Transportation Costing Group and Innovative Computing Corporation Announce an Agreement to Bring Advanced Activity-Based Costing to Motor Carriers
BETHESDA, MD – Transportation Costing Group, the leading provider of activity-based cost analysis and customer profitability management systems for the transportation industry, today announced an agreement with Innovative Computing Corporation that will provide an interface between the TCG Truckload Cost Information System® (TL/CIS) and Innovative’s Innovative Enterprise Software® (IES). The new interface is designed to enable truckload motor carriers using the Innovative enterprise system to gain the advantages of accurate, load specific, activity-based costing and profitability analysis.
“Innovative is the premier provider of AS/400-based enterprise systems to the truckload motor carrier industry,” said Ken Manning, president of TCG. “This solution, for all users of Innovative Releases 7 and 8 software, is the result of nearly two years of research and development by both companies. The interface will enable carriers to accurately extract data and use it to develop actual cost information.”
“Our focus as a company is to enable customers that use Innovative software to operate at a more competitive level,” states Mark Greenwood, president of Innovative. “The new interface between our software and TCG’s TL/CIS brings our customers an opportunity to improve operating results. The automatic nature of the interface enhances the means by which our customers can take advantage of the inherent capabilities of our enterprise system as well as TL/CIS. TCG is a very supportive and enthusiastic partner that’s bringing positive value to our customers.”
TL/CIS provides many of the nation’s leading truckload and less-than-truckload motor carriers with a highly effective activity-based cost and profitability analysis capability that calculates the costs of each and every load in a given period based on all factors, including driver settlements, equipment use, toll costs and fuel expenses. “TL/CIS is the only system available today that provides a complete, accurate and fully replicable costed traffic database that ties back to the general ledger,” stated Manning. “Other solutions on the market only provide a range of relative profitability and rough guesses on costs. The accuracy of our system gives it a high level of credibility with customers and financial analysts alike."
TCG’s patented balance adjustment adds the critical component to insure that calculated profitability properly reflects empty miles and the revenue implication of positioning the driver for each leg of each load, whether a multi-stop load or in slip-seat operations. This detailed cost history becomes an effective tool for rating and determining profitability on each prospective load or lane, including backhauls.
As an Innovative Approved Provider, TCG and the new interface will be featured at Innovative’s User Conference (ICE) scheduled for May 2005 in San Antonio, TX as well as the Truckload Carriers’Association Conference in Las Vegas, March 6-9, 2005.
ABOUT TCG:
Transportation Costing Group is the provider of the most widely used suite of Activity-Based Costing models and comprehensive profitability management systems to the motor carrier industry. TCG provides models tailored to specific carrier operations. Information on the Activity-Based Costing Models and services offered by TCG can be obtained by contacting (800) 328-9700 or by visiting the TCG web site at www.tcgcis.com.
ABOUT INNOVATIVE:
Innovative Computing Corporation is the leading provider of software solutions to the truckload motor carrier industry. With 35 years of experience serving the industry, Innovative is installed in nearly 600 fleets throughout the US and Canada. Innovative’s customer base includes customers ranging in fleet size from under 15 to over 18,000 trucks and is used to dispatch tens of thousands of trucks nationwide. Innovative Computing Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of BetaZone, Inc., 750 Old Hickory Blvd., Suite 290, Brentwood, TN 37027. www.innovativecomputingcorp.com.
Susan Fall
LaunchIt Public Relations
858-490-1050
Media Contact for INNOVATIVE:
Jennifer McQuiston
615-986-1907
Jennifer.mcquiston@betazoneinc.com