System apparatus and method for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering

Abstract

A method and system for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering is provided. A customer system is directed to implement a Graphical User Interface (GUI) providing an input object configured to accept a customer input identifying an origin and a destination for a shipment of goods. The GUI is configured for presenting a plurality of customer-selectable shipment options, including (a) a first route option corresponding to a first route including one or more rail segments owned by the same owner; and (b) a second route option corresponding to a second route including a plurality of rail segments where at least two of the plurality of rail segments are owned by different owners. The GUI is configured to receive a customer selection of a shipment option among the plurality of shipment options. In response to customer selection of a shipment option among the plurality of shipment options, adapting the GUI to deliver additional information to the customer about the shipment or request from the customer additional input in order to complete the online transaction.

1 . A method for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering, the method comprising:
 a. directing a customer system to implement a Graphical User Interface (GUI) providing an input object configured to accept a customer input identifying an origin and a destination for a shipment of goods;   b. in response to the customer input identifying the origin and the destination for the shipment of goods, the GUI configured for presenting a plurality of customer-selectable shipment options, including:
 i. a first route option corresponding to a first route between the origin and the destination, the first route including one or more rail segments, where all the rail segments of the first route are owned by the same owner; 
 ii. a second route option corresponding to a second route between the origin and the destination, the second route including a plurality of rail segments where at least two of the plurality of rail segments are owned by different owners; 
   c. the GUI being configured to receive a customer selection of a shipment option among the plurality of shipment options;   d. in response to customer selection of a shipment option among the plurality of shipment options, adapting the GUI to deliver additional information to the customer about the shipment or request from the customer additional input in order to complete the online transaction.   
     
     
         2 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the step of adapting the GUI to present additional information to the customer includes computing price information for the customer selected shipment option and presenting to the customer the computed price information through the GUI. 
     
     
         3 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the route options presented at the GUI corresponds to a bimodal route including a rail portion having one or more of the rail segments and a truck portion over which the goods are transported by truck. 
     
     
         4 . A method as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the GUI is configured to identify a rail hub at a juncture between the truck portion of the bimodal route and the rail portion of the bimodal route. 
     
     
         5 . A method as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the GUI is configured to identify for at least one of the portions of the route a length of the portion of the route. 
     
     
         6 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the GUI is configured to display the plurality of route options in the form of a list. 
     
     
         7 . A method as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the GUI is configured to display at least one of the route options on a map, identifying on the map for the at least one route option:
 a. an origin;   b. the truck portion;   c. the rail portion;   d. a rail hub at a junction between the truck portion and the rail portion;   e. a destination.   
     
     
         8 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of customer selectable shipment options includes a plurality of railcar ownership shipment options and wherein the plurality of railcar ownership shipment options are independently selectable from the first and second route options. 
     
     
         9 . A method as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of railcar ownership shipment options, include:
 a. a first railcar ownership shipment option where the shipment uses a railcar owned by the customer;   b. a second railcar ownership shipment option where the shipment uses a railcar owned by an entity other than the customer;   
     
     
         10 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the step of adapting the GUI includes providing a control component for receiving an input by the customer to place an order to fulfill a shipment according to the customer selection of a shipment option. 
     
     
         11 . A server arrangement for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering, the server arrangement configured for:
 a. directing a customer computer system to implement a Graphical User Interface (GUI) providing an input object configured to accept a customer input identifying an origin and a destination for a shipment of goods;   b. in response to the customer input identifying the origin and the destination for the shipment of goods, the GUI configured for presenting a plurality of customer-selectable shipment options, including:
 i. a first route option corresponding to a first route between the origin and the destination, the first route including one or more rail segments, where all the rail segments of the first route are owned by the same owner; 
 ii. a second route option corresponding to a second route between the origin and the destination, the second route including a plurality of rail segments where at least two of the plurality of rail segments are owned by different owners; 
   c. the GUI being configured to receive a customer selection of a shipment option among the plurality of shipment options;   d. in response to customer selection of a shipment option among the plurality of shipment options, the server configured to adapt the GUI to deliver additional information to the customer about the shipment or request from the customer additional input in order to complete the online transaction.   
     
     
         12 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the server is configured to adapt the GUI to present to the customer price information corresponding to the customer selected shipment option. 
     
     
         13 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the route options presented at the GUI corresponds to a bimodal route including a rail portion having one or more of the rail segments and a truck portion over which the goods are transported by truck. 
     
     
         14 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the GUI is configured to identify a rail hub at a juncture between the truck portion of the bimodal route and the rail portion of the bimodal route. 
     
     
         15 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the GUI is configured to identify for at least one of the portions of the route a length of the portion of the route. 
     
     
         16 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the GUI is configured to display the plurality of route options in the form of a list. 
     
     
         17 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the GUI is configured to display at least one of the route options on a map, identifying on the map for the at least one route option:
 a. an origin;   b. the truck portion;   c. the rail portion;   d. a rail hub at a junction between the truck portion and the rail portion;   e. a destination.   
     
     
         18 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of customer selectable shipment options includes a plurality of railcar ownership shipment options and wherein the plurality of railcar ownership shipment options are independently selectable from the first and second route options. 
     
     
         19 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of railcar ownership shipment options, include:
 a. a first railcar ownership shipment option where the shipment uses a railcar owned by the customer;   b. a second railcar ownership shipment option where the shipment uses a railcar owned by an entity other than the customer;   
     
     
         20 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 11 , the server is configured to adapt the GUI to provide a control component for receiving an input by the customer to place an order to fulfill a shipment according to the customer selection of a shipment option. 
     
     
         21 . A computer for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering, the computer including a non-transient storage medium containing instructions for execution by a CPU, the instructions configured for:
 a. implementing on the computer a Graphical User Interface (GUI) providing an input object configured to accept a customer input identifying an origin and a destination for a shipment of goods;   b. in response to the customer input identifying the origin and the destination for the shipment of goods, the GUI configured for presenting a plurality of customer-selectable shipment options, including:
 i. a first route option corresponding to a first route between the origin and the destination, the first route including one or more rail segments, where all the rail segments of the first route are owned by the same owner; 
 ii. a second route option corresponding to a second route between the origin and the destination, the second route including a plurality of rail segments where at least two of the plurality of rail segments are owned by different owners; 
   c. the GUI being configured to receive a customer selection of a shipment option among the plurality of shipment options;   d. in response to customer selection of a shipment option among the plurality of shipment options, the instructions configured to adapt the GUI to deliver additional information to the customer about the shipment or request from the customer additional input in order to complete the online transaction.   
     
     
         22 . A computer as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the instructions are configured to adapt the GUI to present to the customer price information corresponding to the customer selected route option. 
     
     
         23 . A computer as defined in  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the route options presented at the GUI corresponds to a bimodal route including a rail portion having one or more of the rail segments and a truck portion over which the goods are transported by truck. 
     
     
         24 . A computer as defined in  claim 23 , wherein the GUI is configured to identify a rail hub at a juncture between the truck portion of the bimodal route and the rail portion of the bimodal route. 
     
     
         25 . A computer as defined in  claim 23 , wherein the GUI is configured to identify for at least one of the portions of the route a length of the portion of the route. 
     
     
         26 . A computer as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the GUI is configured to display the plurality of route options in the form of a list. 
     
     
         27 . A computer as defined in  claim 23 , wherein the GUI is configured to display at least one of the route options on a map, identifying on the map for the at least one route option:
 a. an origin;   b. the truck portion;   c. the rail portion;   d. a rail hub at a junction between the truck portion and the rail portion;   e. a destination.   
     
     
         28 . A computer as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of customer selectable shipment options includes a plurality of railcar ownership shipment options and wherein the plurality of railcar ownership shipment options are independently selectable from the first and second route options. 
     
     
         29 . A computer as defined in  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of railcar ownership shipment options, include:
 a. a first railcar ownership shipment option where the shipment uses a railcar owned by the customer;   b. a second railcar ownership shipment option where the shipment uses a railcar owned by an entity other than the customer;   
     
     
         30 . A computer as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the instructions are configured to adapt the GUI to provide a control component for receiving an input by the customer to place an order to fulfill a shipment according to the customer selection of a shipment option.