Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has the potential to revolutionise transport operations for employees as well as customers and many operators are currently investigating its potential or actually adopting it.
For example, CitySwift has partnered with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to use its AI and data technology to deliver more reliable, frequent and quicker bus journeys.
TfGM has adopted CitySwift’s latest product offering, Spotlight, an intelligent recommendation engine for bus network enhancements.
Designed for stakeholders, the product enhances decision-making by providing AI-powered insights into performance and resource parameters like timeliness, cost, and vehicle numbers through scanning the whole network, executing optimisation variations, and proposing return on investment improvements.
The Bee Network aims to grow bus use by about to 30% by 2030 from 2022/2023 levels, equating to nearly 50 million additional bus journeys per year.
Catherine Towey, Senior Lead for Bus Franchising at TfGM said: “Customers are at the heart of the Bee Network and by working with CitySwift we will be able to see more clearly than ever how services are performing.
“We can then use this information prioritise improvements and deliver a better service for passengers.”
Also, Amazon is to deploy 1,000 electric delivery vans with Vision-Assisted Package (VAPR), retrieval by early 2025, initially in the US.
VAPR is a new AI-powered solution in which delivery drivers no longer have to spend time organising packages by stops, reading labels, or manually checking key identifiers like a customer’s name or address to ensure they have the right packages.
The idea of VAPR began at the start of 2020, when a team within Amazon Transportation took the initiative to imagine a world where technology is used as an invisible force to help drivers.
Once the van arrives at a delivery location, VAPR will automatically project a green “O” on all packages that will be delivered at that stop and a red “X” on all other packages.
Through an audio and visual cue, VAPR will prompt the driver, confirming it has found the right packages, before the driver needs to enter the cargo area.
The technology also removes the need for drivers to use a mobile device throughout the process.
VAPR uses Amazon Robotics Identification (AR-ID), a form of computer vision originally developed for fulfillment centres, to automatically identify items during inventory stow or pick operations.
AR-ID replaces the need for manual barcode scanning and as it processes its surroundings, it can locate and decipher multiple barcodes in real time.
VAPR was built by training machine learning models to recognise different labels and packages, in various lighting conditions and package characteristics.
The technology was also optimised for an in-van environment, and paired with specially designed automotive light projectors and cameras, all integrated with the van’s delivery route navigation system.
The Amazon Transportation team has spent hundreds of hours in the field with drivers to test assumptions, ensuring that these new experiences are adding value.
Based on early tests, the company has seen a 67% reduction in perceived physical and mental effort for drivers and more than 30 minutes saved per route.
A statement from Amazon said: “VAPR simplifies the delivery process and enables drivers to focus more deeply on providing a great customer experience – with more accurate deliveries.”
Meanwhile, parcel delivery company Evri has partnered with accessiBe to empower disabled consumers to use its website, including tracking, delivery preferences, and booking a courier collection.
The website widget uses AI technology to give consumers control over their website experience and enable users to choose from several profiles that automatically implement recommended adjustments.
These include a seizure-safe profile to pause all animation; a vision-impaired profile to enhance visuals, adjust contrast and modify colour; and an ADHD-friendly profile to enhance focus and reduce distractions.
In addition to the pre-set profile, the interface offers dozens of custom adjustments such as keyboard navigation, text magnification, font size and contrast adjustments, sound muting, and image hiding.
Dekel Skoop, CEO at accessiBe said: “With 24% of the UK population living with disabilities in an increasingly digital world, it is essential that we ensure accessible online services.
“We’re excited to partner with Evri to integrate our web accessibility solutions into their platform, creating a more inclusive, seamless, and customer-friendly experience.”
Also, the parent company of Ceva Logistics has signed a partnership with Alphabet’s Google to speed up deployment of AI technology across its operations worldwide.
CMA CGM aims to increase efficiency and shorten delivery times through the optimisation of routes, container handling, and inventory management, while minimising costs and carbon emissions.
Ceva Logistics, logistics arm of the group, will use Google AI-based management tools to focus on warehouse smart management to better operate its 111 million square feet of warehouse space.
These tools are built to allow Ceva to better anticipate and plan its operations with the aid of enhanced volume and demand forecasting.
Rodolphe Saadé, chairman and CEO of CMA CGM said: “Together with Google, we will lead the digital revolution in shipping, logistics and media, optimize our processes and enhance our competitive edge.
“We are committed to driving innovation with tangible benefits for our staff members and our customers.”
Working with transport optimisation specialists The Algorithm People, Pall-Ex Group’s ETA software has introduced AI technology to provide customers with a two-hour delivery window for their palletised freight.
As a result, customers and members spend less time answering phone calls and manually tracking consignments, and goods recipients have a much smaller delivery window for their freight, meaning they no longer have to stay at home all day waiting for their delivery.
Ben Ruby, Director at LHT Logistics, a Pall-Ex Group shareholder member, said: “The more it grows and the more the AI picks up in the background, the slicker the technology is going to get.
“It is a two-hour delivery window now but that is only going to get smaller and more accurate as time goes on.”
AI’s potential to improve planning, fleet management and efficiency for operators has been known for some time but it is clear that many are beginning to take practical steps to introduce these new technologies within their operations.
