September 15 & 22 – Two-part CILTNA webinar series on Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Transport & Logistics
Date/Time
Date(s) - 15 September 2026 - 22 September 2026
12:00 pm EDT - 1:00 pm EDT
September 15 – “Decision Intelligence in Logistics: Combining Generative AI, Optimization, and Human Expertise”
Join us on Tuesday, September 15 at 12 pm ET/ 9 am PT/ 5 pm GMT for the first in our CILTNA two-part webinar series: “Decision Intelligence in Logistics: Combining Generative AI, Optimization, and Human Expertise”.
Vijoe Maria Michael Raj, CMILT, Manager, Operations Research, FedEx Freight, will provide a balanced perspective on how Generative AI can complement, and not replace traditional analytics, optimization, and subject matter experts(logistics professionals). Key themes of presentation will include:
- Distinct roles of AI, optimization models, and human expertise
- Practical examples of how organizations can augment existing analytical capabilities without overestimating AI’s capabilities
- Real-world limitations, risks, and governance considerations
September 22 – “From Reactive to Proactive: How AI Is Reshaping Carrier Performance in Large-Scale Freight Networks”
Join us again on Tuesday, September 22 at 12 pm ET/ 9 am PT/ 5 pm GMT for the second presentation in our CILTNA two-part webinar series: “From Reactive to Proactive: How AI Is Reshaping Carrier Performance in Large-Scale Freight Networks”.
Debanshu Sharma, CMILT, Senior Supply Chain Manager, Amazon.com Services LLC, will share practical lessons from building and deploying the Predictive Reliability Index (PRI) — a machine learning framework that generates pre-departure carrier risk scores across large-scale truckload networks. Rather than reacting to carrier failures after they occur, the PRI enables proactive coaching before execution. Drawing on data from 1,600+ carriers and 150,000+ shipments, Debanshu will cover framework design, operational deployment, behavioral change management with carriers, and measurable outcomes including a 35% reduction in pickup defects. Honest lessons on what works, what doesn’t, and what’s next for AI in freight.
About the presenters:
Vijoe Maria Michael Raj, CMILT, Manager, Operations Research, FedEx Freight
Vijoe Maria Michael Raj, CMILT, is a Manager of Operations Research at FedEx with expertise in applied operations research, industrial engineering, logistics optimization, and freight transportation network design. His work focuses on applying mathematical optimization, decision science, and advanced analytics to improve transportation planning, capacity utilization, linehaul efficiency, asset repositioning, and network performance.
He developed ZION (Zonal Integer Operations Nexus), an applied optimization framework for structuring transportation and resource-allocation problems using multi-criteria ranking, predictive modeling, mathematical programming, and network optimization. Earlier applications of ZION-informed methods were used in transportation and logistics settings to support routing, load consolidation, trailer-utilization, and resource-allocation decisions, demonstrating the practical value of his optimization approach beyond academic research.
Vijoe holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering with a specialization in Operations Research from the University at Buffalo and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Thiagarajar College of Engineering. He is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.
Debanshu Sharma, CMILT, Senior Supply Chain Manager, Amazon.com Services LLC
Debanshu Sharma is a supply chain and transportation strategy expert with 15+ years of experience in freight network design, carrier performance optimization, and predictive analytics. He leads transportation strategy initiatives at Amazon Transportation Services, where his work spans machine learning-based carrier risk management and network design across one of the world’s largest transportation networks. He developed the Predictive Reliability Index (PRI), a machine learning framework for pre-departure carrier risk scoring validated on 150,000+ shipments across 1,600+ carriers. His published work spans Supply Chain Management Review, CSCMP Supply Chain Xchange, SupplyChainBrain, and Inbound Logistics. He holds an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
About the moderator:
John Coleman, FCILT, Director, CILTNA
John Coleman is a Senior Fellow at Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration, where he teaches and does research in transportation policy.
He spent almost 40 years managing scientific research and technology, 30 of them at the National Research Council of Canada where he held a number of senior positions including acting Vice-President of Engineering, and Director General of Surface Transportation Technology. He has contributed to Transport Canada’s policy and technology development as a member of TC’s Railway Research Advisory Board since 1993, and author of reports for the Canada Transportation Act Review in 2015 and the Railway Safety Act Review in 2017.
John is a member of the National Board of CILTNA and serves as its Treasurer.
*REGISTERING BELOW WILL SIGN YOU UP TO ATTEND BOTH WEBINARS. INDIVIDUAL ZOOM LINKS WILL BE SENT TO YOU BY EMAIL ONE WEEK PRIOR TO EACH WEBINAR.*
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Last modified: 19 August 2026