Logistics Consortium baton Conducts Demonstrative Operation of Driver Exchange System for Cross-Company Relay Transport with Seino Transportation, Fukuyama Transporting, Meitetsu NX Transport, and Tonami Transportation
Logistics Consortium baton, in collaboration with Seino Transportation, Fukuyama Transporting, Meitetsu NX Transport, and Tonami Transportation, conducted a demonstrative operation of a driver exchange system for cross-company relay transport between Kanto and Kansai. The goal is to make long-distance transport a day trip, improve working environments, maintain transport efficiency, and identify challenges for social implementation.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 2, 2026 at 14:00
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 21, 2026 at 23:50 (465h 49m after Collected)
Logistics Consortium baton conducted a demonstrative operation of a cross-company relay transport using a driver exchange system for trunk line consolidated cargo transport between Kanto and Kansai from January 30-31, 2026, and February 6-7, 2026. Four companies participating in baton — Seino Transportation Co., Ltd., Fukuyama Transporting Co., Ltd., Meitetsu NX Transport Co., Ltd., and Tonami Transportation Co., Ltd. — took part in this demonstrative operation.
By implementing a scheme where drivers belonging to different companies mutually swap vehicles at relay points, the consortium verified the feasibility of making long-distance operations into day trips. Furthermore, they re-evaluated and organized the challenges that need to be addressed in terms of operations in actual use, hardware specifications such as vehicles, and aspects like systems and labor management.
## Background and Purpose of the Demonstration Experiment
In the logistics industry, responding to working hour regulations for long-distance drivers and securing mid-term personnel to maintain the transport network are urgent issues. In a situation where a single company cannot solve these problems alone, Logistics Consortium baton has been working on co-creation beyond company boundaries. The objectives of this demonstration experiment are as follows:
- ① Improvement of working environment: Convert long-distance operations requiring overnight stays into day trips to reduce the burden on drivers.
- ② Maintenance of transport efficiency: Complete round-trip operations without changing transport lead times by using a driver exchange system.
- ③ Extraction of challenges for social implementation: Clarify hurdles in actual operation, such as differences in operations and specifications, methods for roll call and labor management, and demarcation of responsibilities in case of trouble.
If this initiative, where drivers from traditionally competing operators exchange their trucks at an intermediate point and return to their starting area, is realized, it would enable day trips for long-distance operations on some routes, creating new working style options unbound by long-standing customs. In this demonstration, operational and institutional challenges for practical application were identified in a timetable designed to enable long-distance drivers to complete their work within a day.
## Overview of the Demonstration Experiment
The cross-company relay transport promoted as the first initiative by baton adopts a driver exchange system. Targeting large trucks, which account for a large proportion of vehicles used in trunk line transport in Japan, and aiming for implementation with a driver exchange system that does not require cargo handling at relay points, the goal is to quickly establish new working styles in long-distance trunk line transport.
- Team 1: Seino Transportation x Fukuyama Transporting
- Date: January 30 (Fri) - January 31 (Sat), 2026
- Relay point: Seino Transportation Hamamatsu Branch (Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture)
By implementing a scheme where drivers belonging to different companies mutually swap vehicles at relay points, the consortium verified the feasibility of making long-distance operations into day trips. Furthermore, they re-evaluated and organized the challenges that need to be addressed in terms of operations in actual use, hardware specifications such as vehicles, and aspects like systems and labor management.
## Background and Purpose of the Demonstration Experiment
In the logistics industry, responding to working hour regulations for long-distance drivers and securing mid-term personnel to maintain the transport network are urgent issues. In a situation where a single company cannot solve these problems alone, Logistics Consortium baton has been working on co-creation beyond company boundaries. The objectives of this demonstration experiment are as follows:
- ① Improvement of working environment: Convert long-distance operations requiring overnight stays into day trips to reduce the burden on drivers.
- ② Maintenance of transport efficiency: Complete round-trip operations without changing transport lead times by using a driver exchange system.
- ③ Extraction of challenges for social implementation: Clarify hurdles in actual operation, such as differences in operations and specifications, methods for roll call and labor management, and demarcation of responsibilities in case of trouble.
If this initiative, where drivers from traditionally competing operators exchange their trucks at an intermediate point and return to their starting area, is realized, it would enable day trips for long-distance operations on some routes, creating new working style options unbound by long-standing customs. In this demonstration, operational and institutional challenges for practical application were identified in a timetable designed to enable long-distance drivers to complete their work within a day.
## Overview of the Demonstration Experiment
The cross-company relay transport promoted as the first initiative by baton adopts a driver exchange system. Targeting large trucks, which account for a large proportion of vehicles used in trunk line transport in Japan, and aiming for implementation with a driver exchange system that does not require cargo handling at relay points, the goal is to quickly establish new working styles in long-distance trunk line transport.
- Team 1: Seino Transportation x Fukuyama Transporting
- Date: January 30 (Fri) - January 31 (Sat), 2026
- Relay point: Seino Transportation Hamamatsu Branch (Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture)