From a Freight Transportation perspective, the past two years have been among the most tumultuous in decades. Throughout 2018, an economic surge, a shortage of qualified drivers, and the implementation of the ELD mandate in the United States, created a shortage of freight capacity, particularly in the truckload sector. Shippers struggled to find trucks to move their loads.
To address these shortfalls, many shippers were forced to pay significantly higher rates, establish dedicated fleets and/or change their freight operations to become a “Shipper of Choice.” Rather than simply tender their loads, shippers were advised to become more “carrier friendly.” This encompassed a range of activities.
Becoming a “Shipper of Choice”
Shippers learned that they could improve their chances of securing needed truck space by giving carriers advance notice of a pending surge in business volumes. Another way to improve carrier relations was to help fleets keep their trucks on the road, rather than sitting in warehouse yards or at loading docks. To avoid carrier detention fees for long waits, shippers and receivers were encouraged to improve appointment scheduling and freight loading / unloading processes.
...