Articles
Transportation

Supply Chain Commentary: What Shippers Need to Know About Market Tightness
After a two-year slide in transportation prices, the logistics sector is experiencing capacity constraints and historically high and enduring truckload volumes. As we head into peak shipping season, rates have been rising significantly, particularly in the wake of hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Shippers can expect this trend to continue into 2018. The market isn’t likely […]
Read MoreSupply Chain Commentary: Out Darn Spot! Out, I Say!
The comic Steven Wright once joked, “I spilled spot remover all over my dog. Now he’s gone.” For shippers who regularly leverage the spot market, it’s been a buyer’s market the past few years. One shipper I’ve worked with saved more than 9 percent on freight spend simply by moving away from only using brokers […]
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Urban Logistics: You Can’t Fight City Haul
The impact of urbanization—population increases in cities and towns as opposed to rural areas—on business growth and sustainability concerns nearly all companies surveyed in The Road to Sustainable Urban Logistics, a new report by UPS and GreenBiz Group. However, only 47 percent feel prepared to address the associated business challenges, according to the survey. Further, […]
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The Last Mile—History Repeating As Supply Managers Face Peak Season – Crane Worldwide Logistics
Nothing new is ever really created, just updated to meet the current environment or situation. When looking beyond the "hype" of all the new, innovative services and suppliers in the logistics space, we find that delivery service capability has already been efficiently and successfully implemented in the past. We only need to look back to […]
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Hazmat 101: Exceeding Safety and Compliance Standards – Landstar
Hazmat transportation’s multifaceted nature makes logistics particularly complicated, especially when companies don’t realize that they’re transporting such goods. Even though a manufacturer may be an expert at producing goods, it may not be as well-versed in the intricacies of transporting those materials, including unknowingly offering carriers non-compliant hazmat shipments. Compliance is a team effort, and […]
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Smooth Sailings – Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics
As reducing damages reduces cost, so too does reducing time.
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Forming an Alliance with Ocean Shipping
After the 2016 Hanjin Shipping bankruptcy, carriers banded together to form alliances. Today, these alliances dominate ocean cargo shipping. Here’s how they affect your shipments and contracts.
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Cargo Security: The Art of the Steal
Keeping your cargo safe from theft is a bigger challenge than you might think. Follow these steps to reduce the risks that make your company a target.
Read MoreFood Transportation: Missing Ingredients to FSMA Compliance
Sanitary transportation compliance is currently mandatory for many and will be required for all shippers, loaders, carriers, and receivers in April 2018. While the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) of 2011 set the guidelines and rulemaking for the Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food (STHAF) in process, there are still gaps in compliance. […]
Read MoreFedEx and UPS Set Aside Rivalry to Lobby White House on Infrastructure
An amusing meme that occasionally makes the rounds on social media shows a FedEx truck parked nose-to-nose with a UPS truck, with the caption "it’s about to go down." For the moment, however, the two major rivals have set aside their differences in the interest of the greater good. David Abney, CEO of UPS and […]
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Supply Chain Education Remains Critical for Compliance with New FDA Sanitary Food Transportation Rule
If there’s one thing that’s crucial to the supply chain, it’s collaboration—and its importance only intensifies during times of change. Signed into law by President Obama in 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is “the most sweeping reform to our food safety laws in more than 70 years.” Designed […]
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The Advantages of Strategic Procurement – Schneider Logistics
A sound strategy is important in every industry. It’s even more important than ever when the prevailing theme includes major changes to the regulatory landscape. A driver shortage, competitive rate market, and reduction in productivity will make it more difficult for shippers to secure capacity as we progress into 2018 and beyond. Strategic procurement practices […]
Read MoreHow to Prepare Your Supply Chain for Inclement Weather
Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma both made landfall causing destruction and devastation in their paths. Hurricane Harvey is said to be the biggest hurricane to hit Texas in 50 years and Hurricane Irma is the first major hurricane to hit Florida since Wilma made landfall in 2005. As a result, businesses were forced to shut […]
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The Economy Will Grow. Is That Bad News?
For this annual trucking issue, we surveyed both shippers and carriers on important issues impacting the trucking industry. Most importantly, we solicited their views on the state of the economy as we head into 2018. The good news: not one shipper or carrier responding to our survey thinks that the economy will head south in […]
Read MoreInvesting in the Right Transportation Management System
The demand for transportation management systems (TMS) is on the rise. A basic solution manages truck and carrier dispatch, fleet maintenance, driver records, billing and driver pay, and DOT compliance. Additionally, a TMS streamlines operations by optimizing carrier routes, managing customer activity, and reporting analytics. Joe Couto, chief operating officer at HighJump, outlines factors to […]
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BluJay Solutions CEO Doug Braun:
Leading with Compassion and Conviction
It has been a busy year at BluJay Solutions. In 2016, the supply chain software company, known then as Kewill, acquired another technology player, LeanLogistics. In March 2017, the combined companies rebranded as BluJay Solutions and debuted an innovative new software platform model, the BluJay Global Trade Network. Soon after, BluJay acquired Blackbay, a provider […]
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Solved: Optimizing and Speeding Up Shipments to Mexico – Transplace
By partnering with Transplace, drywall and joint compound maker USG was able to reduce the delivery time of its product to Mexico from 6 weeks to 48 hours.
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10 Tips for Transportation Sourcing
Follow these best practices to cut costs and avoid mistakes when choosing modes and carriers.
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2017 Trucking Perspectives
Inbound Logistics’ exclusive annual trucking market research report delivers shipper and trucker insights into industry challenges and trends.
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National Truck Driver Appreciation Week Celebrates Our Unsung Heroes of the Road
More than 80 percent of U.S. communities depend solely on trucking for delivery of their goods and commodities. In this country, we all rely on truck drivers in some way or another. Whether it’s to enjoy basic modern conveniences, receive life-sustaining medical supplies, or keep businesses thriving, our lives depend on the transportation industry and […]
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