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Scott Vanselous

Truckers and Shippers Prepare to Meet Over-the-Road Challenges

Q: What challenges do domestic transportation service providers face today as a critical part of the value chain for manufacturers and retailers? A: One of the most competitive segments of the trucking market, truckload (TL) companies also represent the core business of most asset-based, but diversified, transportation companies. Their most common concern, according to a […]

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Kerry Loudenback

Transportation Management: A Layered Approach

Q: Why bother managing the inbound aspect of the supply chain? A: Historically, organizations built their transportation management strategies and tactics around the outbound aspect of their supply chain. The gravity of customer revenue pulls the attention in that direction. This inattention in the supplier direction often leaves the inbound supply chain exposed to margin-draining […]

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Nicholas Carretta

The Strategic Approach to Optimizing Inbound Shipments

Q: Knowing there are significant benefits to be captured using a transportation management system (TMS) and optimizer for inbound shipping, what are some of the typical roadblocks that shippers encounter when implementing an inbound optimization strategy? A: A very common obstacle to optimizing inbound shipping is arriving at the proper rate structure. The whole point […]

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Shannon Vaillancourt

Quantifying Transportation Performance With Technology Tools

Q: What strategic direction have shippers and carriers developed to increase partnership value? A: Shippers and carriers have become more collaborative in their approach to pricing. For example, in the less-than-truckload market, shippers have begun to use carriers’ rate base when running their bids. This creates value for shippers by using each carrier where it […]

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Tracey Leonard

Managing Shipment Data to Meet Customs Requirements

Q: How are Customs agencies changing their approach to reviewing transactional data, and how will this affect shipments and traders? A: Collaborative Border Management (CBM) between Customs agencies will allow countries to exchange trader and shipment data in a live environment so non-compliance and perceived threats can be readily identified, measured, and monitored. Customs is […]

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Jim Preuninger

Building an Effective Import Compliance Program

Q: How do shippers create an importing program? A: Meeting import control obligations need not be a painful experience. Proactive import compliance planning and governance will minimize the risks and negative consequences of non-compliance. First, understand current import laws and regulations. Familiarize yourself with government policies and procedures prior to actually importing your goods. You […]

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Stephanie Miles

Best Practices to Manage International Freight Spend

Many companies have switched operations to low cost suppliers—only to find that higher than expected transportation expenses outweighed the benefits. In fact, the logistics costs associated with operating a global supply chain can be 6 to 11 percent of revenue, roughly three to five times more than a domestic supply network. A recent AberdeenGroup report, […]

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Chuck Fattore

How Freight Classification Changes Impact Shippers

Q: What are some of the recent and proposed changes to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) used to determine the class for rating less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments? A: The most notable change—effective Dec. 1, 2012—was in classifying computer equipment. Under the new classification, this product type moved to a density-based rating with the lowest possible […]

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Christopher P. Mazza

Connectivity-Visibility-Optimization: Three Keys To a Successful Supply Chain Trading Partner Network

2013 has been called the Year of the Network by numerous supply chain and transportation industry thought leaders. A well-oiled trading partner network allows one-to-many and many-to-many partners to collaborate and communicate using a single source of truth garnered from real-time information. Harnessing this collective power provides a competitive advantage as well as the flexibility […]

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Robert Martichenko

The Lean Supply Chain: A Field of Opportunity

Businesses all around the world are familiar with the value of lean principles. The current conditions of globalization and competitive environments require operating a lean business now more than ever. Lean principles teach to eliminate waste and focus only on those things that result in customer value—ultimately building business cultures that focus on problem solving. […]

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John Wagner Jr.

Outsourcing for Newbies, and a Refresher for All

While Fortune 500 companies routinely outsource everything from distribution centers and transportation management to packaging, freight audit/payment and other functions, your up-and-coming company may only need to outsource a single function of its operations, perhaps a combination. It’s rarely an easy decision process, but the objective is always clear. Growing companies need access to better […]

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Ray Greer

Using Strategic Acquisitions to Satisfy Your Customer Base

Global shippers continue to face supply chain challenges that seem to change more often and more dramatically than ever before. They require logistics partners who can react to these changes and help them navigate the complexities of global trade. Shippers want 3PL partners that not only responsively evolve service networks and capabilities to flex with […]

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Bill Johnson

Ports and Shippers Prepare for the Post-Panamax Age

Q: What are the key issues shaping the future of maritime trade? A: One of the greatest opportunities coming to the maritime sector is the widening of the Panama Canal, which will be completed in 2015. It will impact the face of global commerce, and affect trade patterns to the U.S. East Coast. Shippers bringing […]

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