Technology

We, at Metropolitan, believe that the company that makes the best investment in technology is going to be the company that prospers in the 21st century and beyond. Over the past 70 years, our commitment to investing in the latest trucking technology has helped our company grow and prosper in an extremely dynamic and challenging industry. Embracing technological advances have provided us with many opportunities to improve our operations and better serve our customers and employees.

Document Management
Recently, Metropolitan installed a document management
program, including document scanning devices, servers, document

processing and routing software, and printing and data output devices. This technology allows us to effectively manage our extensive paper flow and to improve office efficiency and productivity. Our documents are permanently stored to optical laser disk for instant and simultaneous viewing, faxing, or printing. Imaging our data allows us to capture, manage, and share information with our customers and employees instantaneously.

Load Optimization
Load optimization is the most technologically advanced approach to systematically assigning the right load to the right truck. Metropolitan’s computerized decision support system helps our experienced load planners and dispatchers ensure that driver and load mastches take into account on-time service requirements, driver home time needs, driver productivity, equipment availability, and more.

Mobile Satellite Communication
With Qualcomm’s OmniTRACS systems aboard our trucks, Metropolitan is never out of touch with our drivers. This means that customer shipments are never beyond our control. When there is a change of plans, a change in the weather or any other unforeseen situation, OmniTRACS helps keep everyone informed. In addition to providing real-time, two-way communication with vehicles in transit, OmniTRACS supplies precise vehicle location reports. Our customers shipments are not only secure, but are delivered faster and with more reliability.

Electronic Data Interchange
Metropolitan currently uses electronic data interchange to receive orders from customers, advise customers of shipment status, and invoice customers electronically. We utilize a dedicated data line to IBM’s worldwide network, Advantis, as well as EDI mailbox services at Kleinschmidt and Innovative Computing to manage our EDI communications. This allows us to receive instantaneous EDI transmissions for immediate movement of freight, and scheduled hourly or daily Data Transfers to accommodate specialized customer requirements. Our EDI capability combined with our Mobile Satellite Communication System on every tractor provides real time communication between the customer, centralized dispatch, and the vehicles in transit. The result is a service level that is unsurpassed in the industry.