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Transportation

Railways : Train status and reservation
More than a crore people travel by train in India and warrant information relating to arrival, departure, availability of berths, distance between locations, choice of trains, fare etc.
An IVRS can provide all these information in a matter of minutes over the phone.

Railways: Cargo
Similarly IVRS can provide information relating to millions of parcels and cargo moving through the railways and update the callers about the booking, status of dispatch and collection, delays, freight, damages and claims.

Airlines: Flight Status
A large number of calls received by airlines involve questions about flight status. This information can be dispensed by a Computer Telephony system more effectively without any inconvenience to airline personnel. The same computer that activates the arrival and departure listings seen in airports can be connected to a Computer Telephony system to provide the information in recorded format to callers.

Airlines: Frequent Fliers
A large number of calls to airlines involve questions about frequent flier programs. Most callers are trying to get a record of their mileage credits or update their account. A Computer Telephony system answers these calls, leaving airline agents free to field revenue-producing calls. The system is programmed to ask for each caller's frequent flier number and security code. After this information is taken, the caller is prompted to enter digits to verify flight credits and the number of points accrued.

Trucking: Dispatch, Logistics
Special dispatch and messaging systems are starting to use call processing technology to make it easier for truckers to receive instructions from their dispatchers without being kept on hold for long periods of time. Drivers are provided with an identification number and job number for each load. A series of codes is provided by the Computer Telephony system that is input by the driver to indicate the status of a delivery. The codes include information about the time of pickup, distance traveled, and estimated time of delivery. This information is forwarded to a computer to determine the optimal coordination of return loads, alternate routes, and contingency plans. ANI (Automatic Number Identification) can be used to validate truckers' locations or to automatically pull up records for automated dispatch.

Shipping: Global Tracking
Shipping lines track the progress of cargo ships for thousands of ports worldwide. They receive daily reports of location, weather conditions, delays, repairs, and other information that is entered into a central computer. This information is used to answer the many calls they receive concerning the whereabouts of ships and their containers. A Computer Telephony system, connected to the shipping line's central computer system, can provide this information to callers automatically. Callers are prompted to enter a shipping manifest number or the number of the ship or containers in question. The system responds with the currently available location of the ship, its destination, and the estimated arrival time at port.

Interstate Buses:
IVRS can help long distance buses in giving upto date information relating to arrival, departure, availability of seats, fare etc. like in the case of railways.

Package Tracking
Most package delivery companies are now installing computerized tracking and inventory systems for major clients. These systems allow customers to generate their own packing slips that are automatically logged by the delivery service. Computer Telephony systems can be connected to these computers to allow customers to dial in and enter a tracking number by phone. The system provides the location of the package and the estimated delivery time and location. More sophisticated systems can produce a lost package tracer report that can be automatically faxed to a customer.