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Megavessels take the shipping industry by storm as demand increases

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megavesselHuge vessels are the future of freight services worldwide
Huge ships with a colorful collection of shipping containers have become a familiar sight in ports all over the world. Many of these containers carry not only commercial cargo, but also the personal belongings of people who are making an international move. With the global economy expanding, international moves will become more and more common as companies expand their reach globally.

 

More freight shipped requires larger ships to handle the increased load
With the demand for more cargo to be shipped across the world’s oceans, the shipping industry has shifted to using huge boats, called megavessels, to ship their cargo. These vessels can not only carry more cargo, but they also can carry it for less. Megavessels are engineered to require less fuel, so they cost less to operate and create a smaller ecological footprint for the companies who use them. Since the cost of transoceanic freight service is going down, demand will rise as more companies take advantage of the opportunity for the huge ships’ capacity for containerization.

 

World ports scramble to keep up with demand
Not only is the demand for international cargo shipments rising, so is the demand for fossil fuel. With demand for shipping on both fronts rising sharply, the world’s major ports are adjusting their operations to accommodate the needs of the shippers.

 

Ports must become deeper to allow megavessels access
As megavessel traffic increases, more and more ports are deepening the waterways that lead to them. Jacksonville, Florida, for instance, has a project to dredge the waterways by which ships access their docks. Many other ports are following suit. The Panama Canal is also slated for expansion to make room for these giant ocean cargo carriers.

 

Not surprisingly, the demand for workers in port cities is rising
As more and more shipping companies are using megavessels to ship cargo and portable storage containers for personal belongings, the need for workers to handle the increased workload will rise accordingly. Every time one of these huge boats docks, it takes more than 100 workers just to unload it and then load it up again for its return trip. Add to that the increased need for clerks, customs agents, security officers, crane operators and construction workers, and these port cities will see a huge jump in job creation.
The shipping industry continues to grow as more and more companies ship goods and relocate workers all over the world. With the rise of the global economy comes a greater chance that you may face the possibility of an international move. If you do get the opportunity to move to another country, be sure that you hire a moving company with years of experience in international moves. With an experienced company handling your belongings, you can relax and learn more about your new home and its culture.

 

 

A quick guide to Supply Chain Management

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Logistics Supply Chain
Supply Chain Management (SCM) can initially be quite a daunting subject as it consists of so many different aspects and avenues from start to finish. Here Whichwarehouse explain in simple terms.

 

Supply Chain Management is basically broken down into two main concepts.

 

Supply Chain: To begin, every physical item that is purchased by the consumer goes through numerous channels to reach its end destination. For example, an everyday item such as Cow’s Milk, starts the supply chain process at the Dairy Farm and a sequence is then followed to allow the product to reach the retail outlet ready for consumption (see diagram). This procedure consists of multiple companies each playing their own part in the supply chain. The farmers to the milk hauler, the processor to the inspectors/testers before reaching the retailer.

 

Commodity FlowSecondly, Supply Chain Management: This description refers to the organisation of the supply chain process which allows maximisation of consumer value and the ability of attaining a viable competitive stance within the market. All companies involved in the development of the supply chain procedure are mindful of introducing techniques that enhance and fulfil the process ensuring the most sustainable methods are utilised and further developed. The term supply chain covers all aspects from the manufacture and development of a product to product sourcing, production and logistics.

 

 

In order to achieve a resilient, sustainable supply chain, companies must work together using collaborative approaches. Problems with innovation, effectiveness, skill gaps as well as the economics of the business, need to receive full attention to ensure the complete supply chain benefits.

 

Considering the necessities and challenges involved in the supply chain, you could be forgiven for doubting if the pursuit of SCM capabilities is worthwhile. To the point, yes it is, due to the fact that companies depend on resilient supply chain competencies to successfully compete within their particular marketplace. The main aims for SCM should be to accomplish resourceful fulfilment of demand, determine outstanding consumer value, augment organisational receptiveness, build network pliability and aid monetary success.

 

SCMTo sum up – SCM is the control of resources, data and cash as they channel their way from supplier all the way through to consumer. All corporations involved need to synchronise and integrate the movements to ensure the process is streamlined. To attain an efficacious SCM system the desired result is to diminish stock levels whilst upholding availability. Companies involved in the supply chain process are now starting to incorporate innovative software systems with Web interfaces to run alongside, or indeed, replace the original Web-based application service providers (ASP) as a way of augmenting the future of the supply chain lifecycle.

 

 

 

Bio: The Whichwarehouse network consists of third party logistics providers who can assist companies with their supply chain requirements offering services such as (but not limited to) the receipt, handling, storage and distribution of their products ranging from foodstuff, chemicals through to merchandise.

 

 

Top 7 Freight Claim Time Wasters – And What to Do About Them

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clock to track frieght claim managementWhile most people know that freight claim management is time consuming, do you realize how much time you or your staff are really spending managing freight claims?

Here are the top 7 ways that freight claim management eats up your time. At the end, we’ll provide some free tips and resources to help you save time on freight claim management.

 

#7 Freight Claim Time Waster: Filing

This is the obvious time factor. It typically takes 2 – 3 hours to manually file a freight claim. This includes the time spent entering the data and appending supporting documents, submitting the freight claim form to the carrier, and organizing the data in your own freight claim filing system. You probably also spend time looking for the proper form, since each carrier requires their own specific freight claim form.

#6 Freight Claim Time Waster: Data & Document Gathering

This is the time that you spend on any of the following tasks:
• Calculating losses
• Finding repair quotes
• Looking for supporting documents (eg bill of lading, delivery receipt)
• Taking photographs of the damages

#5 Freight Claim Time Waster: Filing, Again

Have you ever submitted a freight claim only to have the carrier send it back due to missing information? Since it may have been a month or more since you last looked at the freight claim, you’ll need to spend additional time looking up the information in order to re-file the claim.

#4 Freight Claim Time Waster: Carrier Follow-Up

As much as everyone might like to send off their freight claims and have the money magically appear in their bank accounts, it doesn’t always work this way. Unfortunately, it is often necessary to follow up with the carrier to ensure that the freight claims get paid. Consider the time spent on these carrier follow-up tasks:
• Looking up what freight claims have gone unpaid
• Writing diplomatic freight claim reminder letters to the carrier
• Calling the carrier multiple times before you get a response

#3 Freight Claim Time Waster: Dealing with Damaged Shipments

When a shipment comes in damaged, you’ll need to deal with it. Consider how much time you spend on the following:
• Sorting damaged product from the rest of the shipment
• Testing product to determine if it is damaged or not
• Repackaging product to be sent back to the shipper
• Disposing of damaged product

#2 Freight Claim Time Waster: Meetings & Errands

Once you file a freight claim, you’ll find yourself running off to extra errands and meetings, such as:
• Meeting with the carrier’s inspector
• Taking damaged product in for repair
• Having damaged product appraised for salvage value

#1 Freight Claim Time Waster: Managing Unhappy Clients

If you shipped a product to a client and it was damaged by your carrier, your client may perceive this as poor service on your part. If it wasn’t just your internal team who was expecting the product, you’ll need to take the time to make things right with any unsatisfied clients.

How to Save Time on Freight Claim Management

Spending some amount of time on freight claims is inevitable. But here are some tips and free resources to make freight claim management easier:
• For some tasks, you can claim labor as a cost on your freight claim.
• Download a generic freight claim form so you can use one form that works for every carrier
• Download freight claim reminder letter templates so when you need to send a carrier a reminder, you don’t have to start from scratch
• Consider using freight claim software to streamline your filing processes, reducing filing time from 2-3 hours per claim, to 10 minutes per claim

 

About TranSolutions
TranSolutions Inc has been helping shippers and 3PLs more effectively and efficiently manage their freight claims since 1996. They pride themselves in providing cutting edge technology and exceptional customer service. They are also pleased to offer free freight claim filing tips, advice, and resources at www.transolutionsinc.com/blog

For more information about their software or for a free demo, visit www.transolutionsinc.com

 

By Vanessa Glavac – Logistics Writer for TranSolutions Inc.

 

How to Get Approved for Truck Financing

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Whether you are an independent truck operator or even work as part of maintaining a larger fleet, you are probably aware of some of the difficulties that are often involved in purchasing a new truck. This may be especially true if you are an independent driver and this is your first time attempting to buy a new truck for the first time. Often times, if you do not have a high credit score, it can be difficult or seem downright impossible to find a truck that will meet your needs and that you will be able to afford making monthly payments on. In some cases, you may be outright denied financing at all. Luckily for you, there are some steps you can take to better your chances of receiving reasonable truck financing so that you can drive that truck off the lot in no time.

For starters, what many truck owners decide to do is to find a cosigner. By finding a cosigner, you will be having another person or entity sign the financing paperwork, which makes them responsible for the loan in the event that you fail to make your payments. For this reason, finding a cosigners is not always an easy task, but if it is something you can do, then you can almost be guaranteed approval on a truck loan.

If you are unable to find one, however, you still have other options. For example, you may want to consider placing a larger down payment on the truck itself. This means that you will be borrowing less from the financing company and will, in turn, pay less in interest on the truck over time. Of course, this will mean forking up more money up front, but if this is something that you can afford to do, then it can really pay off over time.

Finally, if you do not have a lot of cash to put down on a vehicle but do have something else of value, then some dealerships or financing companies will allow you to put something down as collateral. This will essentially function as a down payments to guarantee that you will make the payments on your vehicle. If you fail to, then the financing company has the right to keep the collateral, whether it be another vehicle, piece of property, or other valuable possession.

By following the tips above, you can be sure to get approved for financing on a truck in no time. Good luck!

 

By Jason Dasher of Capital Solutions – a commercial truck financing company specializing in working with people with less than perfect credit.

 

International and European Removal Customers and Removal Companies can Finally Find Each Other

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Anyone who is moving will know how stressful it is. The RoadAhead and its team have been involved in the international removal industry for many years and this is why the idea for an international and European online marketplace was born. The one thing the founders realised was that finding a removal company was one the most difficult and time consuming things to do. This is why The RoadAhead has developed a website which has now been live since February 2012 to make life easier for people who are moving anything around the world or within Europe to find a suitable removal company. Not only that, it’s proving to save people up to 70% on the cost of a removal.

 

Removal Customers

The RoadAhead offers removal customers a marketplace for finding rated removal companies. Every company that signs up is vetted to ensure they are who they say they are. It couldn’t be easier post your job by completing a very simple online quote form.

The system will automatically send the removal job through the system so it reaches any removal company that may be interested in offering a price. All of the messages and quotes are emailed directly to you. The only thing a removal customer has to do is ask any questions they may have and accept the quote once they have decided on the best removal company for them.

After a quote has been accepted, a small deposit is paid to the website and the remainder of the price quoted is paid to the removal company. Customers NEVER pay more than they have been quoted on the site.

 

Removal Companies

The RoadAhead can, in actual fact be used as a personal marketing tool for removal companies. There are features that allow a profile to look as professional as the company behind it. Such features as adding photographs, posting personal profile text and a feedback system are all standard with the website.

The team behind The RoadAhead have thought long and hard about how to help removal companies gain more business and have more of an online presence at the same time. On the homepage there are featured removal companies who gain this added extra when they have received some positive customer feedback from the site.

Any international & European removal company can sign up to the website and since the fee structure is based around the customer, it’s totally free for a removal company to use. All quotes made on the website are “closed” which means no-one else can see what has been quoted so unlike other sites we don’t work on the principal of driving prices down to unrealistic levels. Instead we try to achieve fair prices for both removal companies and removal customers!

The RoadAhead is a very simple but powerful concept which helps removal companies to gain more business whilst allowing customers to get an average of 5 quotes and make savings of up to 68%!

Author: Julie Coburn (G+)

 

 

Benefits of Automated Storage and Retrieval System

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Benefits of Automated Storage and Retrieval SystemYou understand that managing your inventory by excel spreadsheets is no longer a solution. You understand that the costs of data entry errors are too much to overcome. As such, you’ve moved forward with investing in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and have started to barcode all inventory counts. You also understand that to properly manage your warehouse means you must continually keep track of your work-in-process, raw material and finished goods inventory. Doing away with spreadsheets was the first step, while the second included purchasing an inventory management software. The third and final step includes upgrading your warehouse with automated storage and retrieval systems. So what kind of benefits can you expect from this third and final step? More importantly, why have so many of today’s enterprises decided to install these automated storage systems?

 

Reducing Costs of Obsolescence, Damage and Theft

There are three costs of inventory that can be reduced by using automated storage systems: Inventory obsolescence, inventory damage and finally, inventory theft. All three have a direct impact on profit, and most importantly, a direct impact on a company’s bottom line. The reality is that manual processes don’t allow companies to capture, track or eliminate these costs at the source. They don’t allow enterprises to track their incidence in real-time. In fact, most only find out damage, obsolescence and theft is a problem long after it has occurred.

 

Barcoding inventory is but one solution to this aforementioned problem. However, barcoding alone won’t reduce the incidence of damage, obsolescence and theft. Barcoding alone won’t improve the accuracy and precision and upgrade your materials management processes. What’s required is an automated storage and retrieval system that tracks, stores and protects inventory at all times. Again, speed and accuracy are essential. However, it’s wrong to assume that all storage and retrieval systems are automated and computer-controlled. Here are two options with respect to the types of storage systems your company can use.

 

Manually Controlled Storage Systems: Raw material allocation and order picking is simplified with manually controlled storage systems. These systems and storage units are functional, easy-to-manage and just as easy-to-control. While they are not fully computer-controlled or integrated, they still allow warehouse personnel to manage storage spaces, carousels and bins with ease.

 

Automated and Integrated Storage Systems: Fully automated and integrated storage systems are the ultimate in warehouse management and efficiency. They allow for complete integration of the company’s ERP software with the warehouse retrieval storage system. Order picking is optimized and controlled via ERP-generated work orders. The entire system allows operators to easily pull inventory via direct and remote terminals.

 

Automated storage and retrieval systems will not only improve how you manage your warehouse, but they will also upgrade your entire supply chain. You’ll no longer have to concern yourself with damage and obsolescence. You’ll have better control of incoming and outgoing shipments. You’ll protect your inventory from theft by being able to segregate your inventory within vertical and horizontal storage carousels, thereby keeping your most valued inventory out of reach.

 

This has been a guest post by the Schaefer Shelving, helping customers improve their supply chain, logistics, storage and distribution processes.

 

 

Top 5 Ways To Use The Internet To Buy And Sell Trucks

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Top 5 Ways To Use The Internet To Buy And Sell TrucksA few years ago, the only way to buy or sell trucks was to list an ad in your local newspaper or place a sign in the windshield. These days, the Internet has made these methods almost obsolete. The Internet offers both buyers and sellers a number of advantages over more traditional marketing methods including offering a wider audience and keeping expenses low.

 

In order to be successful in finding the truck you want or selling one that you don’t, keep these tips in mind.

 

1. Global Audience: The Internet grows by leaps and bounds every single day. Thousands of new users make their way onto the World Wide Web daily, which means that the pool of potential buyers grows exponentially with each passing week. The main benefit of an online market for buyers is that the fierce competition and the lower cost of advertising tends to force prices down. This equates to better deals for both buyers and sellers.
The truth is that newspaper ads just don’t work anymore. Fewer and fewer people subscribe to local newspapers, which in turn bumps up the price for advertisers in order to keep the paper afloat. The pool of potential buyers is limited, which results in lower chances for success.

2. A picture is worth a thousand words: Sellers looking to truly reach their audience should be prepared to supply plenty of pictures in order to capture the attention of would-be buyers. Pictures of the exterior, interior, tires, tread wear, and engine are all essential to creating a successful advertisement. Studies have shown that ads with strong descriptions and plenty of ads have an 85% higher click through rate over their less illustrated counterparts.

3. Choose the right website for your application. There are literally thousands of websites aimed at helping you sell or buy a truck. Some are free, some are not, but just like in the real world, you get what you pay for when it comes to the options you have for making your advertisement stand out. While spending lots of money on your ad really doesn’t make sense, since it cuts into your profit, paying a small fee for extras such as listing standard and optional equipment is a great way to snag buyers looking for specific feature.

4. Shop from the comfort of your own home. For buyers, looking at trucks online is the best way to see the greatest number of trucks without spending a dime in gas. Buyers looking for a specific make or model can browse the Internet, view thousands of offerings and create a short list of sellers to contact in a matter of hours, a process that used to take days, weeks or even months. Most buyers are able to locate the specific vehicle they are looking for, in a price range that fits their budget, and make arrangements to view and test drive the vehicle(s) in the same day, saving time, money and effort.

 

Using the online marketplace is definitely the best and most efficient way to buy and sell trucks. The process is easy, low cost, and can reach the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time.

 

Truck Driver Medical Certificate Changes

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Truck Driver Medical Certificate ChangesIn 2008, the FMCSA issued a final rule that changes the way states must verify the medical certification for commercial truck drivers who are renewing or applying for a CDL.

The purpose of the changes is to link the medical certificate to the CDL and include the driver medical record in the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS), the federal electronic database. The new rule will help prevent medically unqualified drivers from operating on the Nation’s highways by providing state licensing agencies a means of identifying interstate CDL holders who are unable to obtain a medical certificate and taking action to downgrade their CDLs accordingly.

On November 15, 2011, the FMCSA published a final rule that extends the requirement that drivers maintain a copy of their medical certificate on their person. The requirement was originally scheduled to expire on January 30, 2012, but the extension was necessary because all states are not yet able to post the required data on the CDLIS driver record. Once all states are deemed in compliance, FMCSA will drop the requirement to keep paper copies of the medical examiner’s certificate.

Starting January 30, 2012:

– Drivers applying or renewing their CDL must certify with their State Driver License Agency (SDLA), or DMV, what interstate or intrastate driving category they fall under.

– Drivers applying or renewing their CDL under the non-exempted interstate category must provide an original or copy of their medical examiner’s certificate to their SDLA. Note: Current CDL holders don’t need to have their medical certificate on file beginning on January 30, 2012, but will need to submit the first new one they receive after that date (no later than January 30, 2014).

– New: CDL drivers must continue to retain paper copies of their medical examiner’s certificate until January 30, 2014.

– New: Motor carriers are also required to retain copies of their drivers’ medical certificates in their driver qualification files.

Prior to the extension, the rule stated that once the information is entered into CDLIS, truck drivers would not be required to present the valid medical card for inspections or employment since access to the information will be available electronically.

With the recent extension, CDL drivers will now need three copies of their medical certification: One on their person, one in their employer motor carrier’s driver qualification file, and one deposited at the SDLA.

What remains to be seen is what will happen to medical certificates that are submitted to the SDLA after January 30, 2012, but before the State is ready to start processing them into CDLIS. There is no consensus thus far as to whether the State will refuse to accept them, accept them and discard them, or accept them and then enter them once they have the capability to do so.

 

FMCSA issues final Hours-of-Service (HOS) rules

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FMCSA issues final Hours-of-Service (HOS) rulesAs expected, the final rule for truck drivers’ hours-of-service (HOS) was issued by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today.

In December 2010, the FMCSA rolled out its proposed HOS rules changes, which have received decidedly mixed reviews in terms of their potential impact, in terms of its potential for an increase in the cost of doing business, as well as questions from trucking industry stakeholders as to whether or not these rules need to be changed from their current version, which have been in effect since 2004.

The final HOS rule is comprised of the following, according to FMCSA:

– the maximum number of hours a truck driver can work within a week has been reduced by 12 hours from 82 to 70;

– truck drivers cannot drive after working eight hours without first taking a break of at least 30 minutes, and drivers can take the 30-minute break whenever they need rest during the eight-hour window;

– the final rule retains the current 11-hour daily driving limit (the FMCSA was considering lowering it to 10 hours) and will continue to conduct data analysis and research to further examine any risks associated with the 11 hours of driving time;

– truckers who maximize their weekly work hours to take at least two nights’ rest when their 24-hour body clock demands sleep the most – from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. This rest requirement is part of the rule’s “34-hour restart” provision that allows drivers to restart the clock on their work week by taking at least 34 consecutive hours off-duty. The final rule allows drivers to use the restart provision only once during a seven-day period; and

– carriers that allow drivers to exceed the 11-hour driving limit by 3 or more hours could be fined $11,000 per offense, and drivers could face civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense.

FMCSA officials said that commercial truck drivers and companies must comply with the HOS final rule by July 1, 2013.

As has been the case over the last year, the debate over HOS regulations has been somewhat polarizing.

On one side are safety advocates that maintain making these changes is the right and safe thing to do, as evidenced by a letter send to President Obama in October by a group of senators, including Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), Chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, and Senators John D. (Jay) Rockefeller (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, and Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in which they said they support the proposed HOS rules.
“The National Transportation Safety Board has found that fatigue is the primary factor in 30 to 40 percent of large truck crashes,” the Senators wrote. “The DOT’s proposal would permit increased flexibility for CMV drivers to get the adequate rest when they need it and to adjust their schedules to account for unanticipated delays without sacrificing a full day’s work. As you finalize the HOS rules, we urge you to make safety, scientific research, and the work that has already been completed by the DOT the primary factors in your decision.”

American Trucking Associations President and CEO blasted the final HOS rule.
“Today’s announcement of a new rule on the hours-of-service is completely unsurprising,” Graves said in a statement. “What is surprising and new to us is that for the first time in the agency’s history, FMCSA has chosen to eschew a stream of positive safety data and cave in to a vocal anti-truck minority and issue a rule that will have no positive impact on safety. From the beginning of this process in October 2009, the agency set itself on a course to fix a rule that’s not only not broken, but by all objective accounts is working to improve highway safety. Unfortunately, along the way, FMCSA twisted data and, as part of this final rule, is using unjustified causal estimates to justify unnecessary changes.”

What’s more, the ATA has repeatedly stated that the current HOS rules, which have been in place since 2004, have allowed the trucking industry to move more than 70 percent of U.S. goods while achieving record low levels of crashes and fatalities. Graves added that if there is a positive in this rule, it is the lengthy 18-month period of time before it becomes effective, which will give ATA time to consider legal options, noting that by delaying implementation of this rule, the agency is acknowledging there is no safety crisis on U.S. highways.

Michael A. Regan, president of TranzAct Technologies, chairman of the NASSTRAC Advocacy Committee, and point man for the planned February 1 Washington, D.C. “fly-in,” entitled Stand Up For Trucking, which will lobby Washington policy makers and legislators on the importance of maintaining and improving productivity in the trucking industry, said in an interview that this ruling will present major challenges for the shippers’ supply chains but noted it also cold have been worse.
“It is not as bad as it could have been,” said Regan, “and I don’t think it is over yet. One thing that is going to be very difficult is the change in the restart provision, which will present a very interesting dynamic for scheduling. There is a real incongruity in this decision and that is that the FMCSA says it wants to make the roads safer; as part of that you need to deal with congestion. Yet this rule is structured to maximize congestion after 5 p.m.”
Regan said a quandary within this rule rests in how to appease safety groups in favor of this rule—such as Public Citizen, Advocates for Highway Safety, unions and other groups—without having shippers and carriers up in arms. And with the changes in the 34-hour restart provision there are going to be drivers laid up in their ability to get back on the road, which shippers have not fully taken into account, along with Electronic Onboard Recorders eventually being implemented, which will change how driving a truck looked like prior to these regulations.

Casey Chroust, EVP of retail operations, at the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) told LM that the retail industry is firmly against the HOS rule.
“Retailers are firmly aligned with carriers against these final HOS rules,” he said. “In today’s retail supply chain, just-in-time inventory rules the day. Retailers’ distribution networks are fine-tuned machines that are optimized down to the mile. HOS times greatly impact the ability for retailers to fulfill and ship their goods. We built distribution networks around the existing rules and done studies to determine optimal placement of distribution centers with the current HOS rules in place and the reach that it gets them. Now, the range of how far carriers can take retailers’ products will be reduced, coupled with a reduction in the ability of retailers to deliver goods in off-peak hours. These rules will increase congestion, costs, and emissions as a result.”

 

Looking for a great online logistics directory?

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Procurement and coordinating logistics is extremely fast paced. It is one of the most important roles within a business, with owners, sales staff and customers relying on you to get the product from A to B as quickly, safely and cost effective as possible whilst providing the best customer service on all levels.

Not having a place where you can quickly go to easily source information required or not being able to search logistics services with ease at your finger tips is extremely frustrating, time consuming and stressful!

This is why an online logistics directory was created. It is a tool that is used by business owners or managers, but also individuals, on a daily basis. Being able to find right logistics service providers by location or services offered, and having this information on a single, easy to navigate website, can save you time and money.

 

There are several logistics directories you can find on the Internet. Some have been around for many years, others are fairly new. The problem with the old ones is that they were created before the idea of Web 2.0 was born, therefore they are limited to the passive viewing of content, have unattractive design and confusing navigation, which makes them not very user-friendly. Some of the information listed might also be incorrect, since they haven’t been updated for a long time.
On the other hand, there are some new directories that consist of only a list of links to other websites, which makes them also not very informative or helpful.

 

If you need a good, comprehensive logistics directory, look for a site that provides these advantages:

1. Content limited to logistics and transportation services. It is easier to find what you’re looking for when the site focuses on logistics only, without the information that is of no interest to you.

2. Friendly navigation and easy to find sections of the website. Well organized content and intuitive navigation are crucial while browsing a directory.

3. Each listing provides all necessary details, including description, contact information, links, map, customers’ reviews and ratings. That data will help you decide if you found a company you want to do business with.

4. User-generated content and ability to contribute. When you can rate and review a listing, based on your own experience with that particular business, you provide very useful information, helping others make wise decisions.

5. Attractive design and color scheme, inviting you to spend more time on the site and read all the information you’re interested in.

 

 

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