Articles

Transportation

Bill Ansley
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Five Customs Compliance Tips for Aerospace Companies

Aerospace manufacturers and distributors who move shipments across international borders face an often-complicated, high-stakes process as they navigate export rules and local customs regulations. Fines for non-compliance can amount to millions of dollars. That makes understanding guidelines a vital business priority. For some companies, the hassles associated with customs can dissuade them from expanding into […]

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Trends—March 2015
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Trends—March 2015

Learning the ABCs of DCs To be competitive in today’s dynamic retail space, online companies need to rethink distribution networks that were built to serve the brick-and-mortar store model, suggests research conducted by supply chain faculty at the University of Tennessee’s (UT) Haslam College of Business. Supply chain faculty surveyed more than 200 companies, and […]

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Charlie Saffro
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Preparing Your Company Today to Hire for Tomorrow

The logistics sector will create more than one million jobs through 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. To complicate matters, there is a skills gap in logistics, so recruiting proven and experienced professionals has become a priority for many companies. With competition for talent increasing, organizations must attract candidates who will be the […]

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Joseph Hoban
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The Value of a Freight Forwarder

Q: How do you define a freight forwarder? A: A freight forwarder is a full-service provider offering multiple levels of transportation and logistics services. It combines the assets of airlines, steamship lines, and trucking companies around the world to build remarkable service and price solutions for a variety of clients—even for individual customers or shipments. […]

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Bob Richard
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USPS Publishes a Battery of New Shipping Regulations

Q: The United States Postal Service (USPS) published changes for shipping lithium batteries. How will that affect my shipments? A: On Jan. 26, 2015, the USPS published revisions to the domestic mail regulations that more closely align USPS requirements for shipping lithium batteries with those found in both the U.S. DOT and international regulations. The […]

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Bruce Horan
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Improving Your Fleet With Telematics

Recent research shows that 20 percent of the North American fleet market has implemented telematics. While that number may seem low for a technology that’s been in the market for just over a decade, it is likely that the number will double to 40 percent within the next few years. Telematics allow users to gain […]

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Choosing a Route Planning System

Time is money, and a route planning system can drastically reduce the time it takes to plan your transportation schedule. Not only do route planning systems lower mileage, they also help cut fuel usage, decrease carbon emissions, improve asset utilization, and increase customer service. William Salter, CEO and president of Paragon Software Systems, recommends choosing […]

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Global Logistics—January 2015
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Global Logistics—January 2015

Uber Hails Hong Kong Cargo Pilot While analysts continue to speculate about how the "Uber model" will translate to parcel and small shipment movements, especially in densely populated areas, the San Francisco-based taxi/technology company has begun testing its platform in Hong Kong. Its latest incarnation, UberCARGO, promises to deliver the same cashless convenience that has […]

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Capacity Crunch

No, capacity crunch is not a cereal. It’s what almost every third-party logistics company (3PL) is dealing with today. It’s a shortage of trucks. Why are trucks in short supply? Let’s start with the economy. It’s pretty good right now. When the economy is good, it’s good for truckers. There are lots of goods to […]

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Reducing Cargo Theft

Cargo theft results in billions of dollars of loss every year in the United States, but taking precautions can minimize the risk. FreightWatch International’s Supply Chain Intelligence Center offers the following advice for securing your supply chain, and reducing cargo theft. 1. Conduct thorough background investigations. Driver turnover continues to be an enormous vulnerability in […]

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Andy Yablin Goes Back to School
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Andy Yablin Goes Back to School

Andy Yablin is vice president, transportation at Scholastic Inc. in New York. He worked for the children’s book publisher from 2002 to 2008 and returned there in 2014 to take on his current role. Responsibilities: All transportation from manufacturing facilities to distribution centers, and from distribution centers to customers. Experience: Several positions, concluding with general […]

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Trends—November 2014
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Trends—November 2014

Competitive Switching: Between a Rock and a Railroad Competitive switching—a directive that would require railroads to switch a customer’s freight to a competitor’s line within a reasonable distance—has been a "third rail" conversation among captive shippers and railroads ever since the threat of re-regulation started ringing through Congressional hallways. More pressing safety and security concerns […]

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Global Logistics—November 2014
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Global Logistics—November 2014

Middle East Airfreight Ascent: Mecca or Mirage? It wasn’t long ago that media and markets alike were ready to anoint the Middle East as the world’s next airfreight hub. Gulf carriers and airports, once the exclusive backdrop for oil business, have experienced their own boom over the past several years thanks to continued investment in […]

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