Articles
Carriers Corner: Air, Ocean, Rail, Road Topics
Truckers Get Aggressive with Cargo Security
The transportation industry has never been without challenges. It is an industry that is extraordinarily complex and vital to the economy. For the last three years, warnings of terrorist attacks via biological, chemical, and strategic weapons have been a fact of life, with the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, a frightening reminder that no industry […]
Read MoreRail Intermodal: One Arrow in Your Quiver
At a time when demanding investors are closely scrutinizing your company’s bottom line, finding solutions to reduce distribution and other operating costs seems a natural place for executive focus. Companies are also feeling an even greater sense of urgency to manage expenses due to the new Hours of Service changes. In addition, some retail companies […]
Read MorePreparing for the New Hours of Service Rules
Jan. 4, 2004, marks the beginning of a huge wake-up call for the entire transportation industry. No segment of the industry is immune from some element of the change in the Department of Transportation’s revised Hours-of-Service (HOS) ruling. How great an impact the change will have remains to be seen. Those who have successfully planned […]
Read MoreReducing the Risk of Damage, Loss and Claims
The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, especially when it comes to inbound logistics. Even the best plans of smart shippers can be undermined by the great gadfly of shipping—damage, loss, and claims. Not only do damage, loss, and claims increase your overall transportation costs, they can also drive a wedge […]
Read MoreUntying the Import/Export Knot
In late 333 B.C., Alexander the Great and his army arrived in the Asian city of Gordium to spend the winter. Alexander was told of the legend that surrounded the town’s famous Gordian Knot. The legend said that anyone who could untie the exceptionally complex knot would become the king of Asia. So far, no […]
Read MoreNavigating the Rigors of NAFTA
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has been the catalyst for many small- to mid-sized U.S. importers to expand their comfort zone and test the waters with new suppliers and customers. While many large or multi-national importers have processes in place to determine and track eligibility for NAFTA and other special trade programs, smaller […]
Read MoreWhat Do You Really Know About Intermodal?
Remember the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day? The premise was that his character was trapped in a time warp that had him continuously reliving the same day. The people who work in the intermodal industry can probably relate—except it’s not their industry that’s stuck in a time warp. It’s their image. Intermodal transportation can take […]
Read MoreContainer Carriers: Why Can’t We Make Red Tape a Thing of the Past?
Container shipping is one of the world’s youngest industries—younger, in fact, than the computer industry. When Malcolm McLean drove the first container onto a ship less than 50 years ago, Big Blue was already churning out early computing and communication systems. Despite the rapid evolution of computer technology, container shipping companies still fail to grasp […]
Read MoreTruckers Unite to Combat Terrorism
Last September, our nation and the trucking industry were shaken by the realization of our vulnerability to terrorist attacks. While the trucking industry has fought to combat cargo theft and address other security concerns for many years, never before have we considered the magnitude of tragedy that can occur when cargo and equipment fall into […]
Read MoreHuman Resources Vital in the Age of Technology
Technology makes the modern world go ’round, or at the very least makes modern business work. But to build a global freight forwarding network—and make it thrive—technology is not an answer in and of itself. It is a cultural and business evolution. Before implementing technology, freight forwarders must have the right professionals in the right […]
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