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Still no satisfaction on the horizon for long-term surface transportation authorization
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) yesterday introduced the Highway Transportation and Funding Act of 2015. This bill would reauthorize surface transportation programs through December 18, 2015 and be paid with roughly $8 billion in common sense reforms, according to Ryan and Shuster.

Impact of West Coast port labor dispute on GDP is hopefully not lasting
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York determined that the West Coast port labor disruption probably slowed Q1 real export growth by 1.5 percent, and in terms of the contribution to net exports to real GDP growth it would equate to a 0.2 percent decline in GDP.

Future of new, long-term surface transportation reauthorization remains on a road to nowhere
Regardless of the date or year, one thing is beyond consistent when it comes to key themes in freight transportation logistics: the state of United States highways and related transportation infrastructure is in an eternal state of chaos and disrepair.

Trade with Cuba remains a distant goal
Key sanctions are unlikely to be fully removed until Congress lifts the U.S. embargo on Cuba – something unlikely to take place before 2018 when incumbent president Raúl Castro is expected to step down

Legislation from Nebraska Senator looks to lower federal age limits for truck drivers
The American Trucking Associations last week praised Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) for her bill that takes some positive steps towards alleviating the current environment regarding the truck driver shortage.

Is nearshoring moving past the “hype” stage…finally?
At the eyefortransport 3PL Summit held in Chicago last week, a wide variety of topics were covered and addressed, including 3PL consolidation, the slow-to-develop role of Uber as a logistics delivery provider, and, of course, the increasing role e-commerce is playing in seemingly nearly all facets of logistics and supply chain management these days. While all these topics, as well as many others, were interesting and relevant to be sure, the final session on the middle day of the event...

Free trade agreements may not always be “sure win” strategies
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) routinely produces a white paper on key trends and developments related to trade and investment in the world’s most dynamic marketplace. It’s most recent study is titled “Do Free Trade Agreements Matter?”

New House vote on TPA puts ball in Senate’s court
U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has been championing Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), joins other shippers in praising the House passage of this important legislation.

Is TPP dead in the water?
Last week’s U.S. House of Representatives rejection of Trade Promotion Authority is likely to mean that the Trans-Pacific Partnership will not be part of Obama’s leadership legacies.

Trade Promotion Authority and its advocates
While many shippers may be on the fence in regard to Trade Promotion Authority, the nation’s major manufacturing lobby is adamantly championing it.

Cyber attacks threaten ocean cargo shipping
While physical threats to international sea and air cargo gateways have been top of mind ever since the events of 9/11, security analysts say more attention should be given to reduce exposure to internet penetration and hacking attacks. Should existing cyber security processes be compromised, they add, a cascading effect might be created, thereby disrupting huge segments of any given supply chain.

Holding out for some economic hope
For a while there, it “sort of” felt like the economic recovery we had all told ourselves was happening was in fact, you know, really, happening. But as it turns out, we may have gotten a bit ahead of ourselves with that thought.

Amazon’s retail store is not a reality yet but could end up being a big piece of its playbook
Various reports published in recent months have focused on what e-commerce bellwether Amazon is up to these days in regards to its concept for a retail store. This store is not a typical one in which you enter through the front door, pick out what you want, pay for them, and then leave. A terrific article in the online technology publication Re/code discusses the store, which is based on a patent Amazon filed.

Ag shippers may get on ILWU’s case
The Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC) is among those organizations that have been most strident about seaport reform. When their annual meeting takes place in San Francisco later this month, that mission may become even more urgent…thanks the recent bad faith actions of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) at the Port of Oakland.

NRF calls for the need for new thinking and approaches between PMA and ILWU
NRF's Jonathan Gold explains that the past year was replete with disruptions, slowdowns and partial shutdown, which can no longer be the norm, saying ports and dockworkers must adapt to ensure they provide shippers with the predictability and stability they need.

Predictable Surprises: 3 Things you must do to Avoid Higher Rates
Last month, I gave a presentation to a group of senior transportation and supply chain executives. It was entitled “Predictable Surprises,” because it addressed how transportation and supply chain professionals can eliminate unpleasant surprises by looking at and evaluating issues in the transportation industry, and projecting how those issues will affect their companies.

Nation’s ocean cargo gateways applaud Senate passage of trade promotion
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) had nothing but praise for the Senate passage over the past weekend of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (TPA-2015).

Celebrating our Merchant Marine and Championing Marine Commerce
The Chamber of Marine Commerce today joins governments, policymakers, industry and the general public in celebrating the nation’s merchant marine industry, but also urges reforms to ensure greater industrial competitiveness, jobs and prosperity.

Supply chain management: Remember the three-point stance
Manufacturing, transportation, and distribution are changing before our eyes. While organizations try to figure out what change means to their organizations, its important to remember that the physical movement of goods isn’t going way.

Two months is too little when it comes to transportation infrastructure funding
With precious little time remaining until the end of May, when the most recent continuing extension (of which there have been more than 30) expires, the old question of what is the story with a new transportation authorization again gains attention in Washington for a few days until it fades away into the background-again.


March 2024 Logistics Management

March 4, 2024 · While this year may be a close copy of 2023 in terms of supply chain execution as it relates to e-commerce moves, forecasting is more precarious. The instability and conflict have no upside, only more disruption—which inevitably leads to service and cost impacts across the board.

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