Here's to a Successful 2017

January 11, 2017

Allen Lund Company Newsle tter

Emergent Issues in Distribution and Transportation

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Here's to a Successful 2017

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Jenn Cole, Editor

Allen Lund Company

Grand Rapids Office

(800) 641-5863

jenn.cole@allenlund.com

Here's to a Successful 2017

As we enter the new year, we see a confluence of factors that continue to affect the shipping industry and its future. Some are carryovers from previous decades, and others are more recent developments. Shortage of drivers, declining fleets, strict regulations, and complicated cost analysis to name a few.

Some potential solutions include...

Looking to different demographics to fulfill driver sufficiency, particularly women. Trucking schools are actively recruiting, and the emphasis of travel and independence may appeal to other aggregates.

Repeating the need to improve highway conditions. Creating safer roads will decrease accidents, equipment failure, damage to freight, driver service hours, and ultimately improve travel time.

Utilizing Transportation Management Systems (TMS). There are so many variables within the industry now. Load type being FTL, LTL, or rail; line haul being calculated per mile or by flat rate; FSC being calculated at percentage or flat rate; extra fees incurred; driver wage at a percentage; appointment scheduling; load tracking. Due to such convolution, we are no longer able to employ previous standards for cost analysis. Utilizing TMS helps with the planning and tracking of loads. And because information is constantly available, these systems improve communication across the board. Transportation Management Systems help organize data, improve spending and implement efficient operations.

Although we may be heading in a challenging direction, here's to tackling the obstacles in our path and moving it forward in 2017.

Happy New Year!

Sophie Pircon

TMS Coordinator

sophie.pircon@alclogistics.com

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Sophie Pircon began her career with the Allen Lund Company in the Charlotte office in May 2013. She transferred to headquarters in January 2015. Pircon graduated from Illinois State University with a B.A. in Business Administration.

About Allen Lund Company: Specializing as a national third-party transportation broker with nationwide offices and over 450 employees, the Allen Lund Company works with shippers and carriers across the nation to arrange dry, refrigerated (specializing in produce), and flatbed freight; additionally, the Allen Lund Company has an international division, which is licensed by the FMC as an OTI-NVOCC #019872NF, and a logistics and software division, ALC Logistics.

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