DOD Freight Shipping System

The Defense Transportation Coordination Initiative (DTCI), a USTRANSCOM third-party transportation management services partnership for military freight, started its operational phase on March 31st, 2008 with operations in Puget Sound, Washington. It marks the first time government shippers used DTCI to ship freight and also the beginning of the first of three phases aimed at managing Department of Defense freight movements in the continental United States (CONUS).

Phase I includes the Defense Logistics Agency CONUS Defense Distribution Centers (DDCs). In addition to Puget Sound, operations will soon begin in San Diego, Calif. and Corpus Christi, Texas.
Phase II will start before the end of Phase I and will incorporate activities within close proximity of the DDCs, selected aerial ports and other DOD shippers.
Phase III will include other scheduled DOD activities.

DTCI uses EDI (Electronic Data Interface) transactions to process shipment requests, confirm outbound shipping details, and then provide shipping status including pickup, delays in route, and delivery notification. Even billing procedures are fully automated and allow for integration of commercial and government systems.
DTCI is a USTRANSCOM initiative to improve the reliability, predictability and efficiency of DOD materiel moving within CONUS by reducing cycle times and improving predictability through the use of more dedicated truck schedules, cross-docking operations, better mode selection and load optimization.
Certain categories of freight will be excluded from DTCI, such as sensitive and/or classified shipments, arms, ammunition and explosives, bulk and missile fuels, household goods and privately owned vehicles.