Transportation TIP List: A Presentation of This Week’s Top Industry Trends
Posted - March 1, 2017
Week of February 26th, 2017
Over the weekend, the film industry celebrated this past year’s greatest pictures at the Oscars. In this week’s TIP List, let us present you with the supply chain and transportation trends you need to know – including articles that address new clarifications for implementing ELDs, supply chain automation trends and a new trade agreement from the WTO. Grab a bag of popcorn and let’s start the show!
- FMCSA Clarifies ELD Mandate’s “Grandfather” Clause: The FMCSA issued new guidance on the use of older logging devices that afford some carriers two extra years – until December 2019 – to fully comply with the ELD mandate.
- Trucking Companies Increase “Dedicated” Fleets for Use by Clients: Trucking fleets battered by falling prices for hauling freight are steering more of their big rigs into steady work for retailers and manufacturers.
- WTO Trade Deal to Make Cross-Border Shipping Easier: The WTO Facilitation Agreement recently came into effect and is expected to reduce total trade costs by more than 14% for low-income countries and more than 13% for upper-middle-income countries.
- How Much Automation Do You Really Need On Your Packaging Line?: When deciding to use semi-automated or fully-automated packaging within your operation, take into account workforce interaction and skill, quality, safety, productivity and profitability.
- Are You and Your Supply Chain Ready for Import Tariffs?: Trade between the U.S. and others will likely become more complex, partly because of growing sentiments that import tariffs will rise. Are you and your supply chain prepared for all these ramifications?
- States Push to Raise Gasoline Taxes: Nearly 20 states with both Republican and Democratic governors have raised gas taxes or recalculated gas-tax formulas in recent years to generate funds for upgrades to aging roads and bridges.
- U.S.-NAFTA Freight Rises for Third Time in Five Months In December: U.S. trade with its NAFTA partners rose .4% annually to $87.1 billion. This gain marks the third time in the last five months in which the annual value of U.S.-NAFTA freight saw an increase.
What transportation trends are you watching this week?