On a Roll: How a New Auto Plant Revived a Town
Six years ago, West Point, Ga., was on the brink of becoming a ghost town. More than 16,000 of the town’s factory jobs disappeared in the past 20 years, leading to high unemployment, a low standard of living, and a lost sense of community. But then, something amazing happened. In 2006, South Korean car company […]
Four Simple Questions for Improved Picking Performance
The process of receiving a product into inventory is just as important as picking or removing it from inventory. A solid slotting plan for receiving and storing products in a facility supports quicker and more accurate picking. Slotting is the concept of using data analysis to assign every part a location based on its specific […]
Online Education: An Ideal Medium for Logistics Professionals
Although continuing education offers logistics professionals many benefits, long hours, shift schedules, travel, and jobs in remote locations can make attending classes difficult. Online education has quickly emerged as a preferred learning method for logistics professionals. Today’s online classroom offers dynamic peer interaction, based more on real-world, practical applications than traditional theory. This focus enables […]
Are You Effectively Managing Supply Chain Risk?
The events of Sept. 11, 2001, changed the way global businesses operate. The need for supply chain transparency has expanded beyond shipment tracking to include knowing trading partners’ background, the processes they handle, and the risk inherent at each stage of the supply chain from the factory floor to ultimate destination. Many regulations affect the […]
5 Steps to Improving Food Product Traceability
Food safety represents a pressing concern for consumers and food retailers. Several high-profile incidents have cost billions due to sickened consumers, lost sales, and contaminated products. If these occurrences have taught U.S. retailers anything, it’s that the ability to react swiftly and appropriately to food-related issues is essential. The passage of the U.S. Food and […]
How Carriers Keep Great Drivers Behind the Wheel
Motor carriers face a constant loss of qualified drivers, with some experiencing up to 150-percent turnover annually. Replacing a driver costs carriers $12,000 to $15,000 in separation, replacement, and training costs—a significant hit to their bottom line. High driver turnover also undermines carrier safety performance and customer service. To meet shipper demand, some carriers attempt […]
Launching a Sustainability Initiative Can Be as Easy as 1-2-3
Over the past decade, sustainability has evolved from a buzzword to an established component of good business. While some organizations and industries may have operations that naturally lend themselves to sustainability efforts, all companies should be empowered to review their shipping and supply chain operations through the lens of sustainability. Sustainability programs are not one-size-fits-all […]
Transporting Wind Turbines: An Oversized Challenge
Faced with moving enormous wind turbines hundreds of miles, energy giant enXco made waves—and saved on freight costs—with an innovative barge transport strategy.
The Scoop on Route Accounting Automation
Ice cream distributor Berliner finds sweet savings with an automated direct store delivery solution.
High-Reach Lift Trucks: Moving On Up
A new high-reach forklift gives Interstate Warehousing’s temperature-controlled facilities a capacity boost.
Integration: The Dawning of a New Era
When baseball cap maker New Era’s business growth hit critical mass, it realigned its distribution operations, fusing Menlo Worldwide Logistics’ outsourced solutions with its global supply chain.
Integration: Making e-Fulfillment a Pet Project
Start-up PetFlow.com had a solid business strategy, but integrating back-end logistics and fulfillment operations proved a challenge—until it implemented a warehouse management system.
Integration: United They Stand for Corporate Responsibility
Grocery store chain United Supermarkets achieved its sustainability goals by certifying chain of custody within a tight-knit supplier network and integrating responsible practices into daily business operations.
Integration: Call of the X-duty
The X-duty trailer may look like traditional dry van equipment, but on the inside it’s a different story. Outside-the-box thinking allowed appliance maker Electrolux to connect its inbound and outbound shipment needs in one innovative transport solution.
Integration: Bucking Convention
Buck Knives’ lean integration has allowed the company to sharpen efficiencies in its manufacturing operation, increase output, and pull back production from China.
Tiger Grants: Road Work Ahead?
A third round of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) stimulus, and arbitrary Department of Transportation distributions, demonstrate a long overdue need for U.S. freight transportation policy.
Security Guard: Questions and Answers with Dennis Omanoff
Security expert Dennis Omanoff stands watch over global supply chains, trying to protect them from cyber security attacks. If you’re not concerned about the threat now, you will be after reading this interview.
Scrutinizing Supply Chain Security
New approaches, mandates, and technologies are key links in the quest for global supply chain security. Here’s an inside look at what the logistics sector is doing to root out hidden threats.
Purchasing Managers: Minding Everyone’s Business
As key players in the supply chain, purchasing managers have to think about innovation, growth, and cost-savings in all aspects of the company’s business.
Behind the Buzz About Flexible Automation
Thanks to e-commerce, many distribution centers are now fulfilling a greater number of smaller orders—leaving some conventional materials handling automation systems behind the times. Is flexible automation the next frontier?
Smarter Trucking Saves Fuel Over the Long Haul
On-board technology tools help trucking companies boost fuel economy by monitoring and controlling what goes on behind the wheel.
Using Incoterms to Simplify Global Sourcing
Specifying standard trade terms in international sales contracts lets shippers take shipment transport cost and risk responsibility in hand when it benefits them most.
Retracing the Trails of the Iron Horse
Meet the pathfinders, engineers, industrialists, and dreamers who pioneered the Transcontinental Railroad and U.S. economic expansion and growth.
Logistics Lets the Games Begin
Before the high-profile athletes and rabid fans arrive at a major professional sports event, superstar logisticians and planners perform their own feats of greatness to ensure the big game goes off without a hitch.
Sold! Ports Help Close the Deal on Economic Development
Port authorities are expanding their focus to industrial development in hopes of attracting more factories and distribution centers to their area—and their cargo services.
In Mexico, Rail is On a Roll
Increasing demand from manufacturers, improved infrastructure and service, and a campaign to grab more market share promise further growth for rail service within Mexico and across the U.S. border.
On the Docket
Key legislative and regulatory items on Capitol Hill will have a bearing on transportation and logistics in 2012 and beyond. Here’s a look ahead so you can comply—or adjust—to keep your supply chain running smoothly.
Cheers! Managing the Spirited Supply Chain
Raise a glass to the supply chain strategies that keep wine, beer, and spirits flowing.
Delivering the Final Smile
It’s dangerous to take a "hands-off" approach to customer service. That’s the conclusion of a recent CAPS Research report authored by Mei Li, PhD at Lehigh University. Relying only on carriers and service providers to drive the final customer service experience, warns Dr. Li, puts you at risk of having service failures that can trash […]
The Invisible Discipline
For all of its name recognition, supply chain management can be almost invisible within an organization.
Boosting Supply Chain Sustainability
Sustainable business practices and supply chains reduce waste, cut costs, and improve profit margins. Alan Amling, director of global logistics and distribution marketing at UPS, offers the following tips to help businesses improve supply chain sustainability. 1. Avoid reinventing the wheel. Minimizing waste is the first step in sustainability. Before investing in your own supply […]
Jill Hesselroth: Opportunity Knocks
Jill Hesselroth is vice president, global supply chain at Nortech Systems in Wayzata, Minn. An electronics manufacturing services provider, Nortech Systems produces wire and cable assemblies and printed circuit board assemblies, and provides diagnostic repair and integration services. Responsibilities: Analyzing the company’s supply chain to identify opportunities for improvement, then implementing those improvements. Experience: Various […]
Trends—December 2011
Transportation Management Breaks Out Transportation management system (TMS) solutions and TMS-managed services have been evolving at hyper-speed over the past few years, largely driven by an economy in a tailspin, corporate mandates to reduce costs at all costs, and the emergence of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and cloud-connected networks. The facility with which companies can develop and […]
Global Logistics—December 2011
Japanese Ocean Carriers Mull Merger In a move reminiscent of Air China/Cathay Pacific’s recent joint venture cargo agreement, Japan’s three largest container lines are considering a merger to stave off rising costs and capture greater market share in the region. MOL, NYK, and “K” Line are in ongoing discussions to consolidate operations, reports French container […]
Warning! Dangerous Lack of Support for Hazmat Professionals Ahead
It is often said that dangerous goods handling compliance becomes an issue only when a non-compliant situation is discovered. The better dangerous goods professionals perform, the less necessary they appear. Lack of recognition for dangerous goods management professionals’ contributions, increasingly complex global transportation regulations, and insufficient career development opportunities may prevent the most qualified management […]
VMS Lifts Warehouse Labor Productivity
Tracking lift truck operator time can be a challenge for warehouse managers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires lift truck operators to complete a pre-operation checklist before starting each shift. This inspection involves ensuring that the truck is working properly, and looking for signs of potential problems, such as hydraulic leaks. A recent […]
The Safety Measurement System: A Flawed Assessment of Motor Carrier Conduct
Developed to support the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) initiative, the Safety Measurement System (SMS) methodology is intended to monitor motor carrier and commercial motor vehicle driver safety performance. It must pass rigorous review before it becomes law. Under the Administrative Procedure Act, the FMCSA must consider the effect these […]
Safeguarding Your Supply Chain Against Rising Fuel Prices
Rising fuel prices have affected most supply chains through fuel surcharges or increased component and operating costs. By planning ahead and evaluating where your supply chain activities are performed, as well as your current processes, you can face these challenges head-on and reduce the impact on your operations and the bottom line. Prepare your supply […]
Joplin is Rebuilding and Open for Business
On May 22, 2011, the most devastating, deadly single U.S. tornado in six decades ripped through the city of Joplin, Missouri and the neighboring village of Duquesne. With winds of nearly 300 miles per hour, the tornado carved a path 10 miles long and nearly one mile wide through the two communities. The death toll […]
Superstar Service: Supply Chain Strategies Win Satisfied Customers
Stellar retail supply chain planning and management seal the deal on the consumer shopping experience.
Foodservice Logistics Brings Value to the Table
Hungry for efficiency and cost savings, foodservice companies and restaurants are acquiring a taste for supply chain management.
Mitigating Supply Chain Risk
Today’s logistics and supply chain managers grapple with volatility, risk, and uncertainty. Learn what you can do to prepare for the unexpected.
Supply Chain Graduates: Now What?
Top-performing supply chains focus on attracting and retaining talent—both technical ability and leadership. Here’s how to find and nurture true supply chain competency.
Managing Inbound Transportation: All On Board FOB
Tire importer TBC Corporation converts its inbound transportation to free-on-board terms and rolls out a supply chain transformation.
Dedicated Refrigerated Fleet Helps Food Distributor Keep Its Cool
THE CUSTOMER: United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI), Providence, Rhode Island UNFI is a U.S. independent national distributor of natural, organic, and specialty foods and related products, including nutritional supplements, personal care items, and organic produce. THE PARTNER: Cardinal Logistics, Concord, North Carolina The third-party logistics (3PL) provider serves multiple industries nationwide with dedicated contract carriage, […]
Superior Service, Seven Days a Week
Receiving great logistics service, communications, and pricing is no game for the leading provider of LCD monitors to the global gaming industry.
Reliable In-Store Deliveries Fit to a Tea
Outsourcing its direct-to-store distribution to Ryder Supply Chain Solutions helped Milo’s Tea Company quench its customers’ thirst for better service.
Freight Consolidation Drives Auto Supply Chain Efficiency
Automotive component supplier IAC needed better control, visibility, and reporting to help weld its supply chain into a cohesive unit. ProTrans delivered innovation and customized solutions designed to control costs along IAC’s network.
@Home With Demand-Driven Logistics
I recently got into a discussion with a reader about the most important developments in logistics during the past decade. “Mainstreaming of the term ‘logistics’ by UPS ranks right up there,” he said. “Civilians” just don’t understand what you do, the complexity of the challenges you face, or the intelligence, dedication, and hard work you […]
Healthcare Supply Chain Costs: A Tough Pill to Swallow
Organizations all along the healthcare supply chain are taking a dose of smarter procurement and logistics practices to cure high costs and treat ailments in other areas of the business.
Trends—November 2011
Urbanization Shapes Supply Chain Innovation With the global population expected to soon surpass seven billion, urbanization is an inevitable reality and challenge for supply chains. Where consumerism is concentrated, infrastructure and capacity are often constrained, making it difficult to move product in and out of congested areas. "For the first time in history, more than […]
Are You Certifiable?
Deciding what role supply chain and logistics certifications and designations play in the hiring process is enough to drive you crazy.
Increasing Warehouse Productivity
Warehouse efficiency promotes productivity, which is essential to customer satisfaction. Jason Minghini, senior director, best practices, at Chattanooga, Tenn.-based third-party logistics provider Kenco Logistic Services offers the following tips for creating more efficient, productive warehouse operations. 1. Communicate effectively. Clearly communicating to workers your organizational goals and the processes to achieve them is one key […]
Ryan Gellert: Climbing High
Ryan Gellert is vice president, supply chain management at Black Diamond Equipment, a mountain sports products company. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Black Diamond operates manufacturing and distribution facilities there and in Southeast China; a sewing plant in Calexico, Calif.; a marketing office in Yokohama, Japan; and a sales, marketing, and distribution operation near […]
Global Logistics—November 2011
Ban on Night Flights: The Sound of Silence Frankfurt’s night skies will become noticeably quieter between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. if a 2012 Federal Administrative Court hearing upholds a provisional cargo flight ban that went into effect on Oct. 30, 2011. Lufthansa Cargo has been a leading voice in an industry effort to publicize […]
Shipper’s Choice: One Freight Forwarder or Many?
Many shippers rely on forwarders as key building blocks in creating and implementing a logistics program. Some use a single forwarder or third-party logistics provider to forge and maintain supply chain links. Others choose a multi-forwarder approach. Which is best for your team? GOING SOLO Advantages of using a single forwarder include: Accountability. Mistakes can […]
RFID and Supply Chain Visibility: You Can’t Manage What You Can’t See
Smart companies are striving to reduce costs, improve service, and increase return on investment throughout the supply chain. Automation-based solutions can play a crucial role in meeting those goals, and many organizations consider radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology a major force in transforming global supply chain automation and visibility. It’s hard to manage what you can’t […]
Strengthening International Cargo Security
The global supply chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Shippers and service providers face a dynamic security landscape subject to government regulations and evolving risks. They need to focus on identity verification as a key first step to strengthening cargo security. Positively identifying who is sending a package provides vital data. Not […]
Expedited Carriers: The Fast and the Furious
Logistics technology helps turbo-charged expedited carriers move freight for shippers with an extreme need for speed.
How to Ship in Alaska
The "last frontier" can be a daunting place for shippers moving freight unless they select the right airfreight forwarders to work with. Alaska is twice the size of Texas and has 640 square miles of land for every mile of paved road. When waterborne transport isn’t an option, freight moving in and out of Alaska […]
How to Balance Export Demand
While much has been said about the United States’ anemic manufacturing sector and the stress it places on sustainable economic growth, agriculture exports are booming. The United States remains a net exporter of food and delivers half the world’s grain supply. In 2010, China became the largest export market for U.S. agriculture with soybeans, cotton, […]
How to Improve Maritime Cargo Security
When U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) introduced the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) initiative in the aftermath of Sept. 11, it gave government, shippers, carriers, port authorities, and other transportation and logistics intermediaries a platform to build better security protocol into the supply chain. As a consequence, shippers today are taking cues from […]
How to Benefit from SaaS TMS
Emerging technology platforms are accelerating the maturation of transportation and logistics solutions, particularly those that enrich and empower the user community by integrating partners and aggregating data. The Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) transportation management system (TMS) is a prime example. SaaS TMS is a single-instance, multi-tenant environment where customers and their partners access a shared solution via […]
How to Manage Peak Season Variability
August is usually the busiest time of year for global manufacturers, retailers, steamship lines, and transportation and logistics intermediaries as they begin ramping up inventories and capacity to manage the holiday freight surge. In 2011, however, a sluggish economy, continuing changes in consumer buying habits, and leaner ocean carrier fleets conspired to toss peak season […]
How to Evaluate a 3PL Partner
Shippers, carriers, and even small intermediaries increasingly rely on third-party logistics (3PL) service providers to manage non-core logistics and supply functions, access capacity, and tap technology capabilities. 3PLs create value by pushing the envelope and helping customers reduce costs through tactical improvements, and enhance overall supply chain performance with strategic business process enhancements. Making the […]
How to Ensure Successful Transportation of Your Project Cargo
When it comes to transporting over-dimensional or heavy-lift cargo—whether it’s equipment bound for Alberta oil fields or turbine components for an Iowa wind farm—transportation and logistics demands are infinitely greater because they are unique to each situation. The complexity of moving unwieldy cargo as quickly and economically as possible requires collaborative partnership, attention to detail, […]
Getting a Handle on Transportation Costs
Plumbing fixture manufacturer TOTO Global Group taps a third-party logistics provider to benchmark freight spend.
Illinois-Missouri Bi-state Region: Logistics Center of Attention
A central location, well-developed transportation infrastructure, emerging trade connections with Asia and South America, and unified vision for economic development have made the bi-state metropolitan area around St. Louis a global intermodal crossroads.
Trends—October 2011
Florida Transportation Infrastructure Shines Among states that are likely to benefit the most from the Panama Canal’s expansion, Florida has been very proactive investing in infrastructure improvements—notably expansions at the Port of Miami. Now, Florida Inland Port has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to create a strategic alliance with the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT). […]
Improving Rail Infrastructure: On the Right Track
As railroads continue to ramp up capital spending on infrastructure and equipment, intermodal services have been significant beneficiaries, leading more shippers—and motor carriers—to adopt multimodal approaches.
Intermodal: A Means, Not an End
Intermodal transportation has always been an integral part of the supply chain. Around U.S. ports, it’s a capacity aggregator and transshipment accelerator for imports and exports flowing through congested hubs. On the domestic side, intermodal is a freight economizer, reducing transport costs by rationalizing long-haul bulk moves between road, barge, rail—and occasionally air. For many […]
Reading the Signs
When forecasting the future, it’s easy to be distracted by external indicators that sound significant. In supply chain management, indicators external to your enterprise, but internal to your supply chain, deserve your attention
Katie Reuland: Down to Business
Katie Reuland is operations director at Down, Etc., a San Francisco-based firm that makes and markets bedding items such as down comforters, pillows, featherbeds, and robes. The company markets its products primarily to upscale and boutique hotels in the United States, Ireland, France, Italy, and Panama. Responsibilities: Maintaining inventory; managing a third-party distribution partner; working […]
Global Logistics—October 2011
BMW Rides Orient Express to China As yet another sign that the Eurasian land bridge is becoming a preferred means for moving intercontinental shipments, DB Schenker Rail Automotive recently began overseeing auto part transports from Leipzig to Shenyang in northeastern China on behalf of BMW. Trains loaded with parts and components depart from DB Schenker’s […]
The Panama Canal Expansion Will Be a Supply Chain Game Changer
The upcoming Panama Canal expansion is much more than just a story of bigger ships and increased trade for East Coast ports. It will also have a substantial impact on the U.S. supply chain and its efficiencies. By lengthening, widening and deepening the locks, the Canal will accommodate much larger ships. In fact, the largest […]
Rails Give Agricultural Industry Seeds to Grow
Freight railroads represent a critical supply chain link for agricultural product shippers. It’s not enough that railroads haul a ton of freight nearly 500 miles on a single gallon of diesel fuel—the equivalent of a standard mid-sized car getting 200 miles per gallon. To provide agricultural product shippers with the best value and service, freight […]
Is Intermodal Right For You?
Capacity and driver shortages plague the over-the-road (OTR) trucking sector, prompting shippers to consider the merits of other transportation modes. Intermodal freight shipping combines the resources of different transportation modes, such as trucking and rail, to move products from manufacturing site to final destination. Offering economic and environmental benefits, intermodal freight shipping provides an attractive […]
Building Operational Excellence Through EDI
While many companies leverage EDI (electronic data interchange) to comply with trading partner requirements, few take advantage of EDI to drive operational excellence. Limiting EDI use to fundamental transactions, such as purchase orders and invoices, leaves money on the table and misses an opportunity to strengthen customer service and overall competitiveness. Companies achieve the greatest […]
Intermodal Inroads
New facilities, upgraded equipment, and creative service options are making intermodal transportation more attractive and reliable than ever.
The Rise of the Supply Chain Executive
Supply chain professionals get a lift as more companies grow to appreciate the strategic value of a well-run logistics operation.
Mobile Communications: Managing Supply Chains on the Go
Mobile devices and applications have become the go-to tools for logistics and transportation professionals looking to stay connected and manage their supply chains from anywhere.
Strategic Logistics Sites: In the Right Place At the Right Time
Locating your manufacturing or distribution business in a great logistics site puts you where you need to be, when you need to be there.
CSA Compliance Through TMS: A Beauty of an Idea
To comply with CSA 2010 regulations, global cosmetics company L’Oreal USA makes up a qualification program that holds carriers to high safety standards.
Protecting Your Supply Chain Against Disruption
Most companies know supply chain vulnerability poses a threat to their operations, yet few perform analysis or plan strategies to minimize risk to the bottom line. Businesses can protect against disruptions by adding supply chain redundancy, says Dr. Jeff Karrenbauer, president of supply chain solutions provider INSIGHT. Here is his advice for strengthening your logistics […]
Refrigerated Trucks Haul More Than Just Perishables
It may come as a surprise that “perishable goods” include items more diverse than fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, frozen foods, and dairy products. Today’s truck and trailer refrigeration systems, known as reefers, also keep other high-value loads at ideal temperatures and humidity levels so they arrive safely at their final destinations. Prompted by regulations […]
Freight at Rest is Freight at Risk
Today’s stressful economic conditions are driving thieves to steal everything that’s not nailed down—from railroad tracks to copper wiring. Truckers and their customers have had to deal with the cargo security issue for as long as the five-finger discount has been around. As part of our special Trucking Safety issue, we asked motor freight carriers […]
It’s Time for Freight Classification Reform
If the volatile economy hasn’t made the case, demographics might. The motor carrier pricing structure needs an overhaul.
Building Efficiency Into Your Supply Chain
When it comes to supply chain efficiency, information is king. The more you know, the better you can manage the process and engineer improvements. Ellen Fontaine, general manager, strategic planning and business development, at Georgetown, Ky.-based third-party logistics provider VASCOR Ltd. offers this advice for boosting supply chain efficiency. 1. Seek opportunities to optimize. Optimization […]
Angela Duesterhaus: Joining the Jet Set
Angela Duesterhaus is logistics and export compliance manager at PAS Technologies. Headquartered in North Kansas City, Mo., PAS repairs and overhauls aerospace and industrial components such as gas turbine engines, airframe parts, and oil field equipment. Along with its facilities in North Kansas City, the company runs operations in Ohio, Florida, Arizona, Singapore, Ireland, and […]
Trends—September 2011
To Buy or Not to Buy: Truckers Brake on New Equipment The threat of a double-dip recession and the promise of capitalizing on a yet-to-be-seen capacity shortage have motor freight carriers wavering on whether to invest in new equipment, according to a recent business expectation survey conducted by Chattanooga, Tenn.-based consultant Transport Capital Partners (TCP). […]
Global Logistics—September 2011
Swiss Attraction? Bank On It Even as Europe’s economic prospects remain mired in uncertainty, Switzerland continues to attract foreign investment. To date in 2011, "the island of stability" scored a number of new and expanded investment opportunities. "By mid-year, at least 24 projects from North America landed in Switzerland, generating an estimated $625 million in […]
Drawing Value from Managed Drayage Solutions
Many shippers view drayage (the service offered by a motor carrier for pickup and delivery of ocean or rail containers) as a necessity and a fixed cost. But new approaches to drayage can bring significant savings and benefits to both shippers and drayage carriers. Traditionally, shippers have either relied on steamship lines to secure drayage […]
Inventory Intelligence: The Key to Unlocking Omni-channel Retailing
Omni-channel retailing–providing shoppers a seamless experience through all channels–combines the flexibility of cross-channel and mobile shopping with the revenue- and loyalty-building capabilities of a face-to-face retail experience. Because keeping availability promises is vital to omni-channel success, retailers depend on integrated IT systems. Retailers who succeed at integrating their inventory intelligence can cut costs, accelerate turns, […]
Looking Down the Road
Despite its challenges, the motor freight industry is on a roll, according to exclusive interviews with five trucking big wheels.
Trucking Perspectives 2011: Exclusive Inbound Logistics Research
When the economy took its first plunge in late 2008, there was little doubt the motor freight industry would be collateral damage. Capacity was flush. Fleets had grown fat feeding on steady demand. Inefficiencies ran amok. The recession hit carriers hard and they paid a heavy price with bankruptcies, acquisitions, consolidations, layoffs, and stock insecurities […]
Love it or Hate it, CSA is Here to Stay
Whether you applaud or oppose the FMCSA’s new truck-safety monitoring program, CSA will no doubt impact the way your carriers operate. Here’s what you need to know.
Truckers Play Role in Homeland Security
Con-way Freight’s Chief Security Officer Curt Shewchuck talks about how the LTL carrier thwarted a possible terrorist event and is working with shippers and government to secure the supply chain.
APIs Enrich Software Users’ Experience
Q: What is an Application Programming Interface (API)? Heine: It’s a software-to-software interface that enables Web-based applications to be part of your transportation management system. You can access outside information without leaving your working application. For all practical purposes, it’s built-in. For example, Google Maps APIs are often built into Web sites. Q: How are […]
Getting a Handle on Specialized Transportation Costs
Q: Why is controlling fuel and permitting costs important for companies moving heavy equipment? Lowry: Managing these increasing costs is a major task, but it’s essential to gain greater efficiency and profitability. With state governments across the country facing significant declines in tax revenue, many are enforcing new weight restrictions and fuel tax requirements on […]
Coordinated Transportation Improves Margins for Wholesalers
Q: What are wholesale distributors hoping to achieve with transportation initiatives? Mulqueen: Transportation initiatives are approved and funded based on their track record of delivering quick ROI through freight spend reduction. However, leading wholesalers understand that siloed transportation planning, while beneficial, has limitations. It does not take into account the impact of transportation on the […]