LTL: Regional champs

By Staff -- Logistics Management, 8/1/2005

Regional truckers top a shipper's lineup when they excel in on-time, damage-free movements in their service territories. One typical comment from a reader: A regional LTL exemplifies excellence in this category when it delivers shipments without damage, when they are supposed to arrive.

This year, readers handed out pennants to 14 regional LTL carriers–the same number as last year. In the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region, three carriers were honored for service excellence. Picking up prizes were three of last year's winners, New Penn Motor Express, A. Duie Pyle, and Ward Trucking. Joining them this year was Con-Way Central Express.

Down South, four carriers displayed real grit to earn shippers' accolades. Newcomer Wilson Trucking joined last year's winners, Southeastern Freight Lines, Averitt Express, and Con-Way Southern Express, in carrying off 2005 Quest for Quality awards.

Two carriers in the Midwest and North Central region pulled ahead of their peers to win applause from their shipper customers. Shippers again honored Con-Way Central Express as well as USF Holland in this category. Both carriers won the same awards last year.

For more information on Quest for Quality, click here.

Out West, four regional truckers exhibited what it takes to earn shippers' appreciation. Three of last year's winners—Oak Harbor Freight Lines, USF Reddaway, and Con-Way Western Express—received pennants. They were joined this year by USF Bestway.

The average weighted scores for all four regions were higher in 2005 than they were last year. The Northeast/Mid-Atlantic carriers' average weighted score roared ahead from 33.64 to 36.04. The overall score for the South/South Central region also rose, from 32.58 to 35.99. The weighted score for Midwest and North Central carriers moved on up from 33.31 to 34.55. Western carriers, meanwhile, saw their overall score kick into overdrive, advancing from 32.40 to 35.43. In most categories, those improvements resulted from higher ratings for four of the five attributes. Northeast/Mid-Atlantic carriers, however, improved in all five attributes.

Regional LTL

	On-time Performance	Value	Information Technology	Customer Service	Equipment & Operations	Weighted Score
Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Regional LTL Carriers
New Penn Motor Express	12.07	8.78	4.43	7.30	4.60	37.17
A. Duie Pyle	11.50	8.74	4.49	7.33	4.80	36.86
Con-Way Central Express	11.48	8.59	4.56	7.14	4.70	36.47
Ward Trucking	11.37	9.46	3.80	7.11	4.30	36.04
Average	11.34	8.85	4.33	7.02	4.51	36.04
South/South Central Regional LTL Carriers
Wilson Trucking	10.98	10.23	4.46	8.11	4.68	38.46
Southeastern Freight Lines	10.89	9.50	4.88	7.80	4.78	37.85
Con-Way Southern Express	10.56	9.02	4.94	7.75	4.76	37.04
Averitt Express	10.36	9.25	4.60	7.48	4.61	36.30
Average	10.34	9.10	4.58	7.44	4.53	35.99
Midwest/North Central Regional LTL Carriers
Con-Way Central Express	11.47	8.30	5.01	7.48	3.99	36.25
USF Holland	11.42	8.70	4.71	7.26	3.98	36.06
Average	10.89	8.31	4.60	6.94	3.81	34.55
Western Regional LTL Carriers
USF Reddaway	11.45	9.41	4.40	7.48	4.10	36.84
Oak Harbor Freight Lines	11.91	9.18	3.60	7.84	4.00	36.53
Con-Way Western Express	11.22	9.25	4.12	7.38	4.03	36.00
USF Bestway	11.19	9.17	4.17	7.46	3.81	35.80
Average	10.99	9.19	4.02	7.29	3.94	35.43
All scores are weighted. Weighted scores are determined by multiplying the average raw scores by the average importance of each attribute (1 = least important; 5 = most important). To find the attributed weights for this category, see the introduction to the Quest for Quality report. Source: Logistics Management, Reed Research Group