For an industry that has such a big impact on the economy and people’s lives, logistics is subject to a surprising amount of unpredictable, external conditions that can affect freight rates—such as natural disasters and changes in the workforce. Here we break down different impacts that lead to freight rate fluctuation, how they have recently influenced […]
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ELD Mandate and Capacity Impacts
Photo Source: NationalLease What will happen to truck capacity when the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Mandate is finally enforced this coming December? The ELD mandate will help to standardize Hours of Service (HOS). Paper logs can be manipulated easily, with some drivers running multiple books or delaying start times, to drive more hours than legally […]
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Freight Rates Update: 2017 Q3
The freight market may finally be rebounding from its multi-year slump. Mark Montague, an industry rate analyst for DAT Solutions, states that “The robust supply of van and refrigerated truckload freight in May and June, combined with higher spot market rates and load-to-truck ratios, are signs that the freight recession is over.” The July 4th […]
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Transportation Solutions for Refrigerated Freight
Would you ever ship dry, non-perishable goods on a temperature controlled trailer? Most often, the answer would be no. Temperature-controlled trucks can present higher costs and lower capacity than traditional vehicles. Reefers are 10-20% more expensive and cold chain as a whole can be as much as 50% more expensive. Note: Temperature controlled vehicles, including […]
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Latest Technologies in the Shipping Industry: Autonomous Trucks, API, Uber, and Drones
It’s an exciting time for technology in transportation. The problem is that sometimes many of the most interesting ideas aren’t necessarily the ones that drive immediate change. This is not to argue that new logistics technology in any form is not a great thing – it is. The point is to have more realistic expectations […]
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Trucking Rates 2017: Q2 Update
Everyone predicted a rise in freight rates for 2017 (including Zipline). But the spike has yet to hit. So, where do market pressures and transportation pricing currently stand? Transportation Impacts from 2017 Produce Season Produce season impacts all shippers, regardless of whether they are in the market for fresh fruits and vegetables. When crops are […]
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How Shippers Can Make Freight More Appealing
Some freight lanes are more difficult than others when booking carriers. For example, an individual in charge of transportation might find it difficult to find a willing driver. Multiple phone calls and vetting could still result in no pickup or delivery. Even if a driver is secured, it could be at a very high cost […]
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Shippers Want Reliability, Value, and 3PL Service
What are the most important metrics when benchmarking your logistics provider(s)? When Eye for Transport (eft) – the global provider of business intelligence for the transport, logistics and supply chain industry – asked shippers this question as part of its 2017 Global Logistics Report, 35.8 percent of shippers said reliability, 24.5 percent said value for […]
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How a Freight Broker Works; Step by Step “Life of a Load”
Before you decide to work with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider, it helps to understand how the relationship will look and function. What exactly will a 3PL provider take off your plate, and what responsibilities will still be in your court? Here’s a breakdown of how a freight broker works, along with key points surrounding […]
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The Truth About API vs. EDI in Transportation
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are often revered as one of the great innovations in logistics today – almost on par with delivery drones and self-driving trucks. This perspective is centered on the idea that Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is dead, with APIs being the heir apparent as the de facto standard for how data will […]
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Freight Rates 2017: What Transportation Pros Need to Know
2017 is going to be an interesting year for the transportation and logistics industry. Political, regulatory, and economic factors are all in flux, pointing to an increase in demand, tightening of capacity, and rate impacts for all modes of freight transportation. New regulatory updates are seemingly published daily and it can be overwhelming to know what […]
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