In practice, there is currently a lack of end-to-end, vendor-independent standards for managing time slots. Many companies, both suppliers and recipients, work with proprietary isolated solutions that can neither flexibly react nor communicate with one another. This is precisely where the new project of the Open Logistics Foundation comes in: It aims to create an open, interoperable framework that digitalises, simplifies, and synchronises processes at transshipment points. Time Slot Management is a project of the existing Working Group Track & Trace.
Standardised and free solution for flexible time slots
The new project focuses on developing a standardised Time Slot Data Model, defining interoperable communication protocols, and implementing intelligent negotiation logics to enable automated and fair allocations in the event of time deviations, for example. “The demand for open standards is huge. At present, logistics service providers often have to work with several different time slot systems in parallel,” explains Gerry Daalhuisen, Senior Director Dock & Yard/Fleet Products at Transporeon and Co-Lead of the project. “With this project, we want to resolve this fragmentation and create a system that functions flexibly and interoperably.”
The results will be made available as an open source solution via the Foundation’s Repository. “The introduction of an open standard for time slot management is an important step towards improving collaboration in logistics and enabling a shared, free solution for all market participants,” adds Nathalie Böhning, Project Manager at the Open Logistics Foundation and Co-Lead of the project. “We are thus creating a logical extension of our Track & Trace model, since time slot management is an essential component of transparent supply chains. Everyone is welcome to join the Open Logistics Foundation and actively contribute to the solution.”
Participants of the Time Slot Management project group
Blue Yonder, Business Code, Cargoledger, CargoSign, Collect + Go, Contargo, DB Schenker, dbh Logistics, DSLV, Gebrüder Weiss, GS1, Interface21, iteratec, LKW Walter, Logistics Cloud, Markant, Maven, Rhenus, Sitra, Tradelink, Trans.eu, Translogica, Transporeon, Zekju
