Big Changes to Freight Shipping

Improved and integrated technology, like that in the IoT, has increased productivity in the supply chain, minimizing costs and errors. These advances benefit all areas of the logistics industry: trucking transportation, international transportation, supply chain management, and shipment tracking. Here are some big changes the IoT has made to the shipping industry:

Transparency

Shipping transparency benefits the customer, shipping agents, and shipping management teams.  When customers have the tools they need to get clarification and updates (GPS tracking, email reports, dynamic dashboards, etc.) they will not have a reason to call their logistics manager. This allows employees to focus on their work while the customer gets the updates they need via the IoT.

Automation

Shipping is becoming increasingly automated, with sensors on products, pallets, SKUs, drivers, facilities, and vehicles providing regular feedback and updates. Conveyor systems move the right products to the right piece of trucking equipment at the right time. Loading software advises proper placement to maximize space and avoid load and lane imbalances and potential damage or wasted space.

Pro Tip: Automating loading processes decreases cost and eliminates human error.

Scalability

Most business needs will grow and evolve over time, requiring owners to continually assess their capital, warehousing, and distribution needs. When paired with an experienced third-party logistics provider, the IoT provides the flexibility and fast scalability to adapt to any demand.

Breakthroughs in Technology

To remain competitive and enhance efficiency, it’s critical to keep up with the latest technology. The shipping and logistics industry benefits immensely from the IoT and will continue to grow as more advances are made. The breakthroughs in technology, and the innovative shipment managers brave enough to embrace them, will only help your business succeed.

Contact Us to learn more about how we ensure your freight gets where it’s going on time.

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Truck Safety

Truck safety isn’t just a priority to the drivers, but to carriers, truckload management companies and customers. Enhanced safety measures ensure that drivers are safe, shipments are secure and costly delays are eliminated.

1. Embrace Technology
2. Check Your Attitude
3. Be Alert
4. Inspect Your Rig
5. Take Breaks

1) Embrace Technology

Tech solutions for truck drivers can help improve safety, communication and analytics. These tools are all a means to improve driver retention, by hopefully making your job easier.  GPS designed for truckers will show vital information such as which exit to take, when to change lanes, traffic reports etc. This information will be transmitted to your carrier, eliminating the need to check in constantly or explain delays.

2) Check Your Attitude

95% of accidents are the result of driver actions and attitudes, rather than driving skill. Aggressive driving, road rage, and general carelessness can have very real consequences.

3) Be Alert

Keep an eye on everything going on around you. When rolling down the highway, especially in heavy traffic, always be aware of who’s in front of you, beside you and behind you. Keep plenty of space between your rig and those in front of you, and change lanes as little as possible.

4) Inspect Your Rig

Before you even hit the road, conduct a pre-trip inspection according to Federal and State regulations. It is a thorough check of the semi truck, trailer and load, to ensure that everything is operating correctly, prior to your departure. Check the tires, brakes, fluids, lights, interior and body. Any damage or issues needing attention should be addressed before departure.

5) Take Breaks

Stay cognizant of your fatigue level after many hours of nonstop driving. “Accidents can be best avoided by recognizing the fact that driving a commercial or personal vehicle is a full-time endeavor,” says Gomez. “Inattentiveness is the most dangerous, and sadly the most prevalent, cause of accidents.”

Unloading Shipments

Whenever possible, use mechanized equipment, (like forklifts and lift-gates) when loading or unloading trailers. Not only does it keep the items more secure, but it keeps you safe from injury.

Getting the Job Done Right

It’s not enough to get a shipment from A to B if your truck is damaged or you get into an accident along the way. Smart truck safety will ensure you always get the job done right, enhancing your professional reputation and improving your bottom line!

Contact Us to find out how we work with the best carriers to get your shipment to you, safely.

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Pros and Cons of the ELD Mandate

• PRO: Can save drivers time by reducing paperwork
• PRO: Keeps dispatchers and truckload managers informed of a driver’s status, making safety and compliance easy
• PRO: Smartphones and tablets can be used as the vehicle’s ELD as long as the system meets specific requirements, including a hardwired connection to the truck’s engine
• CON: Some drivers view the mandate as a form of micromanagement
• CON: The ELD will restrict the number of miles each driver is allowed to travel
• CON: Small carriers are at a disadvantage, as it may be difficult for them to afford the new devices on top of their other expenses

Who does the rule apply to?

The ELD rule applies to most motor carriers and drivers who are currently required to maintain records of duty status, as well as commercial buses and trucks.

What happens if a driver is stopped and doesn’t have the required ELD?

The inspector will likely cite the driver for failing to have the proper record of duty status. They may place the driver out of service for several hours, leading to costly delays. At the end of this period, the driver will be allowed to complete the trip to the final destination using paper logs.

What is the carrier’s responsibility?

Each carrier must ensure that they’re using a registered device. This includes periodically checking both the registration and revocation list.

Is anyone exempt from this rule?

• Drivers who only use paper status records for no more than 8 days out of every 30-day period.
• Drivers of vehicles made before 2000.
• Drivers who conduct tow operations.

Implementing Technology

The ELD rule is based on a series of previous rules, each building upon the one that came before. Many fleets were already using automatic onboard recording devices to reduce paperwork before the rule was put into effect, so the change is not as dramatic as some might expect. The ELD is projected to reduce accidents, fines, and enhance productivity, with pros seeming to outweigh cons.

Contact Us to learn more about the ELD mandate and how it affects you.

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Trucking Industry Update

Shipping costs have skyrocketed in the United States, which is one of the clearest signs yet of a strong economy. However, this surge has created a demand that the trucking industry is struggling to meet.

Increasing Demand

With online shopping more prevalent than ever, there’s an unprecedented demand for trucks to deliver all the goods being purchased. Consumers have quickly become accustomed to this new on-demand economy. And they want it fast. Most shoppers expect their goods within 48 hours.,In addition to private deliveries, trucks must carry a record number of goods to distribution centers for manufacturers and merchandisers.

Truck Shortage

Due to the enormous demand for trucks, OEM suppliers cannot provide the parts and components needed to build more trucks fast enough. This delay is causing trucking companies to backlog orders in hopes of getting more trucks as they become available. This is creating a surge in orders for trucks as fleets try to handle the unusual situation, and in some cases, a large backlog of shipments.

Driver Shortage

Self-driving trucks might be the future, but for now, the shipping industry still requires humans and is having trouble finding enough. The U.S. trucking industry is short about 50,000 drivers. Fleets are having trouble getting enough trucks, but even if they get them, they likely won’t have enough drivers. Unseated trucks mean that many trucking companies will have to make themselves more competitive to attract qualified drivers.

Trucking Forecast

So what does all of this mean? The trucking industry is resilient, and these kinds of ebbs and flows aren’t all that uncommon. They signal a need to adapt to change, something that the transportation sector is adept at. As companies get more trucks and appeal to drivers with more competitive hiring packages, the demand will eventually be met. Until then, transportation managers utilize LTL shipping strategies and other smart shipping solutions to ensure that goods get to where they’re going on time.

Contact Us to learn more about truckload management

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The Role of Freight Shipping in Pollution

The freight sector represents about 25% of the U.S. transportation sector emissions or about 8% of all U.S. emissions. Since 1990, emissions attributed to freight have climbed 60%, compared to 27% for passenger travel, according to the report. Here are several ways to curb pollution when shipping freight:

Reduce Emissions

There are many ways to reduce emissions during shipping. For truckload or LTL shipping, drivers usually idle the entire time they’re stopped. That can be hours at a time. Turning the truck off for long periods of downtime, or connecting to electric hookups can reduce substantial emissions. Retrofitting old diesel engines with new filters, oxidation catalysts, and other more eco-friendly add-ons is another way to reduce many of the pollutants associated with emissions.

Consolidation

If you have 2 half-filled semi trucks shipping freight West across the country, wouldn’t it make more sense to combine them into 1? Consolidating shipments, also known as LTL shipments, combines freight from different shippers to maximize the space. Obviously, this only works if the shipments are headed in the same direction, but can decrease a lot of waste and unnecessary emissions.

Logistics

Shipment management services provide smart logistics to help you streamline your shipping practices, but also identifies and reduces waste. The typical diesel truck drives empty for about 14,000 miles a year, which wastes upwards of 2,400 gallons of fuel and produces 26.4 tons of emissions. Using analytics and logistics will help ensure that there are fewer empty trucks will save money and significantly reduce emissions.

Minimizing Your Environmental Impact In The Future

As more freight carriers, brokers and shippers become more concerned with the many environmental implications of freight shipping, it will only become more streamlined and better organized. Looking to the future, it seems a safe bet to assume that technology and logistics will make shipping more efficient and eco-friendly.

Contact Us to learn more about how to decrease your environmental impact and find out what makes Freight Cowboy different.

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The Value of Electronic Tracking

Putting an effective shipping strategy in place is one of the most important steps you can take to grow your business and increase efficiency. An integral part of that strategy should be the the use of electronic tracking and analytics. Finding the best shipping rate and carrier should always include finding a carrier that uses tracking. Here are a few ways tracking and electronic feedback can help your business:

Identify and Reduce Waste

Are your goods being shipped as efficiently as possible? With the help of tracking data, you can identify instances of waste that are costing your both time and money. Smart route planning will reduce unnecessary fuel expenses and delays.

Increase Customer Satisfaction

Whether you’re shipping your own products to a storefront, or shipping to customers individually, the ease of electronic tracking makes the entire process easier.  Uncertainty in shipping is never a good thing. Eliminate the unknowns and you’ll find that customers are happier and carriers are forced to up their game in order to stay competitive.

Stay Competitive

Electronic tracking and analytics will help you and your business stay competitive. You’ll save money on insurance rates, avoid delays and waste, and give customers complete transparency. By empowering your customer and your carrier, you’ll be able to stay competitive in your market.

Increase Accountability

When your product arrives late or doesn’t arrive at all, who takes the blame? WIth tracking tools, it’s easy to see who made the mistake and where. This increased accountability motivates carriers, drivers and shippers alike to do their best in order to avoid delay, loss or damage.

Save Time & Money

The term “Time is money” is never more true than in the shipping industry. There are occasions when your fleet gets stuck in the traffic, experiences technical difficulties, or driver error. Electronic tracking allows you to update routes in real-time to avoid delays, while analytics provide feedback to help you make better decisions in the future.

Make Everyone Happy

The end goal to electronic tracking and analytics isn’t to make everyone feel watched, but to make every do their best. With the increased accountability of tracking, everyone involved in the process is motivated to succeed. In essence, everyone is happier and more efficient with tracking data!

Contact Us for more information about GPS tracking and shipping management tools to boost your bottom line.

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Understanding Common Freight Terms

Whether you’re new to the freight industry or just need to brush up on freight terminology, these common terms are a good place to start. With these terms you’ll be able to understand the freight shipping process from start to finish.

1) LTL

Less than truckload shipping (LTL) is the transportation of relatively small freight. LTL carriers haul freight that rests somewhere between parcel shipments (1150 pounds) and full truckloads. With an LTL rate shopper, you can easily find the best rate for your specific needs.

2) Bill of Lading

The bill of lading (BOL) is a legal contract between the shipper and the carrier, broker or agent that defines all aspects of the freight shipping arrangement including what is being shipped and to whom.  The bill of lading should be provided to the carrier on pickup and a copy should always be attached to the package freight.

3) Freight Class

A freight classification is assigned to a shipment for the purpose of determining transportation charges. Freight classifications are used for less than truckload (LTL) shipments and are based on density, freight stowability, ease of handling and liability.

4) Motor Property Broker

A freight broker makes freight shipping arrangements on behalf of an individual or company. The broker determines the needs of the client and has ample experience in the industry to negotiate the best shipping rates with a carrier that can meet the client’s requirements.

5) Nested

The practice in less than truckload (LTL) shipping in which materials are stacked so that one item goes inside another. This reduces the amount of space taken up by combined freight and makes LTL shipping more efficient and less likely to experience damage.

6) Through Rate

Applies to the distance between the point of origin and the delivery destination.

7) Tariff

Establishes the cost and contract of the freight shipment for both the shipper and the carrier.

7) Truckload Managment

Truckload management encompasses the logistics for your shipment from pickup to delivery. This includes GPS tracking, email reports, billing and payment information and much more. Usually handled by your shipment broker.

9) Volume Rate

A less than truckload (LTL) term for rates that are subject to a minimum weight of 7,000 pounds or more, or cubic volume exceeding 750 cubic feet.

Ensuring Clear Communication

Using the right freight broker can alleviate much of the anxiety surrounding freight shipping. But even then, it’s helpful to have a good handle on the basics. This will ensure clear communication and hopefully prevent misunderstandings.

Contact Us to learn more about the freight shipping and LTL process.

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Cut Business Costs to Boost Your Bottom Line

If you’re looking for one quick fix for cutting costs, you’re in for a rude awakening. There is rarely one single idea that will radically change the cost structure of your business. Instead, it will require many small, smart changes to see a reduction in overhead. Even if your business is profitable, runaway expenses can eat into your bottom line. Here are 5 ways to cut your costs:

1) Audit

The first step to cutting business expenses is to do an internal audit, to find out where money is being spent and why. This will give you a clear picture of the financial state of your business and will show areas of waste or overindulgence.

2) Ship Smarter

Are you constantly at the post office, shipping parcels and probably paying extra for large or heavy shipments? If you can consolidate your shipping you’ll save significantly. Shipping with an LTL Rate Shopper allows you to compare rates and find the best carrier for your business. Using an experienced freight broker or truckload management service essentially does the work for you, which is a huge relief for most business owners, both financially and professionally.

3) Control Miscellaneous Spending

Are you planning on painting your office, buying new equipment, or hiring additional employees? If you’ve noticed excessive spending in your company, you need to put a pin in that. Another crucial question to ask yourself is this: Who has buying power in your business? Your financial information should only be in the hands of a trusted few. This will significantly decrease the amount of unnecessary spending on the part of employees. Expenses should be closely monitored and purchases should be scrutinized before approval.

4) Automate

Automating business processes isn’t replacing humans with computers, as many employees fear. Instead, it’s a way by which companies eliminate the complex, redundant steps from their processes and streamline them for simplicity. Automating enables employees to focus their efforts on tasks that will prove more beneficial to the business. Automation also increases accountability. Jim from sales can’t say he didn’t get that email if it was shared with the entire team.

5) Consider Remote Employees

The traditional workplace has shifted in recent years. Employees are working from home more than ever and for good reason. Remote employees mean that there’s no reason to lease a big office.  Even a semi-remote staff does not require the space a large staff does. If your employees could do their jobs anywhere with an internet connection, why not let them? It’s been shown to boost efficiency and productivity and is a great perk for good employees that need a more flexible schedule.

Consider the Impact

Before you implement your changes, it’s important to consider the impact. The organizational disruption caused by your expense reductions is usually proportional to the number of cuts you make. Be sure to tailor cutbacks to your savings goal and current workforce. This is easier to do with smaller changes, but bigger cuts will cause more significant disruptions, so plan accordingly.

Smart Business

Smart business cuts should include employee feedback. It’s one of the most overlooked methods of radically cutting costs, without compromising the business in any way. Seeking guidance from your team also informs them on the need to cut waste, for the bottom line of the business and the security of their jobs.

Contact Us to learn more about smart shipping solutions for your business.

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Smart Shipping Solutions

When you think about your business, chances are you imagine the big picture. Your service or product, your marketing plan, production, and revenue. Shipping is usually one of the last thing businesses consider, even though it’s crucial for lasting success. If you’ve just started your business and don’t know where to begin with shipping, this will serve as a primer on what businesses need to know about the process.

Compare Rates

You wouldn’t buy a new car without comparing various prices, so it doesn’t make sense that you would settle on a carrier without comparing costs. This can be tricky if you’re not familiar with shipping carriers, freight regulations or best practices. Using a rateshopper service provides the most accurate rates for LTL shipments. Simply include the starting location zip code and the destination, the weight and the freight class, and receive the best discounted rates available. 

Work With a Broker

Why work with a freight broker?  Couldn’t you just find a decent rate yourself? If you’re new to business, the simple answer is no. Rather than scouring the industry to find the best shipping options, a freight broker will always do the legwork for you. Thanks to their truckload management expertise and connections in the industry, a broker will save you valuable time and money. They’re more likely to get the best bids from a multitude of companies you would never consider. Working with a freight broker will ensure the best conditions for every shipment and will approach every load with attention and diligence.

Package Correctly

Package items using the minimum amount of space you can. You want to ship with safety and density in mind, and put your items in an appropriate container.If you’re shipping multiple items on a shrink-wrapped pallet, it’s important to label each individual box in case the load is somehow split up.

Use Analytics Wisely

Thanks to technology, your business can now carefully monitor every step of the delivery process at any given time. This allows you to track the shipment, and quickly identify potential delays. Data collection and analysis can clue you into problems with a certain carrier, or ways you could possibly improve the shipping process.

Reevaluate

Once you find a shipping process you’re happy with, you can relax. For a little while. You should still evaluate your shipping needs and strategy every six months to ensure that it’s operating at peak efficiency and you’re getting the best value for your money.

Contact Us to find the best shipping solution to keep your new business profitable.

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Streamline Shipping Service

Reducing your shipping expenses and streamlining your shipping process is achievable by comparing different carrier costs. There are a few key comparison factors to keep in mind, such as the shipping prices, different weight categories, and various shipping zones. Here are a few advantages to comparing freight services:

Rush Shipments

Unplanned express shipping charges can easily eat your profit margin if you’re not careful. Whether it’s for a holiday rush or to get a package to a customer faster than usual, sometimes you have to figure out the cheapest way to ship quickly. In these instances, it’s easy to let the urgency cloud your judgment.

Even in a rush, it's worth comparing shipping options to make sure you're not spending more than you should.
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Less Than Truckload

Do you have enough freight to fill an entire semi? If not, you shouldn’t have to pay for one. Using LTL (less than truckload) is the best option for shipping freight that weighs more than 150 pounds, but is not enough to fill a truck. LTL allows you to cluster your items with others headed to the same general location. Once they arrive they’re split up and delivered to their final destination. LTL can save you a considerable expense and decreases your environmental impact.

LTL Rateshopper

The LTL Small Business Center allows you to simply enter your starting and destination zip codes, a weight, and freight class to compare discounted rates from multiple shipping carriers. Your shipping broker has worked to get the best possible freight rates, extra charges, excessive length allowances and limits of liability. This online tool saves you time with the class calculator, address book, the ability to upload your product list and save templates for repeat shipments. The setup takes mere minutes and you’ll be able to shop for a great rate and execute in seconds.

Comparing Costs for the Best Rate

Whether you’re looking to reduce shipping costs or deciding which carrier provides the best service, it’s worth conducting a shipping costs comparison. A reputable freight broker is an invaluable tool to have on your side.  They’ve done the research and obtained favorable rates from most major carriers. They’re experienced in truckload management and will ensure that you have a positive experience from start to finish.

Contact Us to learn how to get the best freight shipping rate available.

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