Heathrow trucking system launches automatic shipment updates

A community data system that aims to speed up delivery and collections at Heathrow Airport has been updated to provide users with automatic shipment status updates.

Two users of CCS-UK’s advance information system (AIS) collaborated with the organisation and its user group to produce a system enhancement that enables them to send automatic status updates to airfreight forwarders and hauliers.

Air cargo handling agents dnata and ASC can now provide agents and hauliers delivering or collecting cargo with regular updates direct into their systems, or via an online portal.

Processing within the transit shed system triggers the updates, which are sent when the truck driver reports to the handling agent’s reception, when the vehicle is positioned on the dock, when off-loading or loading commences and finishes, and when the vehicle departs the transit shed.

While occasional users can access the updates via the AIS portal, regular users are encouraged to undertake a simple modification that integrates the AIS module into their own management system. This means updates appear on-screen, and are added to the cargo record in their system.

Jason Breakwell, Commercial Director of major intra-European airfreight haulier Wallenborn, which makes frequent deliveries of cargo to all the Heathrow Airport transit sheds, said: “The automatic updates provided by AIS are immensely helpful in planning our complex operations. They are yet another reason why all transit shed operators at Heathrow, and all agents and hauliers sending trucks to the terminal, should start using AIS. It speeds up the whole process of collections and deliveries, and benefits the whole community.”

Steve Parker, chairman of CCS-UK User Group, added: “AIS is already making a significant difference to airport delivery and collection operations, enabling agents and hauliers to recover their vehicles much more quickly. We would urge more shed operators to adopt AIS: it’s a smarter way of working that will help reduce peak-time congestion. AIS can be a service differentiator: eventually, choice of carrier for a forwarder could be dictated by whether their handler uses AIS or not.”