Last week we explored the advantages of freight payment systems that are managed by an intermediary, such as a third party services provider. In this week’s blog post, we draw on TMC’s experience to look at how shippers and carriers can improve the efficiency of the freight payment process. Read More…

What makes carriers prefer to move one shipper’s freight over another’s? Research shows that of all “favored shipper” qualities, longer dwell times result in higher transportation costs. Read More…

Shippers that invest in a transportation management system (TMS) have a clear idea of the issues they want to address. However, when the system is in place, the range of tools that become readily available can be intimidating.

This is perfectly natural; any new tool comes with a learning curve.

Although the steepness of that curve differs from shipper to shipper, in broad terms there are often three learning stages that users go through as they master the intricacies of a TMS.

This applies for both in-house acquisitions and when the shipper opts to work with a third-party TMS provider. In this post I’ll concentrate on the latter situation.

During the first year or so of the implementation, the main focus is on the high-priority issues that the shipper identified when they decided to invest in the technology. Improving network visibility and developing a more effective billing process are two examples of these overarching goals. Read More…

What is the most common cause of on time delivery failures? Transportation-related snafus often get the blame, yet in many cases there is relatively little data on the root causes of missed delivery deadlines. Digging deeper into the issue will help reveal the true cause – and assist in developing the correct solution.

It is everyone’s interest to fix these problems (shippers, carriers, customers). Sub-par performances in this area add cost, lower service levels, and generate unnecessary friction between trading partners. Read More…