Superior ETAs

Why MacroPoint's ETAs Are More Accurate

Our data shows that MacroPoint's ETAs are more accurate than those provided by any single data source alone.

Our Key Principles:

1. We Standardize on Delivery Times: Carrier-provided ETAs can vary widely—sometimes they reference departure, sometimes they focus on different stages of the journey. This can lead to confusion and operational errors. MacroPoint’s ETAs always reference the delivery point, giving you the clarity you need to maintain a smooth process and make confident decisions.

2. We Aggregate Data from Multiple Sources: Whether it’s the carrier, the terminal, or a prediction based on the vehicle's GPS location, MacroPoint gathers ETAs from the most accurate data sources available.

3. We Select the Best ETA: Over the years, we've refined intelligent ETA selection strategies based on extensive data analysis and feedback from hundreds of operators. This ensures that MacroPoint’s ETAs consistently reflect the most accurate predictions, mimicking the decisions a seasoned operator would make.

Your operations depend on knowing when shipments will arrive. Inaccurate ETAs cost your organization time and money. MacroPoint’s ETAs can help.

Comparing ETA Accuracy by Source: Consider a shipment traveling from Shanghai to Los Angeles. The actual delivery time was on August 10 at 6:03 AM. Here’s how the predictions played out:

• 10 days before delivery: The carrier reported an ETA of August 5 at 4:30 PM—5 days off.

  • MacroPoint: Predicted August 10 at 5:30 AM—just 33 minutes off.

• 5 days before delivery: The carrier reported August 6 at 8:30 AM—4 days off.

  • MacroPoint: Still accurately predicted August 10 at 5:30 AM—33 minutes off.

• 2 days before delivery: The carrier reported August 9 at 8:30 PM—1 day off.

  • MacroPoint: Maintained the accurate prediction of August 10 at 5:30 AM—33 minutes off.

Here’s the comparison in table form:

It’s common to see carrier ETAs that are off by several days. Wouldn’t you rather have the most accurate ETA from the start?

And this is just one example. Across all shipments we track, MacroPoint’s ETAs are more accurate than the carrier’s at every stage.

Why ETA Accuracy Matters: We know you understand the importance of accurate ETAs, but it’s worth reiterating:

• Inaccurate Carrier ETAs:

  • Result in last-minute scrambling when shipments arrive unexpectedly.
  • Lead to costly operational mistakes that could have been avoided.
  • Increase stress, degrade customer service, and reduce resilience to supply chain shocks.

• Accurate MacroPoint ETAs:

  • Enable better planning, reducing last-minute changes and costly errors.
  • Lower team stress, improve customer service, and increase resilience to supply chain disruptions.

• Carrier ETAs Often Reference Departure Times:

  • This can lead to miscalculations of shipment volume and delivery timing.
  • MacroPoint’s ETAs are always referenced to the final delivery, ensuring accurate volume forecasting and process management.

• Relying on a Single Data Source:

  • Limits your operations and exposes you to data inaccuracies.
  • MacroPoint integrates data from multiple sources, ensuring you always have the best available information.

• Managing Data In-House:

  • Can be costly and complex.
  • MacroPoint provides a clean, standardized, and reliable data feed, allowing your team to focus on core strengths like efficiency and customer service.

Our Process to Evaluate and Improve ETA Accuracy: We are relentless in our pursuit of accuracy. MacroPoint’s ETAs consistently outperform any single data source. Here’s how we do it:

Every day, thousands of shipments reach their destinations, registering an actual time of arrival (ATA) in MacroPoint.

We regularly review these ATAs against our predicted ETAs, analyzing performance at every stage leading up to the delivery. Our goal is to ensure that on every day leading up to delivery, we provide an ETA that is as close as possible to the actual delivery time.

We continually refine our algorithms and data sources to eliminate inaccuracies and improve overall performance.

How We Choose the Best ETA: We report the delivery ETA for all shipments at every stage of their journey.

• If multiple sources agree on a date, we select that one.
• If there is no consensus, we choose the ETA based on the historical accuracy of each source on that specific route.

Here’s how we do it at different stages of the shipment’s journey:

Why Different Shipments on the Same Route May Have Different ETAs: Sometimes, shipments on the same route may show different ETAs, but this is usually resolved quickly. Variations can occur due to multiple stops or changes in the route, and we avoid applying a single ETA across the board to prevent inaccuracies.

Future Developments: MacroPoint is always improving. With advances in machine learning and the addition of new data sources, our ETA predictions are becoming even more accurate. The more data we collect, the better our service becomes.