From the West Coast to the East Coast, America runs one of the safest, most extensive and reliable railroad systems in the world. The 140,000-mile network is owned and operated by 600 freight rail lines, including seven Class I railroad companies. Together, these rail lines earned nearly $74 billion in revenue in 2017 — Class I railroads earned $70 billion of that total.
Shippers always place high importance on a carrier’s ability to deliver freight without incident, but when the shipment is high-value or sensitive, it’s even more essential. With this type of freight, it’s necessary to work with an experienced carrier that understands things like packaging best practices, the best modes of transportation for a specific type of shipment, and in-transit protection.
On April 1, 2018, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) began strictly enforcing the long-awaited electronic logging device (ELD) mandate that was implemented in December 2017. The mandate requires most commercial truck drivers to log their hours of service (HOS) electronically, rather than on paper. This new log rule was designed to create a safer driving environment, decrease driver delays and streamline the way carriers manage shipment schedules.
Trade shows and professional business conferences focus on industry-specific markets that attract thousands of potential customers. These events are a great venue to build your company’s brand, connect with prospective customers and colleagues, and learn about new products, trends and other industry-related topics.
What happens to your products after the point of sale? Are they easily returned if they’re faulty, recyclable if they’ve reached end-of-life, or able to be repaired? If the answer to these questions isn’t known, or the process to make those events happen isn’t well-defined, your reverse logistics system may not be operating at peak efficiency. Take a look at the benefits of an optimized approach, and get tips for improving your processes.
Family, quality and wellness are three words that embody the team at our service center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Approximately 60 dock workers, city drivers, office employees and regional personnel operate this facility day and night to ensure customers receive on-time pickups and deliveries. Through extensive training and development, each employee has the skill to solve supply chain disruptions and the will to do what’s best for the customer.
Imagine you’re the logistics manager responsible for scheduling hundreds of inbound and outbound shipments each day. You evaluate each of your orders at the start of every workday and start devising a shipping plan that will get your freight out on time. Say you’ve got one pallet of bedframes that need to be delivered to a local retailer today, and you need to get 10 sets of mattresses and box springs from your warehouse in Atlanta to another retailer in New York by the end of business tomorrow afternoon.
At 3 a.m. every weekday, the lights at our Tulsa service center come on. As many of its employees start their day, most of Tulsa is still sleeping. But in a world where freight is continuously moving, those few extra hours are critical. Fortunately, Tulsa’s employees have the will and determination to put in the hard work necessary to serve our customers well — and they’ve experienced growth as a result.
Staying on top of current trends is instrumental for success in many industries. Medical professionals take courses throughout their careers to ensure superior patient care, and educators are required to take part in specialized training for the classroom. But how do you develop employees in fields that don’t necessitate continued education?
What if human error could be eliminated from data management? You’d never have to question revenue numbers or spend time resolving payment disputes, and you’d always know business decisions were based on accurate information. When it came to managing your supply chain, you’d know every step was precisely monitored.
While these situations may sound too good to be true, blockchain technology could make them a reality in the not-so-distant future.