Atlantic Pacific Express

Achieving Real-time Visibility into Expedited Freight

As one of the largest freight brokers in the Southeast and one of the 25 fastest growing companies in South Carolina, providing on-time and dependable trucking services is essential for expedited freight specialist Atlantic-Pacific Express. In a business where every shipment is extremely time-sensitive, whether longer haul or last minute overnight deliveries, the company was able to automate load tracking efforts to improve productivity and service performance by using the Descartes MacroPoint™ freight visibility platform for its 24x7 operations.

"The importance of real-time shipment visibility is increasing for shippers and carriers. Descartes MacroPoint is an elegant way for carriers to provide accurate, reliable location data, and a critical way for all supply chain participants to benefit from real-time insights that can increase productivity and save costs.”
Justin Scrivner, General Manager, Atlantic-Pacific Express

Company Profile

Company Name: Atlantic-Pacific Express
Industry: Transportation & Logistics Services
Technology Used: Descartes MacroPoint™

About the Client

Atlantic-Pacific Express, Inc. is the largest shipper in the Southeast and one of the 25 fastest growing companies in South Carolina. From the smallest parcel to the largest shipment, we serve all industries and have specific expertise in the automotive industry. The company is a member of The Expedite Association of North America, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, and the SmartWay Transport Partnership.

Quick Overview

Challenge

• Gain Greater Supply Chain Visibility

Solution

• Cloud-based, Automated Load Tracking

Results

• Increased Productivity
• More Efficient Operations
• Reduced Costs
• Enhanced Customer Satisfaction

Customer Success Story

Since 1999, Atlantic-Pacific Express has been a trusted leader in serving diverse industries with shipping needs, with larger customer segments including automotive, fabrication, and nuclear manufacturers. As customers expressed a growing need for real-time insight into the location and status of freight, Atlantic sought a technology-based solution to provide greater supply chain visibility.

With 1,500 loads per month on average, Atlantic’s 10-person team was consumed with 3-5 check calls per load to carriers and drivers. By automating freight tracking, Atlantic could eliminate the need for these calls and provide faster, more accurate status information—boosting its own productivity, enhancing carrier operations and improving driver safety.

Priding itself on punctual deliveries and communication that goes beyond customer expectations, Atlantic has forged excellent shipper relationships and developed many long-standing partnerships with both owner/operators and carriers.

Back when freight visibility gained traction with the company’s customers as a competitive advantage, Atlantic replaced its manual practices with a technology-enabled solution, integrated with its TMS, for end-to-end visibility. Most of Atlantic’s 1000+ carriers are using the Descartes MacroPoint solution to monitor the on-time delivery of goods, providing real-time load location visibility.

Detailed Results

• Increased Productivity: By eliminating manual load tracking efforts, Atlantic gained between 65% and 75% of higher-value productive time to secure new freight opportunities and boost revenue.
• More Efficient Operations: Descartes MacroPoint helped eliminate ineffective check calls, streamline transportation operations, improve communication about in-transit freight, and enhance driver safety.
• Reduced Costs: Integrated with Atlantic’s TMS, Descartes MacroPoint provides updated freight location and status information, saving the company from hundreds of calls to carriers and drivers each month.
• Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Using a single platform for more frequent and detailed automatic updates on load status has improved overall supply chain communication and coordination.