In this Issue:
- E-commerce Boom: Welcome to the NEW REALITY
- Cloud-first WMS
- Leveraging the reverse "loop"
- WDC Equipment Survey: Preparing for post-pandemic volumes
- State of LTL 2021: Bull market
- ProMatDX 2021
- The lasting power of the container boom
Logistics Management Magazine Archives
March 2021 Logistics Management
March 30, 2021 · The top carriers learned how to adapt, improvise and improve over the pandemic-dominated year. While harmful for some, the situation has proven to be transformative for others. Here are the secrets of how top carriers are staying ahead of the pack.
March 29, 2021 · The six building blocks of customer-centric fulfillment.
March 29, 2021 · Air cargo providers need to be creative and agile in order to demonstrate their professional abilities to shippers across the globe.
March 9, 2021 · The increased e-commerce volume generated by the pandemic has no end in sight—and signals a permanent behavioral shift of an indeterminate magnitude. In fact, it has provided an opportunity for carriers, vehicle manufacturers and tech companies to research, test and invest in alternative ways to provide pick up, transport, sortation and delivery.
March 9, 2021 · Three of our top parcel industry sources provide updates on one of the fastest moving, most dynamic service sectors in logistics. They suggest that the time is now for shippers to explore every available option.
March 8, 2021 · As the transportation management systems market continues to evolve in the wake of the pandemic, more shippers are finding new ways to use the technology to meet their customers’ continually evolving expectations—and save time and money in the process.
March 8, 2021 · An overall push into the Cloud—along with the development of more flexible, scalable software—is making more logistics operations rethink their warehouse management software delivery options.
March 8, 2021 · With the ongoing growth of e-commerce, the volume of returned inventory continues to rise for logistics managers in a variety of industry sectors. Finding warehousing space for this flood of goods will be a major challenge, say analysts.
March 8, 2021 · In this year’s annual survey, the disruption of the past year certainly influenced some short-term trends, but respondents are optimistic going forward.
March 8, 2021 · When we look back on this time in history, we can say with some certainty that the pandemic acted as a great accelerator.
March 8, 2021 · Shippers need to brace for stiff rate increases as more disciplined carriers benefit from tight capacity, lack of drivers, new market concentration and mounting COVID-related demands.
March 8, 2021 · Over the course of 2021, ocean carriers will continue to operate at high capacity utilization levels, and ocean rates will remain high. Moreover, along with the need for elevated container circulation, high demand will continue to favor the Pacific Coast ports for Asian imports destined for the Midwest.
March 8, 2021 · How autonomous vehicles will bring value in a truly intelligent supply chain.
March 8, 2021 · The barriers to entry are generally low, as we’re now seeing deliveries in private cars and leased vans. Sure, it can seem that starting a delivery service is easy, but forgetting any of the seven operational must-do list items will result in constraints on the success of the logistics entrepreneur.
March 3, 2021 · With the theme of “Power Up,” ProMatDX 2021 will take place in April in a fully virtual format that showcases the latest solutions that supply chain professionals need to improve the resiliency and agility of their operations.
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Latest in Logistics Management
Under-21 driver pilot program a bust with fleets as FMCSA seeks changes
April 16, 2024
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
April 15, 2024
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
April 12, 2024
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
April 12, 2024
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
April 12, 2024
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
April 12, 2024
Rail carloads, at 209,142, were off 4.5% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 241,000 units, increased 7.6% annually.
LM Podcast Series: Examining the freight railroad and intermodal markets with Tony Hatch
April 11, 2024
In this podcast, Tony Hatch offered up his views on various aspects of the freight railroad and intermodal sectors, including: market conditions, service levels, volumes, and nearshoring, among others.
Supply Chain Stability Index sees ‘Tremendous Improvement’ in 2023
April 11, 2024
While 2023 proved to be a comeback year, there's still a ways to go before a return to pre-pandemic normalcy.
TD Cowen/AFS Freight presents mixed readings for parcel, LTL, and truckload revenues and rates
April 10, 2024
The new edition of the TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index, which was recently released by New York-based investment firm TD Cowen Inc. and Shreveport, La.-based 3PL and freight audit and payment company AFS Logistics LLC, was somewhat mixed, with less-than-truckload (LTL) and truckload rates steady, and parcel rates being impacted by fuel surcharge increases and various accessorial charges amid lower demand.
Descartes March Global Shipping Report highlights ongoing steady volume momentum
April 10, 2024
From February to March, the report observed that U.S.-bound container import volumes eked out a 0.4% increase, to 2,145,341 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), while posting a 15.7% annual gain, ahead of pre-pandemic 2019 by 20.6%. Descartes explained that the timing of the week-long Lunar New Year in Asia, which commenced on February 11 may have held import growth back, as the subsequent impact on U.S. import numbers was not realized until the last two weeks of March.
U.S.-bound import growth track remains promising, notes Port Tracker report
April 9, 2024
Amid various supply chain issues, United States retail container ports are expected to see imports top the 2-million mark in May for the first time since October, according to the new edition of the Port Tracker report, which was issued today by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and maritime consultancy Hackett Associates.
Norfolk Southern announces preliminary $600 million agreement focused on settling East Palestine derailment lawsuit
April 9, 2024
NS officials said that should this agreement be approved by the court, it will resolve all class action claims within a 20-mile radius from the derailment and, for those residents who choose to participate, personal injury claims within a 10-mile radius from the derailment.
40th Annual Salary Survey: Salary and satisfaction up
April 9, 2024
Our latest Peerless Research Group (PRG) survey reveals current salary trends, career satisfaction rates, and shifting job priorities for individuals working in logistics and supply chain management. Here are all of the findings—and a few surprises.
Data Capture: Bar coding’s new companions
April 9, 2024
Bar coding remains the central technology for data capture, with new wearables and handheld form factors to boost productivity. But RFID momentum is building, and a range of real-time location technologies can complement handheld data collection.
National diesel average jumps 6.5 cents, for week of April 8, reports EIA
April 9, 2024
With a 6.5-cent increase, the national average came in at $4.061 per gallon. This follows a 3.8-cent decline, to $3.996, for the week of April 1, and a slight 0.006-cent increase, to $4.034, for the week of March 25, and a 2.4-cent increase, to $4.028, for the week of March 18.
