What you need to know about shipping freight

The movement of freight seems simple to a consumer — they order something, and a short time later it arrives. But, those who work in the shipping industry know the process is a little more complex. How one shipment is packaged may not be safe for another, and the type of equipment required for one may differ from another (e.g. an oversized shipment needs a flatbed while pharmaceuticals may need temperature controlled). Understanding basic shipping information can help simplify this multifaceted process.

Preparing for the ELD mandate to take full effect

While the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has been working to implement electronic logging devices (ELDs) across the commercial transportation industry since 2015, the mandate will be strictly enforced beginning April 1, 2018. As carriers prepare for this deadline, here’s what you need to know about the ELD rule and how you can help avoid shipment delays:

Fulfilling online orders and meeting consumer demand

We’ve all done it — researched a product we wanted to buy, read some reviews, selected an item, put it in our cart, and provided our payment information. We may have even paid extra for faster shipping. When we finished, we closed the tab (or the app) and waited for the product to arrive. It’s a simple process that most of us do regularly, but any e-commerce retailer knows that getting a customer to click the “buy” button is only half the work. Now it’s time to fulfill the order and get the product where it needs to be.

Adding white glove service to a shipment

Online shopping makes it easy to get everyday items delivered to a home or business, but it can be even more useful for large purchases. When consumers buy items like furniture and equipment in-store, tasks such as finding a big enough vehicle and providing safe transportation become their responsibility — things not everyone wants to handle, especially in large cities where traffic can be difficult to maneuver.

Trade shows taking place in May and June 2018 in the U.S.

Looking to be a trade show exhibitor this summer? Because you want to avoid attending a show that provides little value in the way of new business contacts or sales opportunities, it’s important to find one that meets your company’s business goals. Start planning your schedule by reviewing this curated list of upcoming shows in May and June. If you need to ship your booth, contact ArcBest^® for help managing the trade show services you need.

Current capacity insight

For at least the last 20 years, industry experts and trade magazines have talked about a looming driver shortage and trucking capacity crunch, and I believe it’s finally come to fruition.

Why shippers should consider consolidating freight

Consumer buying behavior has changed. As the convenience of ordering products online continues to increase, expectations for faster deliveries increase, too. Customers are no longer willing to wait weeks to receive deliveries or pay high shipping fees. Instead, the growth of e-commerce has led to customers asking for same-day and next-day delivery at the lowest possible rate. So, how can shippers keep up with this frenzy of ordering and ever-increasing demand, all while keeping customers happy? By consolidating shipments. 

Use geo-fencing technology to protect your freight

Imagine this: You’re shipping two trailers full of electronics with a combined value of $8 million. The carrier you hired loads the freight on a Monday and has strict rules to go directly to the destination for delivery on Tuesday evening. Except the trailers never show. Six months later, they’re still nowhere to be found, and you’re out millions of dollars.

When you need to move freight fast

In this “need-it-yesterday” world, air freight shipping capabilities are a critical part of the supply chain for many companies. Air freight is designed for shipments that need to move across the country, or world, quickly and safely. It’s the solution manufacturers turn to when an assembly line breaks down and a critical replacement part is needed to get it up and running fast. Pharmaceutical companies use air freight shipping to get temperature-sensitive immunizations across the world safely and quickly.

The Skill is maneuvering a truck up a long residential driveway.

The Will is impressing a customer.  

Based on past experiences with other companies, a customer was doubtful that a driver for ArcBest^® less-than-truckload carrier ABF Freight^® would be willing to deliver a shipment up his 1,000-foot driveway.

But that’s exactly what ABF Freight driver Tim Clark did.