Have you ever wondered what freight tech has enabled trucking to go greener? It's not just on Earth Day where sustainability leads the conversation. Environmental concerns are at the forefront of global discussions, sparking many industries to join the race to reduce their carbon footprint. The trucking industry, a vital component of global commerce, is no exception.

Discover the crucial responsibilities of a dispatcher and how they support truck drivers in their daily operations. Plus, why shippers should look at how dispatch teams operate across their network.

Hint: It isn't some fancy new tracking tool.

Our most recent customer survey indicated that customers want more tracking visibility, yet few are diving into the details of tracking among their carrier network. About 70% of respondents do not look at the number of tracking updates or pings, and just over 80% don't look at the source of tracking (mobile device, TMS, v. GPS or ELD). Still, tracking compliance is commonly used to score carrier performance.

So, why aren't shippers doing a deep dive into tracking? We have some ideas.

Shifts in the global supply chain are taking place simultaneously as the Panama Canal's operations strain due to drought. What does this mean for shippers in the drayage market? Grains might be down, but East Coast and Gulf Ports of the United States are in a  favorable position to minimize the impact thanks to some seemingly unrelated shifts in the global supply chain. So, what does grain, electric vehicles, and China's national security have to do with it? Read on to find out. 

So, what's the big deal with the Panama Canal?

Did you know that a staggering 40% of all containers originating from the United States travel through the iconic Panama Canal? This engineering marvel connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This is a critical point for U.S. imports and exports, so shippers need to pay attention as the drought will likely affect operations through the end of 2023.

U.s. transit & panama canal facts to know

• The U.S. accounts for just over 73% of traffic for the Panama Canal.

The difference between east coast and west coast ports

Recent disruptions across Total Terminals International (TTI) ports on the West Coast shut down 6 major ports: Seattle, Tacoma, Oakland, Hueneme, Long Beach, and Los Angeles. Detrimental reactions to labor contract negotiations breed unpredictability and concerns for the west coast ports. Still, there is some relief as a tentative agreement was reached this past Wednesday.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement that recognizes the heroic efforts and personal sacrifices of the ILWU workforce in keeping our ports operating,” said PMA President James McKenna and ILWU President Willie Adams in a joint statement. “We are also pleased to turn our full attention back to the operation of the West Coast Ports.” 

-- Statement from the Pacific Maritime Association
June 14th, 2023

Don't wait for the next shutdown to familiarize yourself with the distinctions between U.S. seaports, their key players, and the improvements being made...or at least attempted.

When the  Covid-19 pandemic started, one common image was of empty store shelves at the supermarket. A common industry refrain related how Americans were seeing the role of truck transportation in their lives. According to the Census Bureau’s Commodity Flow Survey, nearly $900 billion worth of food moved via truck transportation in 2017 (the latest data available). Within that category, 129 million tons of food products were moved using temperature controlled trucks.

Anyone who has worked in logistics knows that existential dread you feel when there’s a problem with one of your loads. The examples are endless, of course: a newly onboarded carrier assigned to pick up at 12:30 calls at 11:59 to say they aren’t empty yet from their previous load; a carrier delivering into a major retailer missed their Monday delivery appointment and was told by the receiver the next available time slot is Wednesday. Shipping delays are so common in this industry that some people use the phrase “freight happens” to shrug off these setbacks. Yet, freight shipping delays usually create additional expenses to transportation costs, whether detention, demurrage, or storage fees, among other things. A Freightwaves report from 2020 suggested that detention time cost the U.S. truck industry over $1bn in annual revenue per year. The report also included some sobering U.S. Department of Transportation statistics that suggest increased detention time also increased the likelihood of road accidents as loading and unloading delays increased driver fatigue and caused drivers to make up for the lost time by speeding on their way to the next destination. 

When a person pictures a trucker, they probably imagine someone spending weeks on the road, hauling a trailer, and living out of their truck while traversing thousands of miles of open road.