UPS Installs Beacons On Package Cars To Improve Loading Accuracy
April 17 2017 - 8:30AM
- Preload Smart Scan increases efficiency, improves customer
service
- UPS pioneers customized use of Bluetooth technology
- Error-proofing helps ensure timely delivery
UPS (NYSE:UPS) today said it is installing electronic beacons in
its package cars to notify workers if they have placed an item in
the wrong delivery vehicle. The initiative, known as Preload Smart
Scan, is part of a suite of UPS® projects that will use technology
to error-proof package processing operations to ensure timely
delivery and customer satisfaction.
Preload Smart Scan uses Bluetooth-enabled beacons that
communicate with package-scanning devices worn by UPS employees
loading packages onto vehicles. The scanners, which read package
labels, are programed to know where a package belongs in a specific
vehicle. The beacons, meanwhile, send signals that are unique to
certain vehicles and their position within the vehicle. The
scanners detect those signals. If a package enters the wrong
vehicle, the scanner will notify the loader of the error.
Misloaded packages waste time and money and can cause UPS to
miss its service commitments. Drivers with misloaded packages on
board often have to travel miles out of their way to correct the
mistakes. But, in locations where the beacons are installed, UPS
already is avoiding miles driven to re-route misloaded
packages.
“This is an important step toward improving accuracy in our
operation,” said John Dodero, UPS vice president of industrial
engineering. “It raises the level of service we provide to our
customers. It also makes us more efficient and generates valuable
cost savings.”
Preload Smart Scan is one of dozens of projects under the UPS
EDGE (Enhanced Dynamic Global Execution) program, which uses data
and technology to enhance operations inside the company’s
facilities and on delivery routes. It aids planning and execution
and enables better decisions throughout the company’s
operations.
UPS delivers nearly 20 million packages and documents a day and
recognizes that misloads drive inefficiency and potentially create
problems for customers who rely on UPS to deliver on time. The
company anticipates that Preload Smart Scan will lead to a
70-percent reduction in misloads.
UPS’s beacon application in a package delivery vehicle required
a customized high-tech solution. Off-the-shelf beacons were
inadequate due their broad signal range and the close proximity of
UPS package cars during morning loading. Beacon signals bled
through the sides of package cars, yielding inaccurate
information.
To solve this technical challenge, UPS worked with a vendor to
customize beacons for use on delivery vehicles that are parked very
close together. The beacons now have a tighter range, rugged
design, longer battery life and can be configured to match the
exact dimensions of the package car.
Preload Smart Scan relies on a robust set of telematics
solutions that UPS continues to deploy across its global network.
The customized beacon technology builds on UPS’s innovations in big
data and the internet of things. In this case, the data UPS
collects on each package helps ensure accurate delivery time
estimates.
UPS has applied for a patent on the use of beacons in this way.
Other companies that pack delivery vehicles in close proximity to
one another also may see the benefits of the technology, as might
businesses in different industries that need precise location-based
services.
UPS beacons be in 301 U.S. locations this year, reaching a total
of 28% of U.S. facilities and 47% of U.S. package cars. UPS also
plans to expand the initiative to facilities internationally.
About UPS
UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a
broad range of solutions including transporting packages and
freight; facilitating international trade, and deploying advanced
technology to more efficiently manage the world of business.
Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and
territories worldwide. The company can be found on the web
at ups.com and its corporate blog can be found
at longitudes.ups.com. To get UPS news direct,
visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS or follow
@UPS_News.
Kyle Peterson
404-828-4626
kylepeterson@ups.com
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