ABF Freight System, Inc. - Transparent Links, Transit Time

This type of server to server connection enables you to get transit time information by making a direct call to the ABF server from your server. The ABF server will return an XML document that you can parse to extract the exact information you need. This information can be used to return a dynamic page to your customer, or it can be used to update your own database. The following is the XML data-type definition for the document returned by this type of transit time:


`<ABF>`						ABF Transit Time Data Type Definition.
	`<TRANSITINFO>`					Transit time information. This section will only be returned when there are no errors in originally entered information.
		`<TRDAYS>`				Days in transit from origin to destination.
		`<TRANSITTIME>`				Transit time from origin to destination.
		`<DUEDATE>`				Date to expect shipment to be delivered.
		`<PICKUPDATE>`				Date shipment is to be picked up.
		`<ORIGIN>`				Origin information.
			`<CITY>`			Origin city.
			`<STATE>`			Origin state.
			`<ZIP>`			Origin zip/postal code.
			`<COUNTRY>`			Origin country.
			`<TYPE>`			Origin service type: DIRECT, CONNECT, or MIA if served DIRECT (via marketing Partner).
			`<DELIVERY>`			Pickup at the origin terminal only on the day(s) returned.
			`<STATION>`			Origin serving terminal code.
			`<STATIONADDRESS>`			Origin serving terminal address.
			`<STATIONCITY>`			Origin serving terminal city.
			`<STATIONSTATE>`			Origin serving terminal state.
			`<STATIONPHONE>`			Origin serving terminal phone number.
		`</ORIGIN>`
		`<DESTINATION>`				Destination information.
			`<CITY>`			Destination city.
			`<STATE>`			Destination state.
			`<ZIP>`			Destination zip/postal code.
			`<COUNTRY>`			Destination country.
			`<TYPE>`			Destination service type: DIRECT, CONNECT, or MIA if served DIRECT (via marketing Partner).
			`<DELIVERY>`			Delivery at the destination terminal only on the day(s) returned.
			`<STATION>`			Destination serving terminal code.
			`<STATIONADDRESS>`			Destination serving terminal address.
			`<STATIONCITY>`			Destination serving terminal city.
			`<STATIONSTATE>`			Destination serving terminal state.
			`<STATIONPHONE>`			Destination serving terminal phone number.
		`</DESTINATION>`
	`</TRANSITINFO>`
	`<CITYCODEINFO>`					City Code Information. This section will only be returned if there has been an error in the origin or destination city/state/zip location.
		`<ORIGIN>`				Origin Information. This section will only be returned if there has been an error in the origin's city/state/zip.
			`<SIMILARCITIES>`			Similar Cities. This section contains listings of <CITYRECORD> comparable to the origin city/state originally entered.
				`<CITYRECORD>`		City Record.
					`<CITY>`	Possible city intended for the origin.
					`<STATE>`	Possible state code intended for the origin.
					`<ZIP>`	Possible zip/postal code intended for the origin.
				`</CITYRECORD>`
				`<NUMRECORDS>`		Number of City Records in <SIMILARCITIES> for the origin.
				`<NUMUNIQUECITIES>`		Number of Unique Cities in <SIMILARCITIES> for the origin.
			`</SIMILARCITIES>`
			`<SIMILARZIPS>`			Similar Zips. This section contains listings of <CITYRECORD> comparable to the origin zip/postal code originally entered.
				`<ZIPRECORD>`		Zip Record.
					`<CITY>`	Possible city intended for the origin.
					`<STATE>`	Possible state code intended for the origin.
					`<ZIP>`	Possible zip/postal code intended for the origin.
				`</ZIPRECORD>`
				`<NUMRECORDS>`		Number of Zip Records in <SIMILARZIPS> for the origin.
				`<NUMUNIQUEZIPS>`		Number of Unique Zips in <SIMILARZIPS> for the origin.
			`</SIMILARZIPS>`
			`<ZIPINFO>`			Zip Code Information. This section shows the origin city/state/zip that was originally entered.
				`<CITY>`		Originally entered origin city.
				`<STATE>`		Originally entered origin state.
				`<ZIP>`		Originally entered origin zip/postal code.
			`</ZIPINFO>`
			`<DROPDOWN>`			Dropdown for city coding information. This section contains HTML code needed to populate a drop down list box of <CITYRECORD> and <ZIPRECORD> entries.
		`</ORIGIN>`
		`<DESTINATION>`				Destination Information. The information contained within <DESTINATION> follows the same format as that contained within <ORIGIN>. This section will only be returned if there has been an error in the destination's city/state/zip.
	`</CITYCODEINFO>`
	`<ADDRESSINFO>`					Address Information. This section will only be returned if the origin or destination location address is required.
		`<ORIGIN>`				Origin Information. This section will only be returned if the origin location address is required.
			`<ADDRESSRECORD>`			Address Record.
				`<LOC>`		Possible account location for the origin.
				`<ADDRESS>`		Possible location address for the origin.
			`</ADDRESSRECORD>`
			`<NUMADDRESSRECORDS>`			Number of Address Records for the origin.
			`<ADDRESSDROPDOWN>`			Dropdown for address information. This section contains HTML code needed to populate a drop down list box of <ADDRESSRECORD> entries.
		`</ORIGIN>`
		`<DESTINATION>`				Destination Information. The information contained within <DESTINATION> follows the same format as that contained within <ORIGIN>. This section will only be returned if the destination location address is required.
	`</ADDRESSINFO>`
	`<LOCATIONINFO>`					Location Information. This section will only be returned if the origin or destination location is required.
		`<ORIGIN>`				Origin Information. This section will only be returned if the origin location is required.
			`<LOCRECORD>`			Location Record.
				`<LOC>`		Possible account location for the origin.
				`<ADDRESS>`		Possible location address for the origin.
				`<CITY>`		Possible location city for the origin.
				`<STATE>`		Possible location state for the origin.
				`<ZIP>`		Possible location zip for the origin.
			`</LOCRECORD>`
			`<NUMLOCATIONRECORDS>`			Number of Location Records for the origin.
			`<LOCATIONDROPDOWN>`			Dropdown for location information. This section contains HTML code needed to populate a drop down list box of <LOCRECORD> entries.
		`</ORIGIN>`
		`<DESTINATION>`				Destination Information. The information contained within <DESTINATION> follows the same format as that contained within <ORIGIN>. This section will only be returned if the destination location is required.
	`</LOCATIONINFO>`
	`<NUMERRORS>`					Number of errors associated with request. NUMERRORS must be "0" to return transit time.
	`<ERRORS>`					Group of errors. Click here for a list of possible error codes and messages. This section will only be returned when errors were found in originally entered information.
		`<ERRORCODE>`				Code assigned to error.
		`<ERRORMESSAGE>`				Message association with error.
	`</ERRORS>`
`<ABF>`

To call the XML transit time inquiry from your server, you must be using an XML parser. Initialize the parser and set URL to the following:

Note: Required variables are in Red. All other variables are optional.

Start with this URL: http://www.abfs.com/xml/transitxml.asp?DL=2

Add the following variables:

Account
Information AcctNum Your abf.com User ID.

Password Your abf.com Password.

Requester
Affiliation Shipper "Y" if you are the Shipper.

Consignee "Y" if you are the Consignee.

Origin
Information OriginLocation Origin location number.

OriginAddress Origin address.

OriginCity Origin city.

OriginState Origin state.

OriginZip Origin zip.

OriginCountry Origin country.

Destination
Information DestLocation Destination location number.

DestAddress Destination address.

DestCity Destination city.

DestState Destination state.

DestZip Destination zip.

DestCountry Destination country.

Pickup Date
Information PickupMonth Month of pickup date.

PickupDay Day of pickup date.

PickupYear Year of pickup date.

Pickup date will default to today's date if no pickup date information is provided.

Example: http://www.abfs.com/xml/transitxml.asp?DL=2
&AcctNum=999999&Password=test01&Shipper=Y
&OriginCity=FORT+SMITH&OriginState=AR
&OriginZip=72906&OriginCountry=US
&DestCity=LAWRENCE&DestState=KS
&DestZip=66044&DestCountry=US
&PickupMonth=3&PickupDay=13&PickupYear=2010

Click here for more information on this server to server method.

For more information on XML authoring, parsers, specifications, and additional resources, check out the XML section of the Web Developer's Virtual Library.