Logistics Management Magazine Archives

July 2014 Logistics Management

In this issue:

  • 25th Annual State of Logistics: It’s complicated
  • 2014 State of Logistics: Less-than-truckload’s welcomed rebound
  • 2014 State of Logistics: Truckload—capacity tight and drivers needed
  • 2014 State of Logistics: Rail rides high
  • 2014 State of Logistics: Ocean is slow and steady
  • 2014 State of Logistics: 3PL—Omni-channel fulfillment to reshape market
  • 2014 State of Logistics: Air’s slight improvement despite headwinds
  • Exclusive Transportation Study: The HOS rule change and trucking operations
  • Global Logistics: Cargo security and fine print
  • Improving Labor Management: 6 steps to effective labor standards
  • Panama Canal Expansion: Questions mount as time draws near
  • Moore on Pricing: Dimensional rates and breaking the NMFC paradigm
  • Viewpoint: State of Logistics is complicated
  • Pearson on Excellence: Manufacturers need to address the talent supply chain
July 1, 2014 · Rollercoaster demand levels and uneven freight volumes in 2013 created havoc in one of the more complicated years on record. In 2014, shippers will need to manage with all the savvy and experience that they can muster to get the capacity they need at a rate that’s fair.
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July 1, 2014 · Varying estimates from positive to pragmatic existed before the new rule became effective in July 2013. However, the grim reality is that trucking stakeholders are now experiencing substantial losses in productivity due to the change—and in many cases it’s much worse than was predicted.
July 1, 2014 · While not all proposed global cargo security solutions have been practical or enforceable, our analysts suggest that there are a few fundamentals every global shipper needs to accept. Here’s how cargo stakeholders are working in unison to gain clarity.
July 1, 2014 · One of the best ways for logistics professionals to start chipping away at labor costs while achieving productivity gains inside the four walls is by setting up labor standards. Here are six surefire ways to start doing this today.
July 1, 2014 · The much anticipated Panama Canal expansion has promised a great many enhancements for U.S. shippers waiting to book cargo on the new generation of “mega” container vessels. But a few lingering questions are also troubling some industry analysts who question U.S. port readiness to accommodate these huge loads.
July 1, 2014 ·
July 1, 2014 · If you’re searching for a good summer read, look no further than the current issue of Logistics Management (LM)—especially if you like mysteries
July 1, 2014 ·
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Latest in Logistics Management

Shipment and expenditure decreases trend down, notes Cass Freight Index
March’s shipment reading, at 1.113, fell 3.6% annually, down from February’s 4.5% decrease and January’s 7.6% decline.

March trucking tonnage trends down, reports ATA
The ATA’s advanced Seasonally Adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index fell 2%, to 113.4 (2015=100), following a 4% February gain, to 115.7, and a 3.2% January decline.

FTR Shippers Conditions Index enters negative territory
For February, the most recent month for which data is available, the SCI reading came in at -1.4, below January’s 3.4, which was 3% below December’s 6.4 reading and also below November’s 6.3.

DAT March Truckload Volume Index sees modest March gains
From February to March, the the van TVI, at 260, was up 4%, with the refrigerated TVI, at 200, up 2.6%, and the flatbed TVI, at 242, up 4.4%.

National diesel average, for week of April 22, is down for the second straight week
For the week of April 22, the national average fell 2.3 cents, to $3.922. This followed a 2.3-cent decrease, to $4.015 per gallon, for the week of April 15, which was preceded by a 6.5-cent increase, to $4.004, for the week of April 8.

UPS reports first quarter earnings decline
Quarterly consolidated revenue, at $21.7 billion, fell 5.3% annually, and adjusted earnings per share, at $1.43, saw a 35.0% annual decline. Consolidated quarterly operating profit came in at $1.6 billion, which was off 36.5% annually.

LM Podcast Series: Assessing the freight transportation and logistics markets with Tom Nightingale, AFS Logistics
During this podcast, Nightingale provided a detailed overview of the new Cowen/AFS Freight Index report and variuous market issues.

Investor expectations continue to influence supply chain decision-making
More shareholders are expecting supply chains to become resilient to protect the bottom line.

Sponsored Content
The Next Big Steps in Supply Chain Digitalization
Technology continues to advance and new developments are building on the foundation that is now in place in many supply chains. Here are five of the most significant advances shaping the next wave of digitalization.

Under-21 driver pilot program a bust with fleets as FMCSA seeks changes
The FMSCA says only 113 motor carriers have applied for its under-21 truck driver apprenticeship program since July 2022. That is a very disappointing turnout for an initiative that the government had expected to recruit up to 1,000 carriers and 3,000 drivers.

Diesel back over $4 a gallon; Mideast tensions, other worries cited
Diesel prices are back over $4 a gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) weekly, on-highway survey of prices at 73,000 service stations and 9,500 truck stops around the country. Average diesel prices rose by 6.5 cents, increasing to $4.06 per gallon as of Monday, April 8. The Western states of Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington saw the highest average price increase for the period, rising 11 cents to $4.26 per gallon.

Four U.S. railroads file challenges against FRA’s two-person crew mandate, says report
Following the issuing of a final rule by the United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) earlier this month, establishing establishes minimum safety requirements for train crew sizes, with the new rule requiring a second crew member on all trains, four U.S.-based railroads are calling on federal appeals courts to toss out the rule, calling it “arbitrary, capricious, and an illegal abuse of discretion,” according to an Associated Press report.

XPO opens up three new services acquired through auction of Yellow’s properties and assets
XPO opened up three of the 28 service center locations it acquired through an early December court-supervised auction, in which a dozen trucking companies bought properties that resold about three-fourths of Yellow’s properties for a total of just under $1.9 billion.

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index weakens, due to fuel price gains
For February, the most recent month for which data is available, the TCI reading came in a -5.31, down from January’s -1.41, which was ahead of December’s -4.3.

U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are mixed, for week ending April 6, reports AAR
Rail carloads, at 209,142, were off 4.5% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 241,000 units, increased 7.6% annually.


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