicle characteristics, load metrics, required point and time of delivery, as well as driver hours and preferences. Stevens uses the system to consider both fixed and variable costs and to balance them with driver requests and preferences. The system also lets Stevens manage unplanned events and perform en-route swapping optimization by considering all potential drivers and loads and evaluating possible scenarios.