Today we received some unexpected good news in the United States as the unemployment rate fell to 8.6%. In Canada the news wasn’t as good as the unemployment rate increased to 7.4 percent. Without counting those people who have given up looking for work or who are underemployed (e.g. performing a job below their level […]
With the Unemployment Rate so high, why is there a Shortage of Truck Drivers?
For Carriers, it is all about Service and Solutions
13 years ago
Last Thursday night, I had the distinct pleasure of participating in a Shipper-Carrier Roundtable along with a number of old friends and colleagues. The event was organized by CITT, sponsored by Shaw Tracking and moderated by Lou Smyrlis, editorial director of Business Information Group, publishers of Canadian Transportation & Logistics and MotorTruck Fleet Executive. As […]
On several occasions I have commented in this blog about a looming truck capacity shortage. A soft North American economy coupled with political uncertainty and concerns about Europe and China, are discouraging carriers from making investments in their fleets. Truckers are seeking to maximize the utilization of their existing assets and improve yields, particularly with […]
Creating a Freight Capacity Plan for Your Company
13 years ago
The traditional and social media remind us on almost a daily basis that we are seeing the first manifestations of a looming capacity problem. There are already capacity shortfalls in certain geographic areas using specific modes of transport. With 15 to 20 percent of truck capacity removed during the recession and reduced driver availability, this […]
Two weeks ago I looked at the economic realities we are currently facing. Leading economists are predicting either a number of years of slow growth or a return to recession. Last week I focused on some of the strategies carriers are employing to maintain profitability. In this blog I will highlight some of the strategies […]
Carrier Strategies During the Slowing Economy
13 years ago
In last week’s blog, I tried to capture what appears to be the sentiment of a majority of economists. Their prediction is for slow growth not just for 2012, but also for several years after that. In the next two blogs, I will outline some of the approaches taken by shippers and carriers […]
The Road Ahead – Some Economic Forecasts for 2012
13 years ago
It is that time of year when many companies are in the process of finalizing their business plans and budgets for 2012. We end 2011 with political upheaval in the Middle East, a major unresolved debt crisis in Europe, political gridlock in the United States and a slowing economy in China. The United States still […]
Wal-Mart Refocuses Inbound Transportation Initiative
13 years ago
Wal-Mart launched a program in mid-2010 to reduce costs and deadhead miles, leverage the retailer’s logistics skills and scale, improve visibility and control of its merchandise by taking control of deliveries of inbound freight. The company believed they could find opportunities to do the work better and at a lower cost than vendors could do […]
This week the world lost a business and technology giant with the passing of the iconic Steve Jobs, for many years the leader of the Apple organization. Steve Jobs’ name will forever be associated with launch of the iPod, iPhone, iTunes, iTouch and iPad, that helped propel Apple to the status of second most valuable […]
In view of the troubling state of the United States economy, shippers are looking for creative ways to reduce transportation costs, specifically LTL costs. Tight capacity and rising freight rates are making this a challenge as we head into the fourth quarter of 2011. Schneider Logistics is offering shippers an integrated delivery service that it […]
