Benefits of using HCN Road for inland terminals
Until recently, only deepsea terminals were able to receive pre-notifications via HCN Road. However, the inland terminals of ITG Rotterdam and CTVrede, which service many third-party drivers, needed greater insight into the visits of road hauliers. If the terminal knows in advance which road hauliers to expect and when, it can prepare the correct containers and reduce the number of handlings. This also helps to prevent unnecessary delays at the gate, for example due to incorrect reference numbers or because a container has not yet been released. Since road hauliers specify a time slot or window when registering, it also becomes easier to anticipate peak traffic moments.

Benefits of using HCN Road for truck operators
Many road hauliers are already familiar with the submission of pre-notifications via HCN Road for the collection and delivery of containers at deepsea terminals. When the inland operator submits a ‘pre-notification’, updates are automatically sent whenever the status of the pre-notified container changes. As a result, road hauliers can be confident that a container has actually been released when they come to collect it. Upon submitting the definitive pre-notification, the truck operator specifies a time for their visit and subsequently receives the TAR (Truck Appointment Registration) number. This TAR number serves as the appointment confirmation and is valid for the entire day. Use of the TAR code is mandatory at CTVrede, which also uses EAN validation at the gate. The EAN number is a unique number that is associated with the road hauliers; if transport is outsourced to another road hauliers, the final road hauliers with the correct associated EAN number must be specified in the pre-notification. This control method is also already used at ECT.

Incidentally, use of the TAR code is not yet mandatory at ITG Rotterdam. Since the start of this year, CTVrede has made the use of this code mandatory for all terminal visits.

Since the start of this year, CTVrede has made the use of this code mandatory for all terminal visits.

Intensive test process with Portbase and terminal
Inland terminals with limited insight into visiting truck traffic stand to benefit from HCN Road in various ways. However, both the terminal and the software supplier must be certified by Portbase before they can use the service. This involves a combination of terminal and software supplier.  Each new terminal that wants to start using HCN Road must complete the test process with Portbase again and conclude various test scenarios. The same applies to Modality, which needs to go through the entire procedure for each new participant. This is a lengthy process, but once the system goes live it ensures a much more efficient registration and handling process for truck traffic – after all, any possible scenario has been extensively tested beforehand.

Would you like to learn more about submitting pre-notifications via HCN Road? We will gladly provide you with more details and guide you through the process!

Het bericht Inland terminals receive truck pre-notifications via HCN Road verscheen eerst op Modality.

Acquiring status information quickly and at an early stage
For some time, Portbase has been using a converter that converts the COPINO EDI messages into the HCN Road API messages to make the transition to HCN Road as smooth as possible. As of the 31st of December, the use of the converter ends. Truck operators who wish to continue using HCN Road within their Modality system must ensure that they have the HCN Road API interface integrated before the end of the year. UCT has been using the API interface for several weeks and is already noticing its positive effects. Each day, a team of three planners manages about 40 to 50 trucks. Previously, they would spend a large part of their time on administrative tasks, which sometimes meant that the planners barely got around to the actual planning. Because there was no clarity as to whether a container was cleared for release until the final pre-notification was made, schedules had to be continuously adjusted at the last minute; furthermore, it was difficult to inform customers in a timely fashion.

Laura: “With the status information we receive back via the API interface, we can immediately tell whether a container can be planned or certain things are not yet in order. We submit an order with reference and container numbers into the system and receive a response within fifteen seconds. Previously, we were looking at the tabs of ten different terminal websites. Now, we receive this information from the Modality system. This gives us a much better overview, and we can contact the customer early if something is not in order.”

Foresight is the essence of management; improved planning thanks to status request automation
Status information is now requested via the ‘Status Request’ button in the Modality system. In the old EDI setup, requesting this information was impossible. The HCN Road API interface ensures that when a transport booking is entered, a request for ‘Status Request’ is automatically sent, even before the trip(s) on a truck has been planned. Furthermore, the response speed is many times higher than in the former EDI scenario, a few seconds as opposed to a few minutes. Now, the pre-notification only needs to be performed when a journey has actually been planned. This too can easily be done from the system.

Use MCA-Road within Modality system UCT

Laura: “For our planners, the ability to clearly see in the Modality system that there is a problem with a booking adds substantial value. If this is the case, we take a screenshot from the system which we can send directly to the customer. As a result, our planners can start working ahead again and spend much less time performing administrative tasks.”

Independently adjusting arrival times using the Truck APP
Shortly, UCT aims to make more optimum use of the Truck APP. Not only can the driver find all loading and unloading instructions in the Truck APP, but it also allows them to independently change their arrival time (outside office hours) if the original time slot is not met. The Truck APP offers the driver greater insight and autonomy, so office staff is no longer needed during weekends and evenings to change arrival times.

Are you still using the old EDI interface? And have you not yet received a quote for conversion to the new HCN Road API interface? Be sure to contact us as soon as possible via +31 (0) 180 531 035 or at sales@modality.nl!

Het bericht API interface HCN Road allows UCT to plan more efficiently verscheen eerst op Modality.