Transportation TIP List: Week of June 3rd, 2018

For many recent graduates, it’s a great time to celebrate past accomplishments and prepare for future endeavors. And with graduation season in full-force, we’ve curated our weekly TIP List to highlight some supply chain standouts shaping the outlook of the industry. From the state of the freight market to strategies for avoiding a shipping squeeze – check out all of the stories below worth recognition!

• The U.S. Needs 50,000 Truck Drivers to Avoid a Shipping Squeeze: Retailers are facing a shipping squeeze, and the trucking industry just can’t keep up. According to the ATA, there’s a shortage of roughly 50,000 truck drivers across the country –and it’s hitting both businesses and consumers in the wallet.

• Addressing Freight Market Challenges Through Data and Routing Guides: What is the current state of the freight market? Transplace CEO Frank McGuigan examines current industry challenges and what shippers can do to combat these issues.

• U.S. Carloads, Intermodal Traffic up in Week 21: According to the Association of American Railroads, U.S. railroads moved 565,502 carloads and intermodal units during the week ending May 26, marking a 4.4% increase over the same week last year.

• U.S. Factory-Sector Activity Accelerated in May: The Institute for Supply Management recently said its manufacturing index rose to 58.7 in May from 57.3 in April. This occurred as factory activity picked up after a two-month slowdown and is the latest sign that U.S. economic growth rebounded in the second quarter.

• Will Van Rates Spike Again in June?: Many truckers adjusted their schedules ahead of Memorial Day to avoid running out of hours and getting stuck away from home over the long weekend. As a result, there were fewer trucks available, and the tighter truckload capacity pushed rates higher across much of the country.

Which industry trends are having the biggest impact on your supply chain?