Create a Robust Routing Guide at the Completion of a Freight Bid

5 months ago

After the final round of freight bids have been submitted and analyzed, it is time to prepare a routing guide. This important document contains the preferred carriers by mode, by lane, and their approved rates. The contents of a routing guide can be entered into a shipper’s TMS system to guide the carrier selection process. […]

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 […]

Why are Large LTL Trucking Companies such Attractive M & A Targets in 2021?

3 years ago

In the first seven months of this year, we have witnessed two of the largest acquisitions in the LTL trucking sector in many years. In January we observed the acquisition of UPS’s LTL division by TFII, the large Canada-based transportation conglomerate. Last week the nation’s largest TL carrier, Knight-Swift Transportation (NYSE: KNX,) acquired AAA Cooper […]

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The First Big Transportation Deal of the Year: TFII’s purchase of UPS Freight

4 years ago

The new year has started with a bang with TFII’s planned purchase of the LTL Freight division of UPS. TFII is a large Canadian freight transportation conglomerate and it’s deal is unique in some ways but not in others. The challenge for many Canadian LTL carriers has been to establish a solid arrangement with a […]

Understanding the YRCW Bailout

4 years ago

On July 1, 2020 the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced that it was providing YRC Worldwide with a two-tranche loan that would allow it to make delinquent health and welfare and pension payments as well as fund capital expenditures for its tractors and trailers. As part of the deal, YRC is required to issue […]

The LTL Freight Industry in the United States and Canada in 2019

6 years ago

The following is my annual report on the state of the LTL Freight Industry in the United States and Canada. The Booming Freight Market of 2018 Strong economic growth and high employment in the United States and Canada, coupled with concerns over US tariffs and trade wars, and high truck utilization rates, propelled freight demand […]

The LTL Freight Industry in North America in 2018

7 years ago

The following is my annual report on the state of the LTL Freight Industry in the United States and Canada. Here are links to the top 100 carriers in Canada (https://www.todaystrucking.com/top-100-ranking-canadas-largest-hire-fleets/ ) and the top 25 LTL carriers in the United States (https://www.logisticsmgmt.com/article/the_top_25_trucking_and_less_than_truckload_ltl_companies_in_2017 ). The combined revenue of the 25 largest U.S. LTL trucking companies […]

Freightcom has found a “Sweet Spot” in the LTL Freight Industry

7 years ago

From time to time, I come across companies that offer a unique blend of freight transportation services and technological capabilities. I have written about several of these companies over the last decade. Freightcom (www.freightcom.com) is one of these companies. The Freightcom Growth Story The company was founded in 2010. The founders brought many years of […]

Estes Cuts Ties with Long Term Partner to Provide Direct LTL Service to Canada

8 years ago

The big news on the LTL scene in Canada over the past few weeks has been the severing of ties between Estes Express, the number 14 ranked carrier (on the Transport Topics list) in the United States and TST Overland Express, a large Ontario-based LTL carrier that is one of the major divisions of […]