Transportation TIP List: Week of May 13th, 2018

Last week at our 16^th annual Shipper Symposium, we heard myriad insights into the most prominent industry trends from top business leaders and supply chain professionals. And with these topics still top-of-mind, this week’s TIP List is a great way to continue the learning, as it features stories on the recent capacity crunch, rising freight prices and the driver shortage. Read on for all of the timely industry articles – and we look forward to seeing you again at next year’s Shipper Symposium in Dallas!

• With Truckers in Control, Money Talks and Toilets Sparkle: Gone are the days when shippers used reliability scorecards to reject some truckers and keep others waiting for hours. Now, companies are rushing to make drivers feel welcome. And those shippers that hinder rigs from quick turnarounds or treat operators shabbily are paying a premium.

• Transplace CEO McGuigan Details ‘New Normal’ for U.S. Truckload Shippers: Last week, logistics executives attended the 16^th annual Shipper Symposium and discussed what seem to be intractable problems of tight capacity and rising prices. Frank McGuigan, CEO of Transplace, said shippers are grappling with the “new normal” in transportation.

• What is the Solution to Trucking’s Stubborn Parking Problem?: Finding available and safe parking is not a new problem for truckers – it has been well-documented for over a decade. Today, the problem has intensified due to some states closing down rest areas to cut costs, recent changes to HOS rules and the capacity crunch.

• Big Data in Logistics: There are many buzzwords in the supply chain industry today; perhaps none bigger than “Big Data.” Everybody talks about it, but what does it really mean? And, when it comes to leveraging Big Data in your organization, where do you begin?

• Flatbed Rates and Ratios at Record Highs: While van and reefer prices have moderated after peaking in early January, flatbed prices and demand have been red-hot for months. Flatbed rates are now at their highest level since DAT began publishing spot market rates in 2010.

What industry discussions did you find the most captivating at last week’s Shipper Symposium?