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Why This Matters: The Trust Gap in Logistics Visibility
Here's what we've learned from working with thousands of logistics professionals: trust requires transparency.
Even the most experienced operators find themselves double-checking sources. They verify carrier websites. They cross-reference terminal portals. They compare rail system data. Not because they're skeptical by nature—but because the stakes are too high to guess.
When a terminal shows one Last Free Day, the carrier shows another, and your system displays a third, which one do you believe? When demurrage penalties are on the line, you need to know not just what the data says, but where it came from and why it was selected.
This verification work is costing the industry millions in time and missed opportunities. While some teams are making decisions in seconds, others are still stuck in verification mode—checking sources, reconciling discrepancies, and reacting too late.
We’re closing that trust gap.
The OpenTrack Difference: Premium Visibility, Now with Data Explainability
OpenTrack has always been about more than just data—it's about delivering battle-tested visibility that logistics professionals can actually rely on.
Now, with Data Explainability, we're setting a new standard for what premium visibility means. It's not enough to show you an ETA or an LFD. We show you where it came from, why we selected it, and what alternatives exist—so you can make decisions with complete confidence.
This is what separates leading logistics operations from everyone else: not just data, but data you can trust at a glance.
And here's what's happening right now: early adopters are already seeing the impact. Faster decision-making. Increased platform adoption across their teams. Better customer experiences. Reduced operational overhead. While others are still manually verifying, they're already three steps ahead.
Explainability Powers Proactive Customer Communication
Data Explainability doesn't just help you trust your data—it helps your customers trust you. Every "Why did the ETA change?" or "Which LFD should I use?" is a customer question your team has to stop and answer.
With explainability, your customers already have the answers they need. Instead of fielding questions and justifying updates, you're delivering transparent visibility that builds confidence and cuts communication overhead.
Your customers get answers without asking, and you reclaim hours spent on explanations. It's proactive communication at scale—the kind of service quality that build trust and wins renewals and referrals.
What Is Data Explainability?
Data Explainability goes beyond simply displaying ETAs and Last Free Days. It shows you the complete picture: every data source we consulted, the alternatives we considered, and the reasoning behind why we selected the information we're showing you.
Think of it as looking under the hood of your visibility platform. Instead of wondering "Can I trust this ETA?", you can see exactly how we arrived at it and make informed decisions with confidence.
For logistics professionals who've spent years manually cross-checking carrier websites, terminal portals, and rail systems, this is game-changing. You get the transparency you need without the manual verification work.
The best part? Your competitors who are still using legacy visibility tools don't have this. They're still stuck in the verification cycle, while you're already executing.
How OpenTrack Delivers Explainability
OpenTrack's Data Explainability currently covers the two most critical data points that drive your operations: ETAs and Last Free Days (LFD).
ETA Explainability: Why This Prediction?
ETAs drive everything—from drayage appointments to warehouse staffing to customer commitments. But when your ocean carrier, terminal, and AIS data all show different arrival times, which one should you use?
OpenTrack's algorithms already aggregate data from multiple sources to deliver more accurate ETAs than any single source alone. Now, with ETA Explainability, you can see exactly how we made that call.
Here's what you get:
- All reported ETAs from every source (ocean carrier, terminal, vessel AIS, rail operator, OpenTrack predictive AI)
- The selected ETA that OpenTrack displays
- Plain-language reasoning explaining why we chose that specific prediction
For example, if an import container on the rail has four competing ETAs to its final rail facility:
- Ocean carrier: May 5
- Rail carrier: May 2
- Railinc: May 3
- OpenTrack predictive AI: May 1
You'll see all four predictions, understand which one OpenTrack selected, and read a clear explanation like: "We chose the OpenTrack prediction because the other predictions were unrealistic given the current location of the train."
This transparency doesn't just build trust—it materially accelerates adoption among operators who are used to manually checking sources. Teams that would have spent 15 minutes verifying data are now making calls in 15 seconds.
LFD Explainability: Why This Last Free Day?
Last Free Days are notoriously inconsistent. Terminal LFD and Line LFD can differ materially—and using the wrong date can cost you hundreds or thousands in demurrage and per diem charges.
OpenTrack collects LFD from all available sources and, when displaying a single date, selects the earliest one to help you avoid penalties. With LFD Explainability, you can now see:
- All LFDs reported by different sources (carrier, terminal, etc.)
- The selected LFD we're displaying
- Why we chose it (typically the earliest date to minimize risk)
No more second-guessing. No more manual verification. No more demurrage surprises. Just clear, actionable data you can trust—and act on faster than your competition.
How to Access Data Explainability
OpenTrack's Data Explainability is available in two ways, depending on how your team works:
1. In the OpenTrack Platform
Using the OpenTrack dashboard, explainability is just one click away:
- Click on any container in your shipment list
- Look for the "zoom in" icon next to the Ocean ETA, Rail ETA, or Last Free Day
- Hover over the icon to instantly see the tooltip with all sources, alternatives, and selection reasoning
It's that simple. Instant transparency, zero extra work.
2. Via the OpenTrack API
For teams that have integrated OpenTrack into their own TMS, WMS, or custom applications, Data Explainability is available through our API.
ETA Explainability via API allows you to:
- Enrich your milestone data with metadata showing where each data point originated
- Display all candidate ETAs from different sources
- Show the selection reasoning directly in your own interface
- Build trust with your customers by providing transparent, source-attributed visibility
LFD Explainability via API is coming soon. If you're interested in integrating LFD attribution data, contact our product team—we'd love to hear about your use case.
For full technical documentation, visit our API docs on Milestone and ETA Attribution.
What Leading Logistics Teams Are Already Experiencing
In our experience working with freight forwarders, customs brokers, carriers, and importers, we've seen a consistent pattern among early adopters of Data Explainability:
Faster decision-making. No more waiting for manual verification
Increased platform adoption. Teams trust data they can trace
Better customer experience. Transparent visibility builds confidence
Reduced operational overhead. Less time spent cross-checking sources
Competitive advantage. Responding to exceptions before competitors even see them
Whether you're managing thousands of containers for strategic accounts, coordinating drayage across multiple terminals, or navigating customs clearance under tight deadlines, explainability transforms visibility from a nice-to-have into a mission-critical tool.
The question isn't whether your team needs this level of transparency. It's whether you can afford to be the last one to adopt it.
Ready to Experience Data Explainability?
OpenTrack's Data Explainability is available as part of our premium visibility platform. Whether you're accessing it through our dashboard or integrating it via API, you'll get the transparency and trust your operations demand.
The logistics teams gaining ground on their competition aren't waiting. They're already using Data Explainability to make faster, more confident decisions while others are still stuck verifying sources.
Want to see it in action? Schedule a demo to explore how Data Explainability can transform your container visibility.
Already an OpenTrack customer? Contact your Customer Success team or email support@opentrack.co to enable Data Explainability for your account today.
Building your own logistics platform? Check out our API documentation to learn how to integrate ETA Explainability into your application—and give your customers the transparency advantage.
