Articles
Trucking
Regulation & Legislation: Truckers Get the Message
Shippers and carriers express concern over new regulations and highway funding initiatives.
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For Truck Financing, Bank on a Transportation Expert
Q: What is the current market for financing and leasing commercial trucks and equipment? A: Generally, the trucking industry is experiencing a favorable banking and finance market as most commercial banks continue to show relatively healthy interest in financing revenue equipment. Borrowing rates are near all-time lows, so locking in equipment financing today is appealing […]
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Asset-Based Carriers Give Shippers an Advantage
Q: What are the advantages of sourcing supply chain solutions directly through asset-based providers? A: When capacity becomes tight, maintaining relationships with asset-based carriers gives shippers—and non-asset solution providers who partner with us—the peace of mind of knowing their supply chain and service will remain seamless and fluid. When capacity is constrained, communication is essential […]
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Available Capacity Brings Value to Today’s Logistics Buyers
Q: From your perspective as a truck capacity provider, where is the balance between demand for trucking services and the currently available truck capacity? A: It has been reported that up to 20 percent of truckload capacity that existed in 2007 is gone. Some carriers are failing to deliver on time, and the day may […]
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Cutting Through the Noise
Any noise in the trucking industry is better than the alternative. The rumble of engines coming to life, and air horns sounding off with more certain frequency, are welcome signs as the economy waffles between recession and recovery. Still, a growing din in Washington threatens to drown out these echoes of progress. The U.S. Federal […]
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Perspectives 2012: Exclusive Trucking Industry Research
Inbound Logistics’ annual trucking industry research report provides in-depth analysis of the trends and challenges facing the trucking sector.
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FMCSA Abandons Carrier Oversight
For 75 years, the U.S. Department of Transportation stood as the arbiter of interstate motor carrier safety. That significantly changed on May 16, 2012, when the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued three notices on its Web site signaling a retreat from its statutory and historical oversight of carrier safety, in favor of placing […]
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Urban Delivery: Getting Into the Grid
Traffic congestion and infrastructure limitations complicate delivery in major cities, but expedited carriers use network engineering, communication tools, and contingency planning to ensure they meet shipper needs.
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Load Boards Evolve Into Social Networking Tools
When you look at an Internet-based load board, it’s hard to believe how far the freight and logistics sector has come. It wasn’t long ago that carriers all over the country found much-needed backhauls by posting handwritten notes on truckstop bulletin boards, and brokers used those same boards to locate trucks. But technology—particularly the Internet—has […]
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Cross-Border Shipping: The Road Now Taken
Electronics manufacturer Siemens switches from air freight to over-the-road transport for shipments from Mexico to the United States and Canada and lights up savings.
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Wes Kemp: Portrait of a Leader
Wes Kemp recently retired after a 42-year career with LTL carrier ABF, where he rose from management trainee to lead the company as president and CEO. In this exclusive interview, Kemp shares his insights on the transportation industry, trucking regulation, technology, and his new role teaching the next generation of logistics leaders.
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The Role of Cloud-Based LTL Content in Smarter Supply Chains
Cloud computing is quickly coming into its own: Its virtual, service-oriented, location-independent architecture is used across a whole host of industries to provide on-demand content for accurate decision making. The U.S. freight industry is quickly catching on to the value of actionable content delivered via the cloud, which easily lends itself to supporting effective supply […]
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Protecting Your Company Against Load Board Scams
Online load board scams have plagued the trucking industry for the past few years. Unfortunately, the lethargic economy means the problem will get worse before it gets better. Con artists are taking advantage of the fact that law enforcement has not made this issue a priority. Most scammers, in fact, are never prosecuted. On average, […]
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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 […]
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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.
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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.
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Getting a Handle on Transportation Costs
Plumbing fixture manufacturer TOTO Global Group taps a third-party logistics provider to benchmark freight spend.
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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 […]
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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 […]
Read MoreIt’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.
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