UPS Routing Optimization Software Receives CIO 100 Award for Operational and Strategic Excellence

Would you believe the possible route combinations a UPS driver can make in a single day is larger than a 199 digit number? Furthermore, would you believe there is a technology that analyzes these options on a daily basis to determine the best route for each UPS driver in the United States? If you find this doubtful, this year's CIO 100 list will make you a believer. UPS ®

today announced that it was recognized by IDG's CIO Magazine as a recipient of the CIO 100 Award for the successful deployment of its On-Road Integrated Optimization Navigation (ORION) analytics software. The proprietary technology was launched in 2013, and is the result of a decade-long operational technology commitment to cut miles, reduce fuel and improve the overall customer experience. The 2014 CIO 100 Award marks yet another accolade for the industry-leading analytics solution, which received top honors at the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Excalibur Awards at the end of 2013. "Stemming from our founder Jim Casey's belief that improvement is a constant pursuit, advancing in operational technologies and analytics is a long-standing practice at UPS," said Dave Barnes, UPS senior vice president and chief information officer. "Receiving an award from a prestigious technology publication like CIO further validates the business value we've seen with the ORION program and our $1 billion annual investment in operational and consumer-facing technologies. Innovative proprietary technologies like this position UPS as a global logistics leader." Each year, CIO Magazine's annual award program honors the top 100 organizations around the world that exemplify the highest levels of operation and strategic excellence in information technology. The innovative ORION software combines customer's unique shipping requirements with proprietary UPS map data to provide UPS drivers with highly accurate and optimized routing instructions while also reducing miles driven. By the end of 2014, UPS expects to have 45% of the routes in the United States deployed with ORION. This is not the first time UPS has been recognized by CIO Magazine for its proprietary technological advances. The 2014 CIO Award will be the ninth time UPS has been included on the list, and in 2008 CIO Magazine inducted Dave Barnes into its hall of fame for business technology leadership. "For 27 years now, the CIO 100 awards have honored the innovative use of technology to deliver genuine business value," said Maryfran Johnson, Editor in Chief of CIO Magazine & Events. "Our 2014 winners are an outstanding example of the transformative power of IT to drive everything from revenue growth to competitive advantage." The impact of UPS's ORION technology extends beyond industry accolades. Due to the positive results and cost savings experienced during the first year of the roll-out, the company has allocated an additional 200 resources in 2014 to help further the implementation process.