Articles

Transportation

Winning in a Contract Market

Winning in a Contract Market

Freight market volatility keeps us on our toes, and we can expect that to continue. Many carriers are shifting their focus from spot to contract freight, which creates a fantastic opportunity for shippers to optimize their supply chain by adapting their carrier strategy. Here are some proven practices for doing so.

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Tackling Trucking Turnover

Tackling Trucking Turnover

Conventional wisdom says that the trucking industry suffers from a driver shortage; however, the real issue might not be a lack of drivers willing to take the job, but rather those who stick with it. Low pay, long hours, compliance concerns, out-of-pocket expenses, and parking scarcity can combine to lead established drivers to say enough is enough and look for new job opportunities.

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Top 5 Mistakes in Transportation RFPs

Top 5 Mistakes in Transportation RFPs

Executing a smart request-for-proposal (RFP) strategy enables shippers to manage costs, increase service levels, and meet capacity needs. Here’s what to avoid: Shippers can mitigate risk and successfully manage capacity needs by avoiding the most common pitfalls. 1. Unclear Carrier Strategy Instead of sending every lane to bid or rolling every lane over to your […]

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2022 Trucking Perspectives

2022 Trucking Perspectives

Inbound Logistics’ exclusive yearly survey of motor carriers and shippers offers a close look at the state of the trucking industry in an era of inflation and supply chain volatility. In 2022, as shippers and their trucker partners have settled into what might or might not become the “new normal,” some are breathing a bit […]

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IN BRIEF: New Services and Solutions

Products ORBIS introduced its Automated Reusable Optimized Solutions (AROS) product line designed for integration into automated systems to facilitate the transfer, storage, and organization of merchandise. Launching as part of the AROS line is the ML6545-325 (pictured), a handheld container which offers a large cubic density and can interface with high-speed systems. Dividers can be […]

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Marmon Holdings Improves Performance with Managed Logistics Program

Marmon Holdings Improves Performance with Managed Logistics Program

From developing processes to measure savings to creating a dashboard and reporting tools, Echo Global Logistics helped Marmon Holdings manage shipping in a more centralized way. The Challenge Marmon Holdings, Inc. traditionally operates in a decentralized manner, equipping the company’s 100+ businesses with the resources needed to be successful and the autonomy to make their […]

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Do You Use KPIs Effectively?

Do You Use KPIs Effectively?

Most businesses today collect data to set and track key performance indicators, or KPIs. Logistics companies are no different. And with the industry in turmoil these days from the pandemic and global economic stressors, KPIs may be more important than ever. But do supply chain executives truly understand and fully utilize the KPI numbers they […]

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Freight Is Fraught

Freight Is Fraught

The double-whammy of skyrocketing fuel prices and out-of-control inflation has put a hurt on the freight industry. So have flattening modal growth trajectories, seasonal factors, and softening demand. So says the new edition of the Cowen/AFS Freight Index, which provides predictive pricing tools for such sectors as less-than-truckload (LTL), truckload (TL), and parcel shipping (separately […]

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What Is a Freight Embargo and Why Do Carriers Set Them?

What Is a Freight Embargo and Why Do Carriers Set Them?

Embargoes are common in less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping. LTL temporary service outages are particularly relevant in today’s carrier market, when demand for freight is at record highs and resources are still lean for many carriers. Q: What is an LTL freight embargo? A: A freight embargo is when a carrier stops accepting loads from shippers. LTL […]

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