How will the U.S. election impact Shippers and Carriers?

2 months ago

The U.S Federal Reserve cut interest rates in September by a half point for the first time in four years and is expected to lower interest rates at their meetings on Nov. 6-7. This interest rate cut comes as inflation is down to 2.4% in the United States. These levels of inflation and interest rates […]

10 Freight Bid Tips

4 months ago

The Labor Day weekend signals kids going back to school, the start of the NFL season, and the preparation of budgets for the coming year. For manufacturers and distributors, this process incorporates the construction of the annual freight transportation budget. For many shippers, this involves the execution of an annual freight bid. To help companies […]

How to Successfully Implement the Results of a Freight Bid

4 months ago

Some shippers believe that once all the bids are in, the routing guide has been prepared, and the carriers have been notified of their awards, the freight bid exercise has been completed. This explains why many manufacturers that conduct these projects are disappointed with the results they achieve. Success does not take place automatically. There […]

Analyzing the Results of a Freight Bid – Part 2 – The Carrier Meeting

5 months ago

After analyzing the completed carrier questionnaires, and the bid rates, it is time to eliminate those carriers that don’t meet expectations in terms of service, coverage, rates, and other key variables. It is also the time to identify a short list of potential bid award winners to discuss their proposals in more detail. This blog […]

How to Select the Right Carriers for a Freight Bid

6 months ago

Selecting the right mix of carriers is a critical step in the execution of every freight bid. Creating a critical mass of carriers, in terms of quantity and quality, has several benefits. First, it ensures that the shipper is engaging with companies that can become strong business partners at the end of the process; these […]

What Data Do Shippers Need to Prepare to Conduct a Freight Bid?

6 months ago

Securing competitive rates from carriers is a fundamental component of each freight bid. To construct accurate bids, carriers require good quality shipping data. Inaccurate or superficial data can invalidate the entire bid process. Poor quality data also reflects badly on the credibility of the manufacturer or distributor. What Data Does a Shipper Need to Prepare? […]

How Frequently Should a Company Conduct a Freight Bid?

6 months ago

This is one of the most frequently asked questions we receive from our shipper clients. Here is our perspective. The Forces that Shape our Views on this Subject For 20 years, during my early years in the transportation industry, I led asset-based carriers and non-asset-based freight broker organizations. My colleagues and I were on the […]

Conducting a Freight Bid – Should We Do It Ourselves or Seek Outside Help?

7 months ago

As outlined in previous blogs, most companies conduct a freight bid to achieve certain objectives. These may include saving money on shipping costs, upgrading the quality of their carriers, and/or improving service. Success can be measured in terms of a reduction in freight expenses, higher on-time service, greater customer satisfaction, or other metrics. To achieve […]

Shippers Need to Prepare for Rising Freight Rates

7 months ago

Freight expenses often represent 2 to 10 percent of operating expenses. For shippers seeking to maintain stability in their freight spend, they should begin preparing their next freight bid or freight RFP project. An RFP allows shippers to negotiate multi-year agreements with a team of dependable business partners. These agreements can be solidified with annual […]

Shipper Strategies to Address a Tight Capacity Freight Market this Winter

4 years ago

Truck capacity remains tight during this peak season and this is expected to continue into 2021 as inventories are replenished. We are seeing all-time highs in the number of loads in the spot market. Despite the impact of Covid-19, capacity has been reduced by a decrease in the truck driver workforce that occurred during the […]