First off, what is truck detention and what is detention pay for truckers? When shipments aren’t ready to be loaded, even if a truck driver arrives on time, the trucker is “detained” and must wait for freight (and its paperwork) to be prepped. The industry standard is to have trucks loaded in two hours. After […]
Read MoreTopic: LTL Shipping
Rejected Freight: Top Reasons Freight is Turned Away
What does it mean to have rejected freight? If a carrier arrives at a facility and the receiver refuses to take the freight as is, it is rejected and must go back to the shipper or be fixed before ownership can switch hands. Some reasons for rejected freight are obvious, like a damaged product or […]
Read More
Less Than Truckload Freight – Step by Step Life of a Load
Less than truckload (LTL) freight shipping refers to the movement of goods that don’t fill a full trailer. LTL orders range anywhere from 1-15 pallets. Using this mode helps shippers to cut transportation costs by sharing equipment and labor. LTL shipping differs from truckload shipping in a handful of ways. While the beginning and end of […]
Read More
Q1 2019 Freight Rates and Market Update
The transportation industry saw record-setting levels of freight-haul demand and driver pay in 2018 as tonnage levels reached a 20-year high, the ELD Mandate caused major debate and disruption, and price increases were felt across the map. This begs the question, what can we expect to see in 2019? Nothing quite so drastic. The trucking […]
Read More
Q4 2018 Trucking Industry Update
Here is a summary of the most influential transportation market impacts and predictions, so you’re not left to decipher the plethora of voices online. 4Q Trucking Outlook The average national rate at the close of September was $2.15 per mile. Outbound Chicago held the highest average rate at $2.66 per mile, while Dallas averaged $1.94 […]
Read More
ELD Mandate Report; October 2018 Update
Zipline Logistics’ carrier team surveyed more than 150 trucking companies in our network about the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Mandate and its impacts. Goals of the survey included seeing how the market has adjusted since the December 2017 rollout of the Mandate, what preferences and procedures have changed with fleets, and how drivers and dispatchers […]
Read More
OTR vs Intermodal: Which Shipping Strategy is Right for You?
What mode of transportation is the best choice for the movement of your freight? Each mode offers its own set of pros and cons and is best suited for different situations. One of the most common debates is over-the-road (truckload) vs. intermodal (rail). Many shippers stick to using trucks/vans to move their product because it’s […]
Read More
How to Get an Accurate LTL Freight Quote
LTL freight pricing is based off product density and commodity type. So, when the shipment dimensions provided are inaccurate, so is quoted pricing. Price differences aren’t necessarily drastic – ranging anywhere from $10 to a few hundred dollars per skid – but the more information provided upfront, the more accurate ratings will be and the […]
Read More
LTL Freight Class FAQ
What are freight classes? LTL freight classes represent a standardized method of defining price for LTL freight based on the ease of movement. Ranking and classes are defined by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA). How is freight class determined? Each type of freight is evaluated on density, handling, liability, and stowability. Density: Pounds per […]
Read More
To Be a Shipper of Choice, Work with a 3PL of Choice
In today’s tight freight market, shippers are encouraged to be more accommodating to drivers, acting as a “Shipper of Choice”. But being a shipper of choice is often out of a brand’s control and is instead dependent on their warehouse, manufacturing and/or co-packing partnerships. In all freight markets, but especially in tight ones like our […]
Read More
Trucking Industry Outlook and Rates Roundup
There is a plethora of information out there about the current transportation market and freight rates. To help synthesize the information for our audience, we’ve developed a breakdown of what’s most important, right now. We’re facing capacity restrictions like those experienced in 2004-2005. But, the issues of the market are not cyclical like they were […]
Read More
Logistics Statistics: Savings Opportunities in Shipping (INFOGRAPHIC)
For all the effort, ingenuity, and resources shippers put into cutting costs and streamlining operations, there are always savings opportunities hidden somewhere in the supply chain. The key (and the challenge) is knowing where to look. And where, exactly, is that? That largely depends on what, where and when you ship, but there are some […]
Read More