Logistics Integration Blog

Manufacturer Case Study: Improved Carrier Visibility in OTM

Written by 1Logtech | Sep 4, 2026, 3:52:18 PM

Quick Answer

A manufacturer improved shipment visibility in Oracle Transportation Management (OTM) by enabling its full carrier network — including drayage, truckload, LTL, and boutique or niche carriers — to provide digital tracking status. 1Logtech connected carriers through EDI, API, or simpler digital reporting methods, transformed EDI 214 messages into the manufacturer’s required OTM SOAP XML format, and enriched events for master and multi-stop loads.

The Challenge: Visibility Depends on Connecting Every Carrier

The manufacturer relies on Oracle Transportation Management to orchestrate and consolidate freight while meeting customer delivery requirements. It needed timely pickup, in-transit, multi-stop, and delivery status from a diverse carrier base.

The core problem was coverage. Enterprise visibility is incomplete when only the largest carriers are connected. The manufacturer needed a practical way for all carriers — from drayage, truckload, and LTL providers to boutique and specialized niche carriers — to contribute tracking status despite different technical capabilities.

What the Manufacturer Needed

  • Real-time shipment status inside OTM, not another standalone visibility dashboard.
  • Connectivity options for carriers that could use EDI or API, plus simpler digital reporting for non-EDI carriers.
  • Fast onboarding without long integration queues or added middleware complexity.
  • Reliable event handling for master and multi-stop loads.

The Solution: Bring the Full Carrier Network into OTM

1Logtech provided a logistics integration layer between the carrier network and OTM. The approach was designed around the carrier’s capabilities rather than forcing every carrier into the same technical method.  

1. Connect carriers using what's best for them

Carriers could provide status through EDI, API, or simple digital reporting. This expanded digital participation beyond Tier-1 carriers to niche and specialized carriers that might otherwise depend on calls, emails, or manual updates.

2. Use an integration control plane

1Logtech serves as the integration control plane for OTM delivering clean, standardized data that conforms to the manufacturer's SOP. 1Logtech transformed EDI and SMS status messages into the custom SOAP XML format required by the manufacturer’s OTM environment, reducing middleware complexity and service fees.

3. Enrich ship-withs and multi-stop events

1Logtech reads OTM data for ship-withs automatically updating all the loads traveling with the parent load without any carrier action. 1Logtech looks up multi-stop loads in OTM and uses that context to automate shipment-level timestamps and associate status with the appropriate shipment events and loads. While this is useful for larger carriers, it is necessary to enable niche carriers to simply and easily report status.

4. Deliver usable status directly to transportation operations

Real-time carrier messages flow into OTM so transportation teams can manage customer need-by dates, identify no-shows earlier, and easily answer shipment-status questions without leaving OTM.

Operational Impact

Capability

Business Impact

Carrier connectivity

All carriers participate. Control Tower visibility delivers to its vision - one operational control center instead of fragmented manual processes.

EDI/API translation and OTM expertise

Carrier messages are converted into the format OTM requires without point-to-point integration.

Smart event enrichment

Simple status messages from the carrier can be transformed to include stops and child loads. Get usable shipment-level updates without carrier intervention or changing your tender process. 

Real-time OTM visibility

Transportation teams can manage exceptions proactively and better protect customer delivery commitments.

Why This Matters for Manufacturers Using OTM

A TMS is only as useful as the external data feeding it. For manufacturers with mixed carrier networks, the strategic value comes from enabling broad participation: major carriers, drayage providers, truckload fleets, LTL carriers, and niche operators all need a viable path to report status.

The result is a more complete operational picture inside OTM — where planners and customer-service teams already work — without requiring every carrier to have the same integration maturity.

Customer Perspective

“The 1Logtech team opened the door to integrating all our carriers eliminating technology barriers and lowering our technology costs. Now we have the visibility we need to take action to protect delivery commitments.”

Transportation Manager, Manufacturer

Key Takeaway

Shipment visibility is not solved by connecting only the major carriers. Give every carrier a practical way to provide status and put that data directly into OTM. That expands visibility, reduces manual follow-up, and supports proactive transportation operations.  Make your OTM Control Tower the single source of truth for shipment visibility.

 

Frequently Asked Questions