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February 27, 2006 8:00 AM, EST

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ickup and delivery, the grunt work of trucking, but also arguably the most important element of freight service, is undergoing a technological makeover.

P&D can determine success or failure for both shipper and carrier. Until relatively recently, most pickup-and-delivery operators hauled freight over fixed routes, used a predetermined number of drivers and trucks and relied essentially on phone calls and paper documents to keep track of shipments.

Now customer demands for time-definite service are forcing carriers to give shippers real-time visibility of freight. Rising costs for labor and equipment are putting pressure on carriers to improve the efficiency and productivity of P&D operations.

This article appeared in the February/March edition of TT's iTECH supplement. For the full story, see the Feb. 20 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.