Staying “in the know” is key to continued success in the transportation services industry. Here are a few front-burner media topics covered during the first half of the year that you may want to further explore:

Omni-Channel Outlook

With omni-channel sales and distribution redefining the traditional approach to shipping, companies are increasingly focused on finding efficient and profitable ways to accommodate this burgeoning business model. In “Rethinking the Freight Transportation Model” for industry magazine Transport Topics, James Stevenson, Vice President of Sales at TMW explains, “Carriers must adapt to the changing distribution and delivery arrangements established by retailers that are utilizing a network of constantly changing channels.” Stevenson emphasizes that applying business intelligence tools in strategic decision making and bid planning as well as using data from various sources can play a significant role in determining profitability. And he affirms what is perhaps the most important component of omni-channel planning: “What was once fixed is now dynamic.” Read the Details Here  

Freight Strategic Plan for America

“Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21)”, is a relatively newly minted government document on provisions for freight planning and project delivery. Therein debuts a National Freight Policy (NFP) which requires the DOT to create a National Freight Strategic Plan. Check Out the Drafted Strategic Plan Here

New Fleet Maintenance Solution for <150 Units

DC Velocity magazine reports on a new cloud-based, fleet maintenance software solution for fleets up to 150 vehicles or pieces of equipment. Read It

Global Connections for Domestic Advantages

Shortly after President Donald Trump began his first executive trip abroad in May, the New York Times reported a mammoth investment from the Middle Eastern kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In “Saudi Arabia to Invest $20 Billion in Infrastructure, Mostly in US,” the Times states this funding will largely target domestic growth and improvement projects, potentially resulting in up to 15 million jobs and enhancing economic productivity. The article emphasizes this is a non-partisan issue with both Republicans and Democrats endorsing modernization of the US infrastructures via public-private partnerships. Read More

Carriers: Giving Your 2 Cents

Heavy Duty Trucking magazine notes the ATRI is looking for input to its yearly update for its popular “Operational Costs of Trucking” report. Read the Original Article and Link to Questionnaire Here

Real-Time Technology for Real-Time Issues

“Optimizing trucking through more real-time information”, a recent post on FleetOwner, addressed the timely issue of how technology can guide the trucking industry to best manage the current real-life experiences that affect operations. Among the salient points? Technology. “…[It] will be critical to help the industry become safer and more efficient – especially in the face of the eroding quality of US highway infrastructure.”Ensuring greater protections for truck drivers and motorists was emphasized (cited was 1,800 truck rollovers per year, with 60% involving fatalities) as was using data for detecting potential weather hazards. The piece covers Technology’s contribution to optimizing productivity through methods like routing and scheduling software. Click Here for Full Article

Next Step

For a deeper dive into relevant trucking and transportation industry topics, visit the TMW Systems library of whitepapers, all of which are informative, easy to read and free. Whether product-or industry-specific, there’s a whitepaper to answer your questions and help you move your business forward.