The optimization of freight transport

Over the past decade, the volume of road freight transport has increased considerably, and the resulting CO₂ emissions have had a significant environmental impact.
The issue of pollution caused by transport routes may seem natural and unsolvable; however, the situation can and must change.

The main problem related to pollution in road freight transport lies in the numerous empty routes driven by trucks on European roads every day — a natural consequence of the variable and asymmetric needs of carriers’ regular customers.

The lack of optimization in transport planning affects not only the environment but also the financial performance of each carrier.
Data shows an alarming fact: almost one in four trucks travels empty.
For example, a trucking company based mainly in Lombardy that delivers goods from Milan to a warehouse or hub in Rome often has to travel to the next loading point without cargo. Freight rates therefore include “empty kilometers” required to reach the next pickup location. As is easy to imagine, these empty runs cost time, fuel, and — above all — money.

A possible solution lies in scheduling a return delivery for another trusted company, within just a few kilometers. This way, the travel costs are shared between two transport requests, and the cost for both clients decreases significantly — a win-win situation for all stakeholders, including the environment.

The key to achieving route optimization is using a digital platform capable of identifying such scenarios.

BRIDGE acts as the ideal intermediary to combine multiple transport orders into a single optimized route.
The greater the number of carriers and clients connected to a logistics network like BRIDGE, the higher the potential to optimize orders and routes, making road freight transport more efficient both economically and ecologically.

This digitalization of processes not only prevents empty runs and unnecessary CO₂ emissions, but also simplifies all auxiliary operations, saving time, money, and resources — all while respecting the environment.

Furthermore, digital live tracking allows short-term route changes and optimal transport control.
Through the use of data generated within the BRIDGE platform, optimal route planning can be achieved — suggesting the best paths to carriers and identifying the most suitable transport requests based on each user’s activity history on the platform.

By leveraging the vast amount of data produced by its users, BRIDGE can implement innovative Machine Learning and mathematical optimization techniques, enabling small and medium-sized companies to make informed decisions based on data analysis and algorithms they otherwise would not have access to.

Indeed, BRIDGE has set the goal of developing, by the end of the year, an innovative mathematical optimization algorithm accessible to all carriers on the platform — an algorithm capable of automatically optimizing fleet routes, minimizing empty kilometers, maximizing profits, and automating logistics operations as much as possible.
This will allow carriers and logistics operators to focus on more valuable, less stressful, and more intellectually engaging tasks.