Transmodal and logistics system and method

Abstract

A transmodal and logistics, method, comprising generating at least, one transportation route for shipping a shipment using one or more different transportation modes and at least two transportation providers, and calculating a cost rate associated with the at least one transportation route.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for generating at least one transmodal shipment route from a first location to a second location, comprising the steps of:
 receiving shipping data defining requirements for a transmodal shipment;   accessing shipping provider data, the shipping provider data having shipping provider rules associated therewith;   determining a plurality of segments of the transmodal shipment route interconnecting the first Location to the second location responsive to the shipping data;   determining a plurality of shipping providers for providing shipping services on at least one of the plurality of segments responsive to the shipping data and the shipping provider rules;   generating the at least one transmodal route from the first location to the second location from the plurality of segments and the plurality of shipping providers;   determining a segment cost associated with each of the plurality of segments and a selected shipping provider for the segment and a route cost comprising a plurality of segment costs for the at least one transmodal route; and   displaying via a graphical user interface the at least one transmodal route and the associated route cost.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of determining a geographic position of the first location and the second location. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of providing an indication of a best transmodal route of the at least one transmodal route based upon time. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of providing an indication of a best transmodal route of the at least one transmodal route based upon cost. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further including the steps of:
 receiving second shipping data defining requirements for a second transmodal shipment; 
 determining a second plurality of segments of the second transmodal shipment route responsive to the second shipping data; and 
 determining a second plurality of shipping providers for providing shipping services on at least one of the second plurality of segments responsive to the second shipping data and the shipping provider rules. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of generating the at least one transmodal route further comprises the steps of:
 combining segment data shipping provider data relating to the transmodal shipment and the second transmodal shipment; and   generating the at least one transmodal route for the first transmodal shipment and the second transmodal shipment wherein the first transmodal shipment and the second transmodal shipment are combined into a single transmodal shipment for at least one common segment of the first plurality of segments and the second plurality of segments.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of generating the at least one transmodal route further comprises the step of simulating a plurality of different transmodal routes. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of determining a segment cost further comprises the step of simulating a cost for the plurality of different transmodal routes. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of displaying further comprises the step of displaying data describing each segment of the transmodal route and a cost associated with each of the segments of the transmodal route. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a segment cost further comprises the steps of:
 determining an actual cost associated with a segment;   determining a profit margin associated with the segment; and   determining the segment cost responsive to the actual cost and the profit margin.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of accessing further comprises the step of accessing a local database including the shipping provider data. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of generating the at least one transmodal route comprises the step of combining a selected plurality of segments of the plurality of segments based upon cost of the at least one transmodal route. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of generating the at least one transmodal route comprises the step of combining a selected plurality of segments of the plurality of segments based upon time of the at least one tranmodal route. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of generating the at least one transmodal route comprises the step of combining a selected plurality of segments of the plurality of segments based upon reliability of the at least one transmodal route. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of generating the at least one transmodal route comprises the step of combining a selected plurality of segments of the plurality of segments based upon a cost margin of the at least one transmodal route. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a general purpose computer;   wherein execution of the set of instructions by the general purpose computer configures the general purpose computer to:
 receive shipping data defining requirements for a transmodal shipment; 
 access shipping provider data, the shipping provider data having shipping provider rules associated therewith; 
 determine a plurality of segments of the transmodal shipment route interconnecting the first location to the second location responsive to the shipping data; 
 determine a plurality of shipping providers for providing shipping services on at least one of the plurality of segments responsive to the shipping data and the shipping provider rules; 
 generate the at least one transmodal route from the first location to the second location from the plurality of segments and the plurality of shipping providers; 
 determine a segment cost associated with each, of the plurality of segments and a selected shipping provider for the segment and a route cost comprising a plurality of segment costs for the at least one transmodal route; and 
   display via a graphical user interface the at least one transmodal route and the associated route cost.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the execution of the set of instructions by the general purpose computer configures the general purpose computer to determine a geographic position of the first location and the second location. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the execution of the set of instructions by the general purpose computer configures the general purpose computer to provide an indication of a best transmodal route of the at least one transmodal route based upon time.