Post a tender process that was followed, AECOM has been appointed in order to serve as a single-source provider when it comes to the infrastructure cost management framework by NTA that covers the entire gamut of cost management services, which includes the likes of

value management, risk management, cost estimation, peer review pertaining to the services offered by other companies along with the development of cost management guidelines as well as procedures. This happens to be a three-year framework, having another year’s extension as an option.

Simultaneously, AECOM has been appointed to the multi-party framework of TII as well for the provision of commercial services, which includes claim advisory, cost management, and mitigation of claims, along with expert witness services, among others. The parameters related to the scope of this framework can be called broad-ranging and could as well see growth so as to include project management, engineering along with other professional services. The fact is that this framework is bound to run for four years and will support TII in addition to the network of regional design offices as well as local authorities of ROI.

According to the Cost Management Infrastructure Lead for Ireland, AECOM, Ciaran Timpson, “These wins mark a significant strategic milestone for AECOM, strengthening our key relationships with both the NTA and TII as they gain access to AECOM’s industry-leading commercial, technical, and cost management expertise – providing  greater certainty, efficiency, and value across their portfolios, and supporting the efficient delivery of complex transport, mobility infrastructure programs of national importance.” He further adds that “Both frameworks represent an opportunity to support transformational programs that enhance connectivity and drive sustainable economic growth, fully aligning with AECOM’s focus on sustainable development and delivering a better world for future generations.”

Interestingly, AECOM in the past has been appointed across a number of NTAs as well as TII frameworks and is at present offering its technical advisory along with transport modeling services for the NTA via respective frameworks, along with technical consultancy and also transport planning services on varied TII frameworks.

The Critical Need for Low Latency in Connected Mobility

In the world of autonomous and semi-autonomous transport, milliseconds can be the difference between a successful collision avoidance maneuver and a catastrophic accident. When a vehicle encounters an unexpected obstacle, the time it takes to transmit data to a distant cloud server, process that data, and send a command back is simply too long. Edge computing in transport real time systems solves this by performing the heavy lifting of data processing within the vehicle itself or at localized infrastructure nodes, such as smart traffic lights or roadside units. This proximity allows for ultra-low latency response times, ensuring that the vehicle can perceive its environment and act upon it in real-time.

This shift is particularly relevant for the development of Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication. For a truly connected ecosystem to function, vehicles must constantly exchange information about their speed, position, and intentions with one another and with the surrounding infrastructure. If this exchange is managed through a central cloud, the network would quickly become congested, leading to delays that compromise safety. By utilizing edge nodes, the communication remains localized and efficient. Localized “micro-clouds” can manage the traffic within a specific intersection or highway segment, ensuring that only the most relevant, high-level data is eventually passed up to the central system for long-term analytics and reporting.

Optimizing Urban Traffic Flow with Distributed Intelligence

Beyond individual vehicle safety, edge computing in transport real time systems is playing a pivotal role in the management of entire urban ecosystems. Smart cities are increasingly deploying edge-enabled sensors to monitor traffic density, pedestrian movements, and environmental conditions. Unlike traditional systems that rely on pre-programmed cycles, edge-powered traffic management can adapt dynamically to changing conditions. For instance, if an edge node detects a sudden influx of emergency vehicles, it can instantly adjust the timing of traffic signals across multiple blocks to create a “green corridor,” all without needing a command from a central command center.

This localized intelligence also extends to the management of public transit. Buses and trams equipped with edge devices can analyze their own performance and passenger loads in real-time. If a vehicle is running behind schedule due to unexpected congestion, the edge system can communicate directly with the smart city infrastructure to request priority at upcoming signals. This level of granular control reduces fuel consumption, minimizes idle time, and improves the overall reliability of public transport, making it a more attractive alternative to private car ownership. The ability to process data locally also means that these systems can continue to function even if the broader internet connection is temporarily lost, providing a layer of operational redundancy that is essential for public infrastructure.

Predictive Maintenance at the Edge

One of the most valuable applications of edge computing in transport real time systems lies in the realm of predictive maintenance. For rail operators and commercial fleet managers, the health of the asset is paramount. Edge devices installed on locomotives or heavy-duty trucks can monitor engine vibrations, temperature fluctuations, and acoustic signatures in real-time. By applying machine learning algorithms directly at the edge, the system can identify the early warning signs of component failure before it actually happens.

Instead of streaming hours of raw sensor data to the cloud which is both expensive and bandwidth-intensive the edge device only alerts the maintenance team when an anomaly is detected. This “exception-based” reporting ensures that maintenance crews can intervene exactly when needed, preventing costly breakdowns and extending the lifespan of the equipment. In the maritime industry, where ships may spend weeks in areas with limited satellite connectivity, this localized diagnostic capability is indispensable, allowing the crew to perform repairs while at sea using the insights generated by the onboard edge system.

Enhancing Security and Data Privacy

As transport systems become more connected, they also become more vulnerable to cyber threats. Centralized databases are attractive targets for hackers, as a single breach can expose the data of an entire network. Edge computing in transport real time systems offers an inherent security advantage by distributing data across thousands of individual nodes. Because the vast majority of raw data is processed and discarded locally, there is less sensitive information traveling over the network. This “privacy by design” approach is especially important when dealing with video feeds from traffic cameras or GPS data from private vehicles. By anonymizing and processing this information at the edge, transport authorities can gain valuable insights into traffic patterns without ever storing or transmitting personally identifiable information.

Navigating the Challenges of Edge Infrastructure

While the benefits are clear, the transition to an edge-centric model requires a significant investment in physical infrastructure. The deployment of 5G networks is a critical enabler, providing the high-bandwidth, low-latency communication pipe required to link edge nodes together. Furthermore, the hardware itself must be ruggedized to withstand the harsh environments often found in transport ranging from the extreme vibrations of a railway track to the high temperatures of a roadside cabinet. As the cost of high-performance computing hardware continues to fall, the feasibility of deploying these “mini-datacenters” across the transport network becomes increasingly realistic.

One of the primary hurdles is the standardization of communication protocols. In a typical transport environment, devices from dozens of different manufacturers must work together seamlessly. Without universal standards for edge-to-edge and edge-to-cloud communication, the industry risks creating “silos” of data that cannot be shared. This is where network slicing a feature of 5G becomes invaluable. It allows transport authorities to create a dedicated, virtualized segment of the network specifically for mission-critical edge traffic, ensuring that safety-related data is never delayed by lower-priority consumer traffic.

The Imperative of Cyber-Physical Security

As we distribute intelligence across the network, we also increase the “attack surface” for cybercriminals. Each edge node represents a potential entry point into the transport system. To mitigate this, edge computing in transport real time systems must incorporate hardware-based security, such as Trusted Platform Modules (TPM) and encrypted boot sequences. Furthermore, because these nodes are often located in remote or public areas, physical security is just as important as digital security. Manufacturers are developing tamper-evident enclosures and remote “kill switches” that can wipe a node’s data if unauthorized physical access is detected. These layers of protection are essential for maintaining public trust in the smart transport systems that will soon govern our daily commutes.

The Infrastructure Requirements for an Edge-Enabled Future

While the benefits are clear, the transition to an edge-centric model requires a significant investment in physical infrastructure. The deployment of 5G networks is a critical enabler, providing the high-bandwidth, low-latency communication pipe required to link edge nodes together. Furthermore, the hardware itself must be ruggedized to withstand the harsh environments often found in transport ranging from the extreme vibrations of a railway track to the high temperatures of a roadside cabinet. As the cost of high-performance computing hardware continues to fall, the feasibility of deploying these “mini-datacenters” across the transport network becomes increasingly realistic.

The software side of the equation is equally important. To manage a distributed network of edge devices, transport operators need sophisticated orchestration platforms that can deploy updates, monitor health, and reallocate processing power as needed. This requires a new set of skills for transport engineers, who must now be as proficient in data science and network architecture as they are in mechanical engineering. The convergence of these disciplines is what will ultimately define the success of the smart transport revolution.

Key Takeaways

The integration of edge computing in transport real time systems is a necessary evolution in the face of the modern data explosion. By moving processing power to the periphery of the network, the industry is achieving the ultra-low latency required for autonomous safety, the scalability needed for smart city traffic management, and the efficiency required for predictive maintenance. This decentralized approach not only improves the immediate performance of transport assets but also builds a more resilient and secure foundation for the future of global mobility.

As we look toward the next decade, the role of the edge will only grow in significance. It serves as the vital link that allows disparate systems vehicles, infrastructure, and passengers to communicate in a unified, intelligent harmony. By embracing this technology, transport operators are not just upgrading their hardware; they are fundamentally enhancing the safety, sustainability, and reliability of the networks that keep the world moving.

The Indian government is coming up with new rules that go on to promise revenue protection for developers and also invite global funds in order to bid for projects to speed up the expressway expansion, said the people familiar with the matter.

The model is most likely to get finalized in February 2026 itself, and the objective is to award projects amounting to ₹1 trillion, or $11 billion, to the private sector through the 2027 fiscal year.

It is well to be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government with private capital back in highway construction, wants the private investment to account for almost 25% of highway development by 2027, vis-à-vis the present low single digits. The fact is that till now, the private capital has largely avoided the sector for the last decade, forcing the administration to depend pretty heavily on public funds in order to bridge the infrastructure gaps.

In the recent budget, India has gone on to announce infrastructure spending of ₹12.2 trillion for the next financial year, which, apparently, is a 9% increase from 2025. Outlays for roads and bridges are going to rise by 6.9% to ₹3.1 trillion.

Notably, India’s push to resurrect private investment in highways can be termed as a part of a much wider effort to expand corporate participation throughout infrastructure. The government is transitioning towards privatizing the loss-making airports through bundling them with profitable ones so as to attract bidders and is also encouraging foreign partnerships when it comes to shipbuilding. Put together, all these efforts signal toward a coordinated strategy in order to reach out to more private funds in sectors that have long been supported by public spending.

Interestingly, the highway sector of India, at one point in time, attracted major private investment by way of Build-Operate-Transfer – BOT-Toll model, wherein the developers recovered expenditures through toll collections at the time of concession periods. Interest when it comes to this model has diminished. Apparently, between April and November 2025, just 1% of projects were awarded under the BOT-Toll. Rather, the government-backed Hybrid Annuity Model, along with Engineering, Procurement, and Construction contracts, comprised 99% of the 26,425 kilometers of roads that were awarded.

Industry Challenges

Interestingly, the new norms are customized so as to address industry grievances, which include delays when it comes to mandatory approvals along with competition coming from parallel road projects, which has also eroded toll revenues. Through allowing investment funds to go ahead and participate directly, India is going to sync itself with global practices wherein the financial investors can bid for projects and thereafter bring in technical partners for implementation.

There is no exaggeration when we state that the renewed push as far as private capital is concerned is intended to modernize the infrastructure and decrease the logistics costs in addition to strengthening the competitiveness of the country against China.

The government looks forward to expanding the high-speed network five times within a matter of 10 years, backed by a planned investment worth ₹11 trillion.

In order to further push investor confidence, the government is going to also set up an Infrastructure Risk Guarantee Fund, confirmed the Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman, during her speech on this year’s budget.

Deloitte India estimates suggest that the country is most likely to attract billions of dollars when it comes to infrastructure investment in the next three years.

AI tools, which are driving smart mobility 

It is well to be noted that there were 11 AI-powered initiatives that were presented during the event, out of which each aligned with six strategic pillars of the AI strategy of RTA Dubai – seamless and innovative mobility, smart traffic management, people, happiness, asset excellence, smart licensing, and future readiness.

Among the highlights was the bus drivers support system – control and operation center that makes use of AI so as to evaluate voice as well as data in terms of real-time communication between drivers and the control center. The Dubai Metro water and electricity consumption forecast dashboard was also highlighted, which happens to be a predictive and analytical tool that is aimed at enhancing the sustainability as well as cost efficiency within Metro operations.

The exhibition also went on to feature the AI-powered Madinati WhatsApp service, which helps the users to report public transport asset damage and smart assessment of cycling track infrastructure, which makes use of the new global indicators so as to ensure safety as well as rider comfort. The smart road asset assessment system, which happens to be powered by LiDAR and AI, enables prioritizing road maintenance and helps keep digital records of the assets updated.

It is well to be noted that in traffic management, the smart traffic management initiative that has been presented at the Dubai Intelligent Traffic Systems Centre goes on to demonstrate how big data as well as artificial intelligence can be made use of in order to optimize traffic flow. In a similar way, the AI-powered bus network management tool evaluates the ridership data in order to enhance the route efficiency. The instructor monitoring system makes use of in-vehicle AI cameras in order to evaluate the performance of the driving instructor and also maintain standards in training.

There are other notable projects, which include the likes of the plate price prediction system, which makes use of historical data in order to forecast revenue from number plate auctions, and also the Microsoft Copilot–enabled operations that streamline the data evaluation and task automation. The public transport station management, which uses AI tools, goes on to monitor the crowd movement in order to elevate the passenger flow and, at the same time, decrease the wait times. The idea of AI strategy of RTA Dubai is to make sure of seamlessness in transportation by way of offering benchmarking practices in road and transport infrastructure.

Innovation drive highlighted by Hackathon 

In addition to the exhibition, RTA also hosted expert panels and forums as well as interactive discussions pertaining to the role of AI in the future of smart mobility as well as urban development. A three-day, artificial intelligence hackathon saw RTA employees competing in order to develop AI-based transport solutions, with the event culminating in an award ceremony that honored the most innovative ideas.

The CEO of the corporate technology support services sector and also the deputy head of RTA’s AI & data science team, Mohammed Yusuf Al Mudharreb, said that the event went on to reinforce the momentum of Dubai AI Week, which was held in April 2025. That initiative, which was launched under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, looks forward to positioning Dubai as a worldwide AI hub.

It is well to be noted that Al Mudharreb stressed the importance of involving staff as well as strategic collaborators when it comes to applying practical AI use cases while, at the same time, making the governance as well as technical capabilities more robust.

It is worth noting that in April 2025, RTA went on to launch its artificial intelligence strategy 2030, which comprised 81 projects that are aimed at transforming Dubai into a worldwide leader when it comes to AI-driven mobility as well as improving the quality of life of its residents.

This report is an advanced guide, providing insights into market preparation, developing technology environments, and practical delivery strategies for facilitating the transition to electric road freight transport. Through intensive analysis of use-case scenarios, energy demands, and infrastructure requirements, ARENA has set the stage for industry players and policymakers.

One of the main suggestions of the ‘Electrifying Road Freight’ report is the construction of 165 heavy vehicle charging hubs across the country. The hubs, powered by electricity, will be incorporated into existing port, intermodal, and road facilities, delivering an efficient freight network. ARENA makes it clear that concentrated, site-specific planning is important to effectively identify the high-impact installation sites.

Furthermore, the report explains that energy generation is not the main challenge towards the goal. Based on its study, there is sufficient capacity that can address freight electrification needs. Rather, electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure will be the challenge, as this will need gigantic overhauls to accommodate long-distance and cross-border transportation corridors.

ARENA also targets urban freight as the most readily accessible segment to electrify. With its smaller vehicles, predictable travel patterns, and depot-based operations, urban logistics is a prime gateway to electrifying road freight at large. Electrification of interstate and intrastate freight will have to be done gradually. 

These happen to include the development of pavement layers that withstand the repetitive routing patterns of autonomous vehicles, the use of road markings as well as signs that can be precisely interpreted by machine vision systems, and the installation of real-time communication systems throughout roadways in order to transport critical data to the vehicles.

Apparently, the parking areas are also being adapted so as to include intelligent features like automated guidance along with self-parking capabilities, which are all aimed at decreasing any sort of human error and also enhancing the traffic flow. The authority stated that the code goes on to act as a unified, technical reference across all relevant stakeholders, including municipal bodies, city development authorities, and, of course, government ministries. It offers a framework in terms of designing, planning, operating, and even maintaining road infrastructure in a way that syncs with the environmental priorities as well as the evolving transportation tech. It also happens to include procedural guidance along with evaluation tools in order to help ensure that road projects happen to meet acceptable benchmarks in terms of sustainability, safety, and economic efficiency.

Being a part of the authority’s regulatory role, the Saudi roads code happened to be first introduced as a voluntary framework, with its complete application to public sector bodies becoming essential at the beginning of 2025. Compliance when it comes to the private sector officially started in the middle of 2025. It is well to be noted that the code reflects Saudi Arabia’s strategic commitment in order to prepare its infrastructure for future mobility while at the same time maintaining its worldwide leadership when it comes to transportation safety along with digital transformation.

Equipment scarcity as well as the reliance on outdated, legacy technologies to resolve today’s challenges are fast becoming the key underlying obstacles affecting SMEs to maintain their competitive advantage in today’s bottlenecked supply chain reality. More and more, companies are understanding that along with the investment in the assets must be the investment in asset management technology.

It has become clear that the right asset management platform—meaning the right technology, the right team of experts, the right level of adaptability and scalability– can serve as an invaluable tool to not only manage assets, but to also transform operations and streamline processes.

The growing importance of technology for competitive advantage

While SMEs are looking for technology to help them respond to market shifts and evolving business strategies, they typically rely on modest IT budgets and stretched-thin admin teams. As their current software is reaching its end-of-life phase, SMEs are looking for cost-effective, scalable technology that can address today’s needs as well as those of the future. They rely on technology partners to help understand what is necessary: Is it an upgrade to a current system? Is a modification or new feature in order? Will a plug-in elevate the system to where it needs to be? Should this be a start-from-scratch system?

There is no doubt that as time goes on, SMEs–even those who may have resisted technology– will rely on technology services and solutions more and more, as the agility and flexibility of small and medium-sized enterprises within the supply chain have become ever more vital to supply chain fluidity. Innovative asset management technology platforms are enabling fleet managers to optimize their assets, control costs, manage M&R (maintenance & repair) as well as reduce admin costs.  Tools designed to manage M&R help ensure streamlined communications, accountability, productivity and, most importantly, safe equipment. Customers utilizing asset management technology realize these robust benefits and more.

When selecting an asset management platform, it’s important to work with a partner with a proven track record, such as, Consolidated Intermodal Technologies (CIT), which was developed by Consolidated Chassis Management (CCM) and, for the last 10 years, has served as the asset management tool for its chassis pools. CIT is designed for fleet managers looking to upgrade their technology to support a growing fleet in a sustainable, scalable and efficient manner. CIT’s platform focuses on various intermodal equipment fleets, including chassis, trailers, containers, reefers and gensets of around 100 units.

These types of technology solutions are emerging as a competitive advantage by providing real-time visibility that enables businesses to make strategic decisions based upon quantitative analysis. Efficient asset management will provide the opportunity for SMEs and larger companies to outsource many back-office activities, enabling internal resources to be redirected to value-adding processes, including supply chain management. In fact, these services offer the possibility for SMEs to reduce labor costs, and the human capital necessary to manage their supply chain operations.

When it comes to investing in technology, we at CIT believe it is important to remember that one size does not fit all. It is crucial to collaborate with a technology partner who understand your business, your IT capabilities and resources as well as your goals. With the right asset management platform and team of experts that “get you,” business of all sizes can address the most complex and critical challenges to optimize operations, align business objectives and enhance corporate culture practices.

CIT is an innovative and proprietary asset management platform designed to enhance efficiency, elevate productivity, increase visibility, improve workflows and processes while lowering expenses and eliminating time-consuming redundancies. CITunderstands the pain points of fleet managers as well as the importance of optimizing assets that are in compliance and on the road.  For more than 10 years, the CIT platform has been the technology behind CCM’s fleet optimization system.

A seasoned technology executive with over 30 years of transportation IT industry experience, Mr. Thomas Martucci oversees the development and implementation of technology strategies that generate revenue and reduce costs. As VP for CCM and CTO for CIT, Mr. Martucci is responsible for business process management, software development, and technology implementation.

About Author

Tom Martucci, Chief Technology Officer, Consolidated Intermodal Technologies

Milan Nedeljkovic, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production, to mark its foundation said: “In founding IDEALworks, we are creating a new business segment for our logistics solutions. In recent years, our logistics innovation team has been working in depth on the digitalisation and automatisation of production logistics and has developed some unique solutions. The Smart Transport Robot, STR, in particular has met with great response and has seen demand from both within and outside of the BMW Group. Founding IDEALworks is now the logical next step for the BMW Group as a driver of innovation.”

Jimmy Nassif, CTO, IDEALworks said: “We are entering completely new terrain with IDEALworks. Up until now, our development has focused on automotive production and its logistics. Our perspective is changing now. We are becoming a provider of logistics robotics beyond the automotive industry. We are preparing some innovations for the coming months.”

The OEM says since 2015, the innovations team from BMW Group Logistics has been working on future-focused industry 4.0 solutions in the fields of virtual reality, augmented reality, in- and outdoor logistics robots, paperless logistics and smart devices. Many of these solutions are already in series production at BMW Group production locations. In 2019, BMW Group Logistics received the prestigious Deutscher Logistik Preis (German Logistics Award). The Smart Transport Robot and its management software were also recognised as part of this award.

IDEALworks to launch Smart Transport Robot
The Smart Transport Robot (STR) was developed in 2015 in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute. The flat, autonomous and mobile robots can transport goods weighing up to one tonne to their destination. They independently calculate the best route and move freely around the space using the SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) navigation method.

The SLAM algorithm does not require permanent navigation transmitters to be installed in buildings and can therefore be set up quickly in a new environment without requiring any structural adjustments. An integrated battery module from the BMW i3 is able to supply the STR with power for at least an entire shift. The next generation of the STR will be rolled out at the end of 2020. Currently, more than 130 STRs are already in series production at several different BMW Group production sites.

Markus Bauer, COO, IDEALworks said: “With the Smart Transport Robot, we have launched a highly competitive product. From October onwards, we have been carrying out pilot projects at companies from a wide range of industries. These trials show just how robust and versatile the STR is. The success of the pilot project and the resulting demand for the STR were decisive in founding IDEALworks. We want to develop IDEALworks into a top player among the providers of industrial logistics robots in the long term.”

In its initial phase, the team consists of around 30 experts from a wide range of fields and nationalities.
Tags: BMW Group, IDEALworks, logisitics, Industry 4.0, autonomous, autonomous robot, Jimmy Nassif, Milan Nedeljkovic, Markus Bauer

“The pace of change we’re seeing in the supply-chain industry today is unparalleled. Being able to quickly scale and adapt our technology is what helps give our customers a competitive advantage,” said Chris O’Brien, chief commercial officer, C.H. Robinson. “As we continue to invest and enhance our technology built by and for supply-chain experts, we look to partner with other best-in-class companies that bring the most value to our customers. Through Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, we gain more scalability, premier data security and increased application speed, which benefit our customers and carriers around the world.”

Through this collaboration, Navisphere — C.H. Robinson’splatform — will now leverage Azure IoT Central to integrate IoT device monitoring that measures factors such as temperature, shock, tilt, humidity, light and pressure in shipments to give customers an even more detailed level of intelligence about goods as they move through the supply chain. Together, C.H. Robinson and Microsoft work with many of the Fortune 250 companies, which means this alliance makes it even easier to scale and develop new solutions to provide the world’s largest shippers with greater supply-chain efficiency, real-time insights and visibility.

“We are committed to providing customers with a trusted, easy-to-use platform so they can build seamless, smart and secure solutions regardless of where they are on their IoT journey,” said Sam George, corporate vice president, Azure IoT, Microsoft. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with C.H. Robinson as it transforms the supply-chain industry by leveraging our Microsoft Azure and Azure IoT solutions.”

The new collaboration builds on C.H. Robinson and Microsoft’s already rich history of working together. Navisphere Microsoft’s global supply chain, giving the company real-time visibility into inventory, at rest or in motion anywhere in the world. In addition, in collaboration with Microsoft, C.H. Robinson built Navisphere Vision, a global real-time visibility product that leverages Azure IoT solutions, machine learning and predictive analytics to assess potential disruptions across supply chains.

Through C.H. Robinson’s TMC division and Navisphere Vision, Microsoft is driving innovations in its own supply chain to provide more predictability and proactive decision-making to its various business groups.

“The supply chain of the future is smarter, less volatile and can be navigated with a new level of visibility thanks to the power of this relationship. Through this collaboration, our customers receive a greater competitive edge, as well as industry-leading insights and expertise,” said Jordan Kass, president of Managed Services at C.H. Robinson.

In addition to C.H. Robinson’s innovation on Azure, the company is also leveraging  Dynamics 365 and Power BI to streamline its customer relationship management (CRM) platform, supporting C.H. Robinson’s commitment to customer centricity from small business to the world’s largest shippers. As part of its relationship with Microsoft, C.H. Robinson will integrate its real-time pricing, execution and transportation management tools into Dynamics 365, making these digitally-driven logistics capabilities available to Microsoft customers.

About C.H. Robinson

C.H. Robinson solves logistics problems for companies across the globe and across industries, from the simple to the most complex. With nearly $20 billion in freight under management and 18 million shipments annually, we are one of the world’s largest logistics platforms. Our global suite of services accelerates trade to seamlessly deliver the products and goods that drive the world’s economy. With the combination of our multimodal transportation management system and expertise, we use our information advantage to deliver smarter solutions for our more than 119,000 customers and 78,000 contract carriers. Our technology is built by and for supply chain experts to bring faster, more meaningful improvements to our customers’ businesses. As a responsible global citizen, we are also proud to contribute millions of dollars to support causes that matter to our company, our Foundation and our employees.

About Microsoft

Microsoft enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

The contract to Calgary Safelink Partners consortium, in which Vinci has a 65% stake and Graham has the remaining 35% stake, comprises of the design and construction of the southern segment of the ring road.

Under the contract, the consortium will design and construct the Highway 8 to Old Banff Coach Road Segment of the project to complete the ring road.

The scope of the work will include the construction of 5km of road infrastructure encompassing four interchanges, seven bridges and a tunnel for pedestrians and the work will include earthworks, drainage, paving and public lighting.

Preliminary works on the project will begin this summer and the majority of the construction is expected to begin in the spring of next year.

Upon completion of the final section of the road in 2024, the West Calgary Ring Road, located between Highway 8 and the Trans-Canada Highway, is expected to provide more than 100km of free-flow travel around the city and on to the rest of the country. The West Calgary Ring Road is being completed in three phases.

Graham infrastructure general manager Tom Cole said: “The key to these complex roadway projects is pulling professional people together who enjoy delivering infrastructure projects as one unified team.

“With all the challenges faced from project kick off, through design, construction, and right up to the final product handover, people work with people to achieve great things. Our team is excited to be part of connecting the final portion of the Calgary Ring Road.”

Vinci will be involved in the project through its subsidiaries Carmacks and Vinci Construction Terrassement.