Baton helps CRST exit dwell hell and bridge the current demand-supply gap during Covid-19
Since August, CRST has improved network efficiency in Los Angeles by virtually eliminating dwell times and increasing its on-time service to over 98 percent on loads moved with the help of start-up Baton
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CSRT International, Inc (CRST), one of the largest privately held transportation and logistics companies in the United States, has nearly doubled the efficiency of loads handled through Baton, a tech-enabled "final mile" delivery startup based out of San Francisco.
Since the beginning of the partnership in August, CRST drivers in Southern California have increased their on-time service performance to over 98 percent on more than 270 loads transported in the region. With Baton, they are now also able to turn around their loads in no more than 30 minutes, an 83 percent decrease from the industry average facility dwell time of three hours. This is in addition to a massive reduction of in-transit dwell, slack time drivers bake into their schedules in order to hit appointments on time, and inter-appointment dwell, time drivers spend waiting for a backhaul. Allowing for both can add up to as much as an additional three to seven hours of wasted time.
Baton currently operates in Los Angeles and Atlanta, and plans to launch in Dallas and Chicago next year. It makes software that coordinates and optimizes the first and final mile of long haul truck routes via a tech-enabled network of drop zones and local drivers. Truckers drop off and pick up their cargo at Baton's secure network of drop-off zones near major metropolitan areas.
Baton's network of local drivers then shuttle those loads between drop zones and the final warehouse for pickup and delivery.
Baton estimates that its software and drop-off service can increase customers' "asset utilization" – a key metric in trucking – by between 25 and 50 percent on delivery day.
Wasted hours during "idle time" and inefficient planning of freight loads have long been a challenge for the trucking industry. That intensified this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused massive shifts in U.S. supply chains.
"Covid-19 caused huge constraints and volatility in the freight markets," said Andrew Berberick, cofounder, Baton. "In particular, since August, the market has consistently been at an all-time high, and it's not letting up anytime soon. We're seeing massively more demand than supply can keep up with, and therefore trucking companies are rejecting 26.5 percent of loads right now. Not only is Baton freeing up long-haul drivers to take on more freight and reduce rejections, but we're also helping companies like CRST go after more loads by grabbing freight in advance so their long-haul drivers can pick it up when convenient for them. We're here to help bridge that gap."
Sending loads through Baton's software platform, CRST started a 30-day pilot during which Baton staged five pickups and drop-offs per day at a single Baton drop zone in Los Angeles. After just one week, CRST elected to triple volumes and quickly expanded to a second Baton yard. Baton provided full shipment visibility and status updates on each load it delivered to CRST's customers, demonstrating that Baton's software platform could deliver a non-stop "white-glove" service throughout this period.
Chad Brueck, President, CRST Expedited Solutions said, "We're always looking for ways to prioritize driver satisfaction and efficiency gains regardless of market conditions. It is this mindset that made us partner with Baton when times were tough, and has helped us succeed in today's demanding market. Dwell is especially costly in our team-based environment, and was causing massive inefficiencies for CRST. By partnering with Baton, we can now capture more freight, keep our drivers moving more consistently, and improve our customers' experience all at the same time."
With 6,000 trucks nationwide, CRST is looking to expand this partnership across the U.S. as Baton continues to roll out more drop zones in major metro areas in the coming months. The goal will remain to eliminate waste, improve service, and help CRST gain more market share.
About Baton
Baton is a logistics technology platform that eliminates waste (wait time, traffic, empty miles) for carriers (trucking companies) in the final mile of long-haul trucking through a nationwide network of drop zones positioned just outside major metro areas. Carriers drop off and pick up loads at these drop zones, and Baton's network of local drivers handle the final mile of delivery. Baton's software coordinates the operation between carriers, drop zones, warehouses, and local drivers, optimizing journey times and minimizing cost. Visit baton.io or follow us on linkedin.com/company/baton-trucking/.
About CRST International, Inc
Cedar Rapids, Iowa–based CRST International, Inc. is one of the largest privately held transportation companies in the United States. CRST provides a broad array of transportation solutions, including team expedited, flatbed, dedicated services, truckload capacity solutions, transportation management, high-value product white-glove services, big and bulky home delivery, as well as complex home delivery and installations. For more information, visit www.crst.com or call (800) 736-CRST (2778).
SOURCE Baton
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