IBT Trucking adopts AI to modernize order entry in its container drayage operations

In intermodal drayage logistics, the difference between a successful delivery and a costly "dry run" often comes down to a few keystrokes at 5am. Customer expectations are high for motor carriers to deliver on both speed and accuracy, and manual errors can have a ripple effect across operations, customer satisfaction, and revenue.

For IBT Trucking, a subsidiary of COSCO Logistics, the road to getting ahead in a demanding, competitive market required moving past the "paper and pencil" era into a future powered by AI and machine learning with Order Automation.

Differentiating against "kitchen table" competitors

The U.S. domestic trucking market is increasingly saturated with what Damian Larrea, Deputy General Manager at IBT Trucking, calls "kitchen table" companies—small operations with low overhead that compete almost exclusively on price. To differentiate itself, IBT knew it couldn't just be less expensive; it had to be smarter.

Before the digital shift, IBT’s workflow was a gauntlet of manual tasks. Dispatchers and customer service reps spent their mornings manually typing orders from PDFs. "It was a very tedious process," Damian recalls. "An entire 8-hour shift could have 2 hours of manual tracing and research."

Beyond the time lost, the "human factor" created a significant risk. A single mistyped container size or a misidentified steamship line could lead to a driver arriving with the wrong equipment and loading it, resulting in immediate financial losses and strained relationships with owner-operators.

Shifting order entry into high gear

To solve these pain points, IBT Trucking turned to the combination of Compcare TMS and Order Automation (formerly known as Order AI). The goal was clear: end-to-end operational visibility and the elimination of mundane data entry.

Now, in just a few clicks, the dispatch team can easily upload delivery orders in spreadsheet, Word, or PDF format, or forward to a dedicated email address. The platform instantly recognizes over 1,400 order formats and extracts critical details that sync directly into their Compcare TMS.

Cathy Skortz, Vice President of IBT Trucking, describes the transition vividly: "It was like going from 1950 to 2020 in two seconds." For leadership, the investment wasn't about reducing the workforce but about elevating it. "I’m not trying to cut headcount," Cathy explains. "I’m simply trying to give you the time to do what I pay you to do, which is think."

Going from paper piles to 20-second orders

The impact of Order Automation was felt immediately on the terminal floor. Previously, a single order took between 3 and 10 minutes to process manually. With Order Automation, that time plummeted to only 20 to 30 seconds per order.

For Jasmine Henriquez, now the Dispatch Manager, the transformation was life-changing. Before Order Automation, she spent up to 9 hours a day manually entering data from stacks of printed work orders. "I’m not a paper person," Jasmine says. "I used to get flustered. When Cathy told me I’d never have to see paper again, I said, 'Thank God.'"

Today, IBT is 98% paperless. Order Automation "visually learns" customer work orders, automatically extracting complex data including container sizes, weights, and hazardous material UN numbers with over 95% accuracy. Automated alerts flag missing fields, duplicates, or changes, ensuring accuracy before dispatch.  This precision has virtually eliminated the "fat-fingering" errors that once plagued the pre-dawn dispatch window.

"White glove" service is now the standard

The efficiency gains have allowed IBT to offer what Damian calls "A1 white glove service." With real-time reporting and GPS-backed visibility, IBT provides the same level of transparency customers expect from consumer giants like Amazon.

The technology has also enriched the roles of IBT’s employees. By automating the data entry that once consumed her day, Jasmine was able to pivot into dispatching—a role she truly loves. "Order AI allowed me to find my calling in life," she says.

Looking ahead

With a digital foundation that supports 7,000 to 8,000 moves a month across terminals from Chicago to Charleston, IBT Trucking is ready to scale with the right tools and people in place. "The future for IBT is growth," Damian concludes. "Expanding our footprint is our main objective, and this technology is what sets us apart."