Original Date: 09/15/1997
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

Prior to the implementation of CONUS (Continental United States) Freight Management (CFM) System, transportation personnel submitted requests for rates and routes for commercial carriers to the Military Transportation Management Command (MTMC) regional office. Often, there were long delays in receiving this information from MTMC, and follow-up actions were often needed. Once the information was received, the data was entered into the Standard Depot System (SDS) and the system would generate the Government Bill of Lading (GBL). The commercial carriers were paid once the GBL was signed by the consignee, and the form was turned in to Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). DFAS would then issue a check to the carrier.

MTMC designed and distributed CFM to Army installations in 1995. Tooele Army Depot (TEAD) implemented CFM and is using the system to its fullest. CFM provides an Electronic Data Interface between the installation, MTMC, the commercial carrier, and DFAS. The requirement to ship an item is loaded into CFM by the installation. CFM transmits the request to MTMC, gives the installation the rates and routes for the lowest priced carrier, and provides the carrier's acceptance for the shipment. This process may take as little as 45 minutes compared to hours and even days before CFM. CFM then prints out the GBL for the installation. CFM also makes it possible to electronically create and answer Transportation Discrepancy Reports, and is capable of creating a variety of reports for management purposes as well as for data calls. CFM provides a review of carrier performance which the Transportation Officer may use for future use.

TEAD implemented CFM as directed, and is using all of the facets of the program. TEAD transportation personnel are fully satisfied with the system, and once a bridge is developed between SDS and CFM, the full benefits of the system will be realized.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.