Freight sector can build resilience through better data sharing, report says

The freight sector can create more efficient and resilient global supply chains by investing in digital infrastructure and adopting open freight data exchange standards, according to a report released today by The Coalition for Reimagined Mobility (ReMo).

Washington, DC-based ReMo is a global initiative shaping policy and ideas for transportation systems to move people and goods more efficiently, sustainably, and equitably. According to the group, the use of open, vendor neutral, API-enabled data exchange standards for multimodal freight operations would lay the foundation for developing interoperable data sharing across the freight sector.

That could pay off by driving down business costs and mitigating disruptions through improved supply chain resilience supported by timely and accurate dissemination of information between freight stakeholders, ReMo said in the brief, “The Importance of Data Standards and Interoperability in Global Supply Chains.”

“The technology exists today to standardize near real-time data exchange in the global freight sector—reducing emissions and pollution by 22% and costs by 6%—but it is hampered by outdated, nonstandard communication methods,” Christine Weydig, ReMo’s executive director, said in a release. “This new brief aims to bridge the knowledge gap in the freight sector about how data standards work, why they matter, and how to create future-focused data exchange systems that level the playing field and improve operational efficiencies for the whole industry.” 

The report also lays the groundwork for ReMo’s forthcoming brief, “Best Practices for Freight Data Standards Development,” which will investigate lessons learned from the development and adoption of existing standards in the transportation sector and make actionable recommendations to policymakers and freight stakeholders.