Episode description

Hello, visibility enthusiasts! Welcome to the Beyond Visibility Lounge, the podcast that explores the seen and unseen world of the supply chain, logistics, transportation, and traceability. Join your hosts,⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Iliriana Kacaniku⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Ron Volpe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in an exploration of drivers of collaboration in the supply chain. In this episode, they host ⁠Andrew Petrisin⁠, Advisor for Multimodal Freight at U.S. Department of Transportation, who shares about ⁠Freight and Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW).⁠ FLOW is a digital public infrastructure that aims to improve supply chain visibility and data sharing. The initiative started with 18 members and has now grown to 73 active members by early May 2024, with more members in the pipeline. The main driver of openness among FLOW members is the unique value proposition offered by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), including operational and commercial neutrality, data privacy laws, and the convening authority of the federal government. The challenges faced during the development and implementation of FLOW included building trust and overcoming skepticism about data sharing with the federal government. The expansion of FLOW has had a network effect, with more members joining and increasing the value of the initiative. The future of FLOW includes continued trust building, delivering value to members, and potentially informing future policy developments related to supply chain management and infrastructure development.

Takeaways:

• The FLOW initiative is a digital public infrastructure that aims to improve supply chain visibility and data sharing.

• The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) plays a key role in FLOW, providing operational and commercial neutrality, data privacy laws, and the convening authority of the federal government.

• Building trust and overcoming skepticism about data sharing with the federal government were initial challenges for FLOW.

• The expansion of FLOW has had a network effect, with more members joining and increasing the value of the initiative.

• The future of FLOW includes continued trust building, delivering value to members, and potentially informing future policy developments.

Chapters:

• Introduction and Background
• The Birth of FLOW and Its Evolution
• Challenges and Overcoming Skepticism
• The Impact of Expansion on FLOW Effectiveness
• Innovative Ideas and Solutions Generated by FLOW
• FLOW Impact on Future Policy Developments
• The Ideal Future of FLOW