Developing a Core Carrier Program

In a recent Stifel report, it was noted that the “mother” of all capacity shortages is expected to hit the United States in 2017 as a series of government regulations reduces the supply of fleet equipment by five to fifteen percent. Despite the efforts of carriers to raise pay, upgrade facilities and improve the lifestyle […]

1. The Economy – Two Steps Forward/One Step Back US GDP grew by over 3% in 2014, its best showing in several years. A rise in employment levels, coupled with an increase in consumer spending, helped lift the American freight market. The long, slow post Great Recession recovery finally kicked into a higher gear, driving […]

 For many years, industry experts have been predicting a consolidation in the Canadian freight industry. During and after the Great Recession, the decibel level of these warnings increased as most trucking companies faced the challenges of reduced freight volumes, sinking rates and the difficulty of managing a business during recessionary times.  •The Incredible Shrinking Canadian […]

One of the most enjoyable aspects of our work as consultants is that my colleagues and I have an opportunity to visit companies in a variety of industries. We typically are engaged to help businesses that have issues with freight management. While some of our clients may be best-in-class when it comes to manufacturing or […]

The economy is improving slowly and this is pushing up costs. Motor carriers are experiencing cost increase pressures from higher fleet purchase prices, the shortage of qualified drivers, planned changes in Hoursof- Service, the impact of the US CSA program (e.g. culling unsafe drivers) and the more disciplined approach being taken by many carriers to […]

America is facing a number of economic headwinds and tailwinds. Should America’s leadership come to a good understanding on tax increases and spending cuts, this will place the US – and probably Canada – on a more solid path to an economic recovery, even if 2013 is not expected to be a year of robust […]

A recent Harvard Business Review article (“CEOs Need to Get Serious About Sales” by Ram Trichur, Maria Valdivieso de Uster, and Jon Vander Ark, July 10, 2012), argues that effective sales management is still overlooked by many CEOs – including trucking company CEOs. Here are a few thoughts on how to increase the productivity of a freight sales team.     Creating a […]

Over the past several decades, offshoring has become a very popular supply chain strategy. The low costs of production in many Asian countries, combined with enhanced ocean shipping and improved North American intermodal services, have made this sourcing option very attractive to many manufacturers and retailers. The offshoring movement accelerated as companies in a variety […]

The world of freight transportation is changing rapidly. The signs are there and they are unmistakable. Recognizing and responding effectively to these signals may help determine which shippers and carriers will survive in the years ahead. Let’s examine the components of the new paradigm of freight transportation.Three Trends You Must Deal With Now