Staying ahead of Mother Nature: interview with John Bosse
Drivers and fleets can't control the weather, but John Bosse of The Weather Company believes that, with a little help, they have the ability to effectively plan for it.
Mark Solomon joined DC VELOCITY as senior editor in August 2008, and was promoted to his current position on January 1, 2015. He has spent more than 30 years in the transportation, logistics and supply chain management fields as a journalist and public relations professional. From 1989 to 1994, he worked in Washington as a reporter for the Journal of Commerce, covering the aviation and trucking industries, the Department of Transportation, Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court. Prior to that, he worked for Traffic World for seven years in a similar role. From 1994 to 2008, Mr. Solomon ran Media-Based Solutions, a public relations firm based in Atlanta. He graduated in 1978 with a B.A. in journalism from The American University in Washington, D.C.
It's wintertime, and the truck driving is far from easy. For fleets and drivers, January means delays, safety hazards, and general misery across a large swath of the country. With that in mind, The Weather Company, which provides solutions to help businesses—including the world's airlines—minimize the impact of the elements on their operations, established a program tailored to the rig warriors.
In an interview with Mark B. Solomon, DC Velocity's executive editor-news, John Bosse, The Weather Company's offering manager, travel and transportation, talked about the Atlanta-based business's approach to helping truckers cope with the weather, the role of the Internet of Things in its value proposition, and the cost of weather-related accidents on the supply chain.
Q: You were acquired by IBM Corp. in 2015. What did IBM purchase?
A: IBM acquired our business solutions group, our advertising business that is now Watson Advertising, and The Weather Channel's digital properties, which include The Weather Channel app, Weather.com, and Weather Underground. IBM did not acquire the Weather Channel broadcast network.
Q: Truck fleets for years have traditionally relied on National Weather Service (NWS) reports and other sources of secondary research to help plan routes and driver schedules. Can you describe how your service works and how it differs from what's already out there?
A: Our operations dashboard complements the data provided by the National Weather Service with weather information tailored to specific customers. Additionally, we go beyond zone forecasts and can provide temporal and spatial resolution, offering a forecast over more than 2.2 billion locations around the entire globe. This means that drivers can understand what is ahead of them no matter what their destination.
Q: How do you define ROI (return on investment) for your service, and can you provide an example of how a customer has benefited from using it?
A: When we look at ROI for trucking, we consider two key issues: accident prevention and delay mitigation. Combining both issues, here's an example of potential ROI for a 5,000-truck fleet. There were over 430,000 large-truck accidents on U.S. roadways in 2014. That means accidents affected about 4 percent of the estimated 11 million large trucks on the road that year. Using that ratio, an operator of a 5,000-truck fleet can expect 200 accidents a year. By arming drivers with advance knowledge of expected hazardous weather, they are able to plan around it or at least be adequately prepared for it. This knowledge can reduce accidents by at least 5 percent, at an estimated cost of $148,000 per accident. This results in a $1.5 million savings for the company.
When it comes to delay mitigation, it is estimated that the average cost of congestion is $5,664 per truck in the U.S. With advance weather knowledge, coupled with our traffic flow and incident data, we are seeing at least a 5-percent reduction in delays. This converts to $1.3 million in annual savings for the same 5,000-truck fleet.
Q: Can you describe a solution that you would provide to a carrier?
A: A typical solution would involve a combination of services. Drivers and driver business leaders would have access to our "Operations Dashboard" app to track weather and traffic on their routes before they drive. This situational awareness would help them select the right routes, maximize their hours of service, and increase safety. In addition, driving alerts are designed to notify drivers via their in-cab telematics systems when hazardous weather is reported on the road ahead. This lets the driver stay focused on the road but anticipate conditions that will impact both travel speeds and safety by giving them time to change or pull off the road if conditions warrant. Additionally, drivers can combine our weather and traffic data with their own dispatch and asset tracking displays.
Q: What non-IT tips would you give to fleets to help them get ahead of the elements?
A: We like to say that drivers should "brief before you drive." Pilots don't enter a cockpit without a weather briefing, and neither should drivers. With the tools available today, drivers can be better prepared for what lies ahead if they take a minute to review traffic flow, traffic incidents, and the expected road weather conditions before getting in the cab. A quick review during a drop-and-hook or after a fuel stop can improve situational awareness for the next several hours.
Q: What was the catalyst to extend The Weather Company's reach into truck transport?
A: For 40 years, we have worked with global airlines to provide the foundational weather tools used in their daily operations. The extension into surface transport seemed natural, especially with IBM's deep roots serving the industry. The two industries parallel each other more than is visible, and it has everything to do with route optimization, enhanced safety, and maximized performance and efficiency. Ground drivers are the pilots on the ground; they have the same needs when it comes to potential weather conditions. Add into the equation that there are other drivers on the roads causing traffic, and you begin to get a clearer view of why solutions are needed that can help reroute drivers and get them to their destinations with the same safety and efficiency parameters as those given to aviation.
Q: Is the module available to shippers and third-party logistics service providers (3PLs) that work with truckers on behalf of their shipper customers?
A: Yes it is. The service is available across all corners of the industry.
Q: Do you have any data to quantify the cost of bad weather on the trucking ecosystem?
A: Bad weather costs the U.S. trucking industry more than $14 billion annually. According to the Department of Transportation, 22 percent of all U.S. traffic accidents are weather-related. Additionally, we know there were 438,000 large-truck accidents in 2014. So approximately 96,360 of those accidents were likely to be weather-related. If you look at the average cost per trucking accident, which we believe to be $148,000, and the number of total weather-related incidents in a year, it calculates out to more than $14 billion in costs.
Q: Can you describe the role that the Internet of Things (IoT) plays in your weather forecasting model for trucks?
A: IoT is a critical piece of improving the driving experience because data collected from vehicles greatly deepens the volume and quality of real-time observations. This detailed understanding of the road state will move us far beyond the few thousand Road Weather Information System (RWIS) sensors that report today, enabling the monitoring of more roads and improving road-surface forecasts.
Q: Can truckers use these tools for nonbusiness-related purposes?
A: Absolutely. Our dashboard has all of the standard weather features and information that you would see on television or on the Internet. In fact, The Weather Company supplies most of the weather data and graphics used by local broadcasters. This means truckers can plan for short and longer road trips in their "off-time," as well as look for daily and weekly weather conditions.
Generative AI (GenAI) is being deployed by 72% of supply chain organizations, but most are experiencing just middling results for productivity and ROI, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc.
That’s because productivity gains from the use of GenAI for individual, desk-based workers are not translating to greater team-level productivity. Additionally, the deployment of GenAI tools is increasing anxiety among many employees, providing a dampening effect on their productivity, Gartner found.
To solve those problems, chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) deploying GenAI need to shift from a sole focus on efficiency to a strategy that incorporates full organizational productivity. This strategy must better incorporate frontline workers, assuage growing employee anxieties from the use of GenAI tools, and focus on use-cases that promote creativity and innovation, rather than only on saving time.
"Early GenAI deployments within supply chain reveal a productivity paradox," Sam Berndt, Senior Director in Gartner’s Supply Chain practice, said in the report. "While its use has enhanced individual productivity for desk-based roles, these gains are not cascading through the rest of the function and are actually making the overall working environment worse for many employees. CSCOs need to retool their deployment strategies to address these negative outcomes.”
As part of the research, Gartner surveyed 265 global respondents in August 2024 to assess the impact of GenAI in supply chain organizations. In addition to the survey, Gartner conducted 75 qualitative interviews with supply chain leaders to gain deeper insights into the deployment and impact of GenAI on productivity, ROI, and employee experience, focusing on both desk-based and frontline workers.
Gartner’s data showed an increase in productivity from GenAI for desk-based workers, with GenAI tools saving 4.11 hours of time weekly for these employees. The time saved also correlated to increased output and higher quality work. However, these gains decreased when assessing team-level productivity. The amount of time saved declined to 1.5 hours per team member weekly, and there was no correlation to either improved output or higher quality of work.
Additional negative organizational impacts of GenAI deployments include:
Frontline workers have failed to make similar productivity gains as their desk-based counterparts, despite recording a similar amount of time savings from the use of GenAI tools.
Employees report higher levels of anxiety as they are exposed to a growing number of GenAI tools at work, with the average supply chain employee now utilizing 3.6 GenAI tools on average.
Higher anxiety among employees correlates to lower levels of overall productivity.
“In their pursuit of efficiency and time savings, CSCOs may be inadvertently creating a productivity ‘doom loop,’ whereby they continuously pilot new GenAI tools, increasing employee anxiety, which leads to lower levels of productivity,” said Berndt. “Rather than introducing even more GenAI tools into the work environment, CSCOs need to reexamine their overall strategy.”
According to Gartner, three ways to better boost organizational productivity through GenAI are: find creativity-based GenAI use cases to unlock benefits beyond mere time savings; train employees how to make use of the time they are saving from the use GenAI tools; and shift the focus from measuring automation to measuring innovation.
According to Arvato, it made the move in order to better serve the U.S. e-commerce sector, which has experienced high growth rates in recent years and is expected to grow year-on-year by 5% within the next five years.
The two acquisitions follow Arvato’s purchase three months ago of ATC Computer Transport & Logistics, an Irish firm that specializes in high-security transport and technical services in the data center industry. Following the latest deals, Arvato will have a total U.S. network of 16 warehouses with about seven million square feet of space.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Carbel is a Florida-based 3PL with a strong focus on fashion and retail. It offers custom warehousing, distribution, storage, and transportation services, operating out of six facilities in the U.S., with a footprint of 1.6 million square feet of warehouse space in Florida (2), Pennsylvania (2), California, and New York.
Florida-based United Customs Services offers import and export solutions, specializing in remote location filing across the U.S., customs clearance, and trade compliance. CTPAT-certified since 2007, United Customs Services says it is known for simplifying global trade processes that help streamline operations for clients in international markets.
“With deep expertise in retail and apparel logistics services, Carbel and United Customs Services are the perfect partners to strengthen our ability to provide even more tailored solutions to our clients. Our combined knowledge and our joint commitment to excellence will drive our growth within the US and open new opportunities,” Arvato CEO Frank Schirrmeister said in a release.
And many of them will have a budget to do it, since 51% of supply chain professionals with existing innovation budgets saw an increase earmarked for 2025, suggesting an even greater emphasis on investing in new technologies to meet rising demand, Kenco said in its “2025 Supply Chain Innovation” survey.
One of the biggest targets for innovation spending will artificial intelligence, as supply chain leaders look to use AI to automate time-consuming tasks. The survey showed that 41% are making AI a key part of their innovation strategy, with a third already leveraging it for data visibility, 29% for quality control, and 26% for labor optimization.
Still, lingering concerns around how to effectively and securely implement AI are leading some companies to sidestep the technology altogether. More than a third – 35% – said they’re largely prevented from using AI because of company policy, leaving an opportunity to streamline operations on the table.
“Avoiding AI entirely is no longer an option. Implementing it strategically can give supply chain-focused companies a serious competitive advantage,” Kristi Montgomery, Vice President, Innovation, Research & Development at Kenco, said in a release. “Now’s the time for organizations to explore and experiment with the tech, especially for automating data-heavy operations such as demand planning, shipping, and receiving to optimize your operations and unlock true efficiency.”
Among the survey’s other top findings:
there was essentially three-way tie for which physical automation tools professionals are looking to adopt in the coming year: robotics (43%), sensors and automatic identification (40%), and 3D printing (40%).
professionals tend to select a proven developer for providing supply chain innovation, but many also pick start-ups. Forty-five percent said they work with a mix of new and established developers, compared to 39% who work with established technologies only.
there’s room to grow in partnering with 3PLs for innovation: only 13% said their 3PL identified a need for innovation, and just 8% partnered with a 3PL to bring a technology to life.
Volvo Autonomous Solutions will form a strategic partnership with autonomous driving technology and generative AI provider Waabi to jointly develop and deploy autonomous trucks, with testing scheduled to begin later this year.
The announcement came two weeks after autonomous truck developer Kodiak Robotics said it had become the first company in the industry to launch commercial driverless trucking operations. That milestone came as oil company Atlas Energy Solutions Inc. used two RoboTrucks—which are semi-trucks equipped with the Kodiak Driver self-driving system—to deliver 100 loads of fracking material on routes in the Permian Basin in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico.
Atlas now intends to scale up its RoboTruck deployment “considerably” over the course of 2025, with multiple RoboTruck deployments expected throughout the year. In support of that, Kodiak has established a 12-person office in Odessa, Texas, that is projected to grow to approximately 20 people by the end of Q1 2025.
Women are significantly underrepresented in the global transport sector workforce, comprising only 12% of transportation and storage workers worldwide as they face hurdles such as unfavorable workplace policies and significant gender gaps in operational, technical and leadership roles, a study from the World Bank Group shows.
This underrepresentation limits diverse perspectives in service design and decision-making, negatively affects businesses and undermines economic growth, according to the report, “Addressing Barriers to Women’s Participation in Transport.” The paper—which covers global trends and provides in-depth analysis of the women’s role in the transport sector in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) and Middle East and North Africa (MENA)—was prepared jointly by the World Bank Group, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the International Transport Forum (ITF).
The slim proportion of women in the sector comes at a cost, since increasing female participation and leadership can drive innovation, enhance team performance, and improve service delivery for diverse users, while boosting GDP and addressing critical labor shortages, researchers said.
To drive solutions, the researchers today unveiled the Women in Transport (WiT) Network, which is designed to bring together transport stakeholders dedicated to empowering women across all facets and levels of the transport sector, and to serve as a forum for networking, recruitment, information exchange, training, and mentorship opportunities for women.
Initially, the WiT network will cover only the Europe and Central Asia and the Middle East and North Africa regions, but it is expected to gradually expand into a global initiative.
“When transport services are inclusive, economies thrive. Yet, as this joint report and our work at the EIB reveal, few transport companies fully leverage policies to better attract, retain and promote women,” Laura Piovesan, the European Investment Bank (EIB)’s Director General of the Projects Directorate, said in a release. “The Women in Transport Network enables us to unite efforts and scale impactful solutions - benefiting women, employers, communities and the climate.”