2021: Next-Generation In-Transit Visibility
To optimize visibility for all customers using in-transit visibility solutions, Tive has launched the Open Visibility Network (OVN) starting with project44 and FourKites.
Q: What is the Open Visibility Network? Is it open to anyone (tech providers, carriers, shippers, etc.)?
A: The Open Visibility Network is the collection and sharing of critical shipment data across different platforms. OVN benefits the end-consumers of visibility data. It starts with tech providers collaborating to get the desired result: 100% visibility across all of their shipments and all modes of transportation.
As collaboration within the tech industry grows—shippers, carriers, and logistics service providers will clearly see the benefit of an extended data set and continue collaborating to increase supply chain efficiencies further.
In the last decade, load-matching, the ELD mandate, and visibility have reduced the empty miles for over-the-road (OTR) loads, enabling carriers to fill their backhaul more efficiently. Now zoom out on a global level—that’s what we’ll achieve with OVN.
Q: How does the data sharing work? Is there a single dashboard/platform? Is the data integrated into each participant’s own systems?
A: Tive data is streamed to the project44 and FourKites platforms and, from there, integrated into analytics dashboards. This data is available in aggregate for mutual project44, Tive, and FourKites customers and attached to shipments. The data is available via Tive, project44, and FourKites’ platforms or APIs.
When we use the words integration and collaboration, we mean them in their truest sense: two-way communication between the parties. Customers want flexibility looking at either their own dashboards or another tech provider’s dashboards. For example, a customer that uses a TMS that is fully integrated with project44 will gain complete visibility through Tive’s tracker data streaming into their TMS, using the integration between Tive, project44, or FourKites. Conversely, customers using Tive’s visibility platform will gain insights from data from project44 leading integrations with carriers and FourKites’ leading ETA solution. We are adding more partners every day, which means an exponential growth in visibility data for all customers.
Q: How is the Open Visibility Network different from other in-transit visibility solutions? How does it advance visibility?
A: It’s all about the next level of customer satisfaction. If you can add an extra layer of visibility data on shipments, whether it is ELD/Telematics data from trucks, location data from vessels, transactional information at ports/terminals, or direct data from the Tive trackers—why not offer that to all customers? To achieve 100% visibility across all modes of transportation, across all geographies, across all types of carriers, and across all various nodes (ports, borders, terminals) of the network, collaboration is the pathway. It’s an inevitable part of bringing the best visibility to the customer in the shortest amount of time.