My shipment is delayed in transit: Can we still meet the deadline?
Few things are more frustrating in logistics than discovering your freight is delayed in transit. Delays can impact everything from supply chain efficiency to customer satisfaction. But disruptions don’t have to spell disaster. With the right approach, you can recover delayed freight and meet delivery deadlines.
ArcBest’s Panther Premium Logistics fleet specializes in recovery efforts, and our expedite team is here to ensure shipments arrive on time. Join us as we explore practical solutions that keep your business running smoothly.
Common causes of transit delays
Before you can uncover a solution, you must understand the problem. Take a look at these common disruptions to learn why setbacks occur.
Adverse weather
From snow and ice building up on roads, rails and runways to high winds causing turbulence and rough seas, weather can impact every transportation mode. Some events may only cause temporary delays, but others could lead to rerouting or canceled pickups until the problem is resolved.
Holidays
Many businesses have reduced staff or close completely leading up to and during the holiday season. When this occurs, shipments could get held at service centers until normal hours resume and delivery can be completed.
Equipment failures
Accidents, flat tires and other maintenance issues can occur during transit, requiring truck repair. Small problems typically can be resolved quickly, but major events could mean freight isn’t delivered as promised.
Deliveries to remote locations
Often, the final leg of delivery to a more remote location is handled by a carrier that makes scheduled trips with freight from multiple customers. For example, if you’re shipping LTL from New York City to Livingston, Montana, your carrier may deliver to a service center in Billings, and then hand the shipment to another carrier that goes to Livingston once a week. Depending on when your shipment arrives, it’s possible you could miss deadlines based on this type of schedule.
Lost items
Although carriers take steps to avoid service failures, there are times when pallets get left behind. This is usually corrected by prioritizing the pallet for the next available truck headed to the destination, but that process could lead to missed deadlines if the issue isn’t identified quickly.
New delivery requirements
If a shipment is already in transit and you need it delivered sooner than planned, not every transportation mode or carrier will be able to accommodate the request. Depending on how it’s being shipped and where it is in transit, it’s possible your new deadline will be missed.
Ways to get freight back on track
Some factors contributing to delays are beyond anyone’s control, but many can be managed with the right strategies. Here are two ways ArcBest’s expedite team can recover freight.
Sending equipment to take over the shipment
Some situations — including breakdowns and lost freight — will require a new transportation option. The Panther fleet has ready-to-deploy vehicles, from cargo vans to straight trucks, each tailored to handle different types and sizes of shipments.
Our ability to respond immediately is possible because we maintain a state of constant readiness, with equipment and drivers on standby 24/7/365. This ensures that as soon as you contact us, we can dispatch the necessary resources without delay. Panther drivers are experienced in time-sensitive deliveries, prioritizing direct, non-stop routes. This significantly reduces transit time, helping your shipment reach its destination quickly and efficiently.
Finding air charter options
For the most critical shipments that require even faster delivery, we explore air charter options. Air charters provide unparalleled speed and flexibility because they aren’t limited by commercial flight schedules. This method is particularly beneficial for long-distance shipments, where ground transportation alone may not meet the required timelines.
Avoid future disruptions with ArcBest expedite
You don’t have to wait until a deadline is at risk before calling for help. By including expedite in your normal operations, you can address transit delays before they happen. Think an upcoming storm will impact your area? We can get a shipment moving sooner, so it’s out of the storm’s path before it hits. Need capacity in a remote area? We can dispatch trucks where you need them.
Whatever your needs, we’re here to ensure even your most time-sensitive freight is delivered swiftly and reliably. Explore our expedite solution and get in touch to learn more!
