1. Keeping One Carrier Per Load Will Continue to Reduce Costs

By remaining with multimodal transport options instead of breaking up the carriers and bills of lading through intermodal means, costs will be kept low. According to Globe Newswire, “Multimodal transport systems have become the backbone of international trade – to reduce overall transport and handling costs within the supply chain while responding to the demand for just-in-time, door-to-door cargo services.” 

Getting goods quickly and efficiently remains extremely important, but so does keeping the transport costs as low as possible. Multimodal is an excellent way to do that and continue to be successful in the future. Trends are moving more toward multimodal transportation and less toward intermodal choices that may not be as efficient or cost-effective for most companies. The right TMS, coupled with multimodal options, is the wave of the future. Of course, there will always be times when intermodal transportation may be necessary. Regardless, all freight managers should consider multimodal options too.

2. Tracking the Bill of Lading Across Transport Methods Will Be Easier Than Ever Before

With the right TMS, it’s easier than ever to track the bill of lading on its multimodal transportation journey. But choosing an automated TMS takes effort and skill. It’s very important to get the right TMS for a company’s needs to ensure the preferred mode or combination of modes is the best option and will provide the highest value. Trends indicate that the future of shipping and the supply chain lies in improved tracking without increasing costs or making the experience more difficult for anyone along the way. 

3. Prescriptive—Not Only Predictive—Analytics Will Add New Insights

Predictive analytics were a popular trend for some time, but now the key to the future of multimodal transportation lies in prescriptive analytics instead. A Forbes article addressing issues in predictive and prescriptive analytics offered information on how prescriptive analytics works, stating that, “Beyond providing information, prescriptive analytics goes even one step further to recommend actions you should take to optimize a process, campaign, or service to the highest degree.”

The ability to recommend actions is a significant one, and it’s one that comes with having the right programs and people in place. As AI advances and TMS becomes better at everything it can handle, seeing prescriptive analytics move freight even more efficiently will be worth noting. Additional insights are always valuable, as they tell a company more about what it needs to succeed in the future. 

4. The Multimodal Transportation Process Will Become More Streamlined

Streamlining the multimodal transportation process can be done through a quality TMS and a focus on making sure the bill of lading is handled correctly. While not every company has what they need for vital shipping, the trend is for multimodal transportation to be much more commonly used as the go-to option of the future. A stronger focus on it now can help a company be more prepared for what’s to come, so they aren’t behind their competition as the need for a quality experience with the supply chain continues to grow.