Transportation TIP List: Week of July 8th, 2018

The 105th Tour de France is underway and as the riders take on the over 2,000-mile-long course, we’ve been thinking about the intricate twists and turns of the challenging path to an efficient supply chain. Our TIP List this week covers the impact of carrier consolidation on the industry and the FMCSA rejecting a petition to exclude small businesses from the ELD mandate. Read on for all the latest trends taking stage in the industry.

• Chances of Federal ELD Easing Dim on Latest Petition Rejection: The FMCSA rejected a petition calling for a small business exemption to the ELD mandate. This is a signal to shippers that any capacity easement will have to come from declining freight volume or massive driver hiring, not regulatory changes.
• Carriers Eye Higher Prices on Reefer Demand, Tighter Capacity: The impact of carrier consolidation continues to reverberate through the shipping industry, with reefer beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) among the most prone to the inevitable consequences such as service slips, equipment shortages and capacity constraints.
• Shipments to U.S. Ports Soar on Rising Retail Demand, Trade Worries: The increase in consumer spending and growing concern among manufacturers and retailers over changes to U.S. trade policies are leading to a surge in cargo volume at U.S. seaports.
• FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index Tells a Tough Story for Shippers: According to findings in the Shippers Condition Index from FTR, tight capacity, coupled with ongoing rate pressures, continue to be the major theme in the shipping world.
• 2018 Truckload Brokerage Roundtable: Game On: A combination of strong demand, favorable economic conditions and technological innovation is paying off in the truckload brokerage space – and savvy shippers are leveraging this dynamic market to gain an advantage.

What industry trends are currently having an influence on your operations?