Articles
Transportation
LTL Leaders Make Tracks for the Web
Less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers are parking on freight portals to offer extra capacity to small shippers surfing for low-cost transportation.
Read MoreForecasting the Unexpected: Home Improvement Retailers and Emergency Response
During the calm before the storm, home improvement stores stock up on the products consumers will need to repair damage and rebuild after an extreme weather event.
Read MoreSupplier Compliance: Ask the Experts
Need to gain control of inbound transportation? Then get on the same page as your suppliers. Inbound Logistics picks the brains of seven industry experts for their advice.
Read MoreFueling the Oil and Gas Supply Chain
New possibilities and partnerships get energy companies pumped.
Read MoreU.S.-Canada Trade: Getting a Line on Cross-Border Shipments
To efficiently move goods across the U.S.-Canada border, shippers and logistics providers must adapt to regulatory, geographic, and currency challenges.
Read MorePartners and Process Management: Freight Business From the Inside Out
Q: What is the key to managing freight spend in today’s supply chain? A: Efficiency at every level of the supply chain is of the utmost importance in controlling costs. Carriers and shippers alike need to formulate their strategies based on key performance indicators (KPIs). Making routine a simple action such as generating useful reports […]
Read MoreGetting a Handle on Loss and Damage Claims
Q: Why are loss and damage claims a challenge for shippers? A: Global shippers face many challenges when it comes to managing loss and damage claims. The top three are a lack of knowledge about claims preparation and filing requirements (including documentation and time frames); a lack of resources to follow through on outstanding claims; […]
Read MoreTMS: Getting in on the Ground Floor
TAJ Flooring’s new transportation management system lays the foundation for improved logistics and customer service.
Read MoreInnovation in Business Processes from Northwest Arkansas
Northwest Arkansas is a hotbed for innovations in supply chain management, the effects of which span the globe. Although some argue that various aspects of these innovations started elsewhere, they have, at the very least, been perfected and rolled out broadly in Northwest Arkansas. Though these innovations have been in areas of data science and […]
Read MoreBud Snodgrass: Oils Well That Ends Well
Bud Snodgrass is director of logistics at Universal Lubricants in Wichita, Kansas. He joined the company in 2013. Responsibilities: Distribution, including warehousing and customer service at 17 distribution centers; all inbound and outbound transportation. Experience: Several positions in marine claims, scheduling and distribution, sales, and other areas, Koch Industries; account executive, Trane – Asset Management […]
Read MoreHow the Hub-and-Spoke Model Transformed the Transportation Industry
In the past, the transportation and distribution industry was guided by the principles of point-to-point or direct-route operations. Transportation networks were disorganized, and shipping, aviation, and transit companies were losing money. As technology has developed, the logistics sector has found faster and more cost-effective ways of shipping freight. The hub-and-spoke model was born from industry’s […]
Read MorePlan Better Truck Routes: Long-range Itinerary Generation Enhances Operations
Not so long ago, route planning, fleet optimization, and driver allocation relied almost exclusively on the guile, instincts, and experience of operations managers and dispatch personnel. Long-range forecasting was theoretical at best. The tools used static data, and couldn’t handle the inevitable adjustments required by the dynamics of day-to-day operations. This is changing fast. While […]
Read MoreFusing Big Data and the Supply Chain: The Future is NOW
Only 8% of shippers and 5% of 3PLs surveyed have implemented Big Data initiatives involving the supply chain, according to the 2014 18th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study produced by Dr. C. John Langley and Capgemini Consulting. Conversely, nearly all shippers and third-party logistics providers believe Big Data is vital in future 3PL efforts to help […]
Read MoreMaximizing the Benefits of Your TMS
Q: What are the best ways to get the full benefit of a transportation management system (TMS)? A: First, work with your solution provider to configure the system to meet your unique requirements and workflow, and to automate managing your transportation network. A system you can implement quickly and that meets your requirements enables you […]
Read MoreAccessible Capital, Trustworthy Partners Key to Managing Freight Costs
Q: What is the key to managing freight spend in today’s environment? A: In addition to the slow growth economy, the transportation industry has been hit with significant economic and industry challenges, including increasing regulations, driver shortages, fluctuating fuel costs, and a tight credit environment. Carrier costs are going up—costs that will likely get passed […]
Read MoreProtecting High-Value Cargo: A Sense of Security
When moving one-of-a-kind artwork, luxury items, and high-priced electronics, call in the cargo cops. That’s a 10-4.
Read MoreHeading North: Navigating Alaska’s Supply Chain
The road to success in the Last Frontier is paved with logistics demands and challenges.
Read MoreHow the Changing Chassis Market Affects Your Supply Chain
The change in marine chassis provisioning continues to be of concern to maritime shippers, thanks to a long-term trend of separating ocean transportation from inland logistics. That trend began in the mid-2000s, when carriers limited the inland destinations they would serve. As ocean carriers are disintermediated from the market, chassis users and providers will develop […]
Read MoreThe New 3PL Partnership: More Bang for Your Buck
Sure, third-party logistics providers will tune your transportation transactions. But their real value lies in strategic relationships that optimize your entire enterprise.
Read MoreCargo Security: Protecting the Supply Chain
Whether on a truck, in a warehouse, or at a port, your shipments are vulnerable to theft. Learn how to reduce that risk and keep your valuable cargo safe.
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