Today’s podcast features our host, Chris Bonura, and trucking expert and PLG Consultant, Jon Gilbert. Jon has over 30 years of experience in truck freight, small package logistics, and supply chain optimization. Jon has strategically sourced over $150 million in logistics services in trucking and other transportation modes. He has also designed comprehensive logistics models for major global and domestic retailers, distributors, and manufacturers.
Why Trucking? Trucking is typically the first and last mode of transportation for freight shipments. The price of trucking affects most of the products we buy as consumers and in the industrial market. Trucking also has the largest share among the domestic freight transportation modes, accounting for about 40% of U.S. freight ton-miles. It’s an area that lately has been plagued by disruption over new regulation, acute driver shortages, and increasing hassles for shippers.
So what can small and large Shippers do to stay competitive and maintain service levels in a tight trucking market that doesn’t appear to be lifting any time soon?
In this episode, Chris and Jon discuss the market factors and provide expert insights and strategies on how Shippers can respond including:
- What are the ‘Top 3’ reasons for the trucking market tightness?
- Why is trucking capacity constrained?
- What can Shippers do to respond as the rate negotiation landscape changes?
- How does negotiating trucking rates change between small shippers with less leverage versus bigger shippers with more leverage?
- What are short and long-term solutions to combat higher rates?
- Are there any second thoughts on the Just-In-Time supply chain?
