zip codes

[Dynamite 1]

just a question for those who have been here longer and might have the answer from already asking. we have noticed that about 35% of the time, maybe a little less, the zip codes sent over the qc for p/u and del. addresses are wrong on one end or the other and sometimes both. we check the bol to confirm them against our gps provided zip code and they always match what we have. i dont think its ever a big difference in mileage that is shown, usually 10 or less but it is questionable when trying to pull up the address and all matches but the zip. i guess if i figured it, all the differences might add up to a few oil changes in a year. the real question is why does this happen. anyone asked about this before or is it just us.

 

[jelliott]

Email me some examples if you could, [email protected]. If you have the order numbers that would be great. We can look at the documention and compare it to the system.

The customers are set up in the system based on the information provided to us by the customer. Once that customer code is established it is used in the system ongoing. I don't think we have a system issue but I am happy to have it checked out. Since expedite runs are irregular using a different zip would cut miles one time, but increase miles if a truck was coming the opposite direction. We use pc miler practical. Their are occasions where the physical address or city will not match up with PC Miler. For instance I know Brownstown Township MI (5 miles from the office) is Brownstown in PC Miler and stuff like that.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Zip to zip is definitely not the most accurate way to go...I'd love to see address to address used....but our industry isn't set up that way.....

 

[Dynamite 1]

wasnt big enough deal for me to even mark them in my files john. i will take note and send you some as they happen, but if the customers are providing the info, that i imagine is correct. i would think it is the ones pc miler doesnt recognize that are the issues. no biggie was just curious.

you are correct ken, door to door would be nice or address to address as it would be. we did have that type of dispatch system utilized at one carrier. it was good , but also had some problems in itself. the one pro for that was absolutely no lost miles as long as you followed their route. which again, had some issues.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

wasnt big enough deal for me to even mark them in my files john. i will take note and send you some as they happen, but if the customers are providing the info, that i imagine is correct. i would think it is the ones pc miler doesnt recognize that are the issues. no biggie was just curious.

you are correct ken, door to door would be nice or address to address as it would be. we did have that type of dispatch system utilized at one carrier. it was good , but also had some problems in itself. the one pro for that was absolutely no lost miles as long as you followed their route. which again, had some issues.

True..with everything that goes on behind the scenes and we are only privy to so much...BUT that said for some reason the mileage is closer to actual here then my last carrier...but that could be an anomaly as well

 

[Dynamite 1]

oh, i dont thinks so. ours is closer also.

 

[buckwheat]

just a question for those who have been here longer and might have the answer from already asking. we have noticed that about 35% of the time, maybe a little less, the zip codes sent over the qc for p/u and del. addresses are wrong on one end or the other and sometimes both. we check the bol to confirm them against our gps provided zip code and they always match what we have. i dont think its ever a big difference in mileage that is shown, usually 10 or less but it is questionable when trying to pull up the address and all matches but the zip. i guess if i figured it, all the differences might add up to a few oil changes in a year. the real question is why does this happen. anyone asked about this before or is it just us.

Kinda wondered this myself...................

 

[jelliott]

Well let me know if you see that in the future. Than we can compare the customer provided info, the customer file, order, pc miler lookup calcualtion (we use pc miler practical, latest version which I think is version 22, this is why mileage is normally really close unlike most carriers who use short mile lookup). It is an automatic interface that we do not manipulate. Door to door would be great for everyone including the carrier, but I don't think mapping and technology has come quite far enough yet to be reliable. I am guessing in the next few years it will get there as you see mapping/navigation intelligence continue to develop.

 

[ebsprintin]

I've already run an audit on my vast one month of data. Yes, there is an occassional zip code difference, but it hasn't impacted the address to address that dispatch gives me for pickup to delivery. I watch each load and record the miles dispatch gives me over the qc and compare it to my mapping estimates. The numbers are spot on except a couple loads which balanced out in my favor, because I found a shorter route. I also track the pay from the qc estimate to the final pay statements and have found zero discepancies. If discrepancies do crop up, I expect them to be minimal in comparison to my one month string of no discrepancies. I track these numbers closely, because at my last carrier I was losing $10-12, minimum, on every load, because of them using zip code to zip code miles or some obsure formula that was never published.

eb

 

[jelliott]

Most likely using a "short" version of PC Miler or Rand McNally. Some software programs also allow a carrier to reduce mileages by set percentages and have other tools that can manipulate mileages.

Smaller units should be able to run pretty dead on and often beat the number. The short miles many carriers use is much more usable for a small vehicle than a tractor trailer.

 

[Turtle]

My previous carrier uses a nine-year-out-of-date version of PC Miler because, "It's the most accurate". <snort>

Some customers used PC Miler 15-S, which is what crows use for Zip-to-Zip shortest distance when they can't find a ruler.

I'd just be happy if the name of the shipper was the same as is on the building.

 

[jelliott]

My guess as to why ANYONE still uses version 15......

You can load it on as many computers (not legally of course) without buying the licensing which is really expensive.

 

[Turtle]

That's my guess, as well.
I have PC Miler 20.

 

[ebsprintin]

One of the "systems" I figured out was if I set my gps to shortest route, I would get my miles to match and then I set the gps to fastest route and the time would match.

eb