Posts Tagged ‘fleet’
Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
I started working in the trucking industry in 1984. After 15 years, I got out of the industry and reentered it in February of this year working for Road Scholar Transport.
I can’t help but notice the difference in technology from when I first started out and now.
Back then, our inbound and outbound manifests were paper format versus today with Road Scholar’s great tracking abilities such as Qualcomm, ShowMe, and all of the technology we have…things are so different.
In the past, to reach/contact someone was not as convenient as it is now. There really was no e-mail. To contact people we used beepers and had to wait in line at a pay phone to return a customer’s call. Now we have luxuries such as the iphone, cell phones, e-mails, etc., with the ability to get in touch with someone almost immediately. Even written communication and fax machines have been replaced by e-mail since we are a paperless “go green” society.
When it came to tracking inbound and outbound manifests, you basically told customers that you were not really sure when they would get their shipment because everything was beepers or pay phones…you didn’t have the GPS tracking you have today.
In other words, you were basically lying to a customer…playing guessing games. Today there are no guessing games. The customer knows exactly where their shipment is right up until the moment we are bumping their docks.
Road Scholar offers all of this with technology that allows the live tracking of freight, not only showing where a shipment has been like many companies do, but exactly where it is at that precise moment, accessible both on the computer or by cell phone.
Back then things were definitely different. Today there is so much better technology out there and Road Scholar certainly does a good job incorporating and improving that technology on our fleet.
Technology is “literally” at our fingertips today and Road Scholar is right in line with the times!
Tags: fleet, freight, GPS tracking, inbound manifest, iPhone, Lori Bruno, outbound manifest, Qualcomm, road scholar transport, sales rep, satellite tracking, ShowMe
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Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
The storm hovering over the trucking industry continues on, dropping capacity shortages in its path. But let’s take a deeper look into the storm itself.
As fleetowner.com notes, a recent analysis conducted by Robert W. Baird & Co. shows that “freight volumes are continuing to slow,” while challenges facing the trucking industry are starting to increase, expected to grow “through the balance of 2011 and into the early part of 2012.”
click for larger view
These issues include the rising costs of healthcare and equipment (which is up 20% this year), new safety restrictions such as CSA 2010 and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours of service proposal, the lack of available credit, generation x drivers retiring, and perhaps the most well-known problem affecting consumers everywhere…rising fuel prices.
On a national average, the price of diesel fuel has increased nearly 17 cents per gallon within the last 30 days, which Fleet Owner’s article attributes to “tight global diesel supplies and increased production of home heating oil in the U.S.” This data is verified by the Energy Information Administration’s graph on the right, which compares this year’s diesel fuel prices with last year’s.
All of these challenges are contributing factors leading up to a shortage in capacity as many trucking companies are keeping their fleets small due to the difficulty they are having qualifying for a loan and keeping up with surging costs, while others are being forced to close their doors for good and sell their assets.
At the same time, there are those carriers who are taking advantage of the shortage and adding to their fleets. While small and medium-sized carriers are increasing their truck orders, larger carriers are playing it safe, leasing trucks instead of purchasing them in case the economy falls through.
Due to tight capacity, trucking companies and rising costs, carriers are increasing their rates. As Baird transportation analyst Benjamin Hartford notes, “We expect broader domestic freight rate growth to continue to decelerate into the seasonally weak first quarter of 2012. Though capacity constraints should support solidly positive rate growth in 2012, we believe 2 to 3% year-over-year (YOY) growth is likely, versus the 4 to 5% YOY contractual rate growth in recent quarters absent a demand catalyst” (http://fleetowner.com/management/news/freight-slowing-headwinds-growing-1108/).
If you find your freight sitting on your dock due to capacity problems, give Road Scholar Transport a call at 800-542-2301 or request a rate online by going to www.roadscholar.com. Road Scholar Transport has the vans and reefer you need to move your LTL and Truckload freight, with expedited shipping to get your products where they need to be on time, every time.
What are your comments regarding the perfect storm for capacity shortage? List them below!
Tags: capacity shortage, carrier, CSA 2010, diesel fuel, expedited service, federal motor carrier safety administration, fleet, freight, fuel prices, generation x, healthcare costs, hours of service, ltl, perfect storm, road scholar transport, Robert W. Baird & Co., truck drivers, trucking industry, truckload
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011
Trucking companies are continuing to deal with this year’s increased diesel prices. Although tight capacity is predicted to profit members of the trucking industry, companies are finding that a rate increase is necessary to account for the rise in diesel costs and to sustain a profit.
Many trucking companies are reporting steady earnings due to there not being enough capacity to move freight. Instead of adding trucks to their fleets, in which driver shortage becomes a problem, these companies are “maintaining their fleet sizes in order to gain freight opportunities,” an article in Fleet Owner notes. As one trucking company explains, they are “maximizing increasing freight opportunities without adding trucks” in order to “expand their operating margin percentage to raise their returns on assets, equity and invested capital” (http://fleetowner.com/management/news/trucking-rolls-punches-1031/).
But as tightened capacity appears to benefit the trucking industry, these companies are being hit by diesel costs, flat lining profits for many companies.
The average prices of diesel for 2011 are well above those recorded in 2010. Last month, the average diesel cost on Oct. 3rd was up $0.75 from Oct. 4th of the previous year, going from $3.00 to $3.75. Currently, the average national diesel fuel price is $3.89 which is up $0.82 from the $3.07 price this same time last year and $0.06 from last week. The below chart (presented by http://ycharts.com/indicators/us_diesel_price#zoom=&startDate=1/4/2011&endDate=10/31/2011) demonstrates the increase in U.S. retail diesel price from January 2010 to November 2011.
click image for larger view
Because of the increase in costs to run a fleet (not only fuel prices but rising equipment costs as well), trucking companies are increasing their rates. But there is promising data that fuel prices will improve.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), diesel fuel is predicted to drop from the 2011 average of $3.80 to $3.73 per gallon next year with refinery diesel fuel margins decreasing from $0.64 to $0.56 per gallon in 2012 (http://fleetowner.com/management/news/fuel-prices-to-remain-volatile-1020/index.html).
If you find yourself unable to move your freight due to capacity issues, visit www.roadscholar.com. Road Scholar Transport not only offers LTL and Truckload van and reefer service, but expedited shipping to ensure that your freight is delivered on time…every time.
What are your predictions regarding diesel fuel prices for the end of 2011 and next year? List your comments below.
Tags: diesel fuel prices, EIA, expedited shipping, fleet, freight, ltl, road scholar transport, trucking company, trucking industry, trucking news, truckload freight, U.S. Energy Information Administration
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Friday, August 5th, 2011
The Cass Freight Index released its monthly freight activity report for July, showing a decrease in both freight shipments and freight volume costs.
According to the report, freight shipments experienced their first decline last month by 3.7%, which the Index takes as a sign of a further weakening economy. Not only that, but freight costs dropped 2.1% as well.
Although there was a notable decline in July when compared to previous months, the number of shipments was still 11% greater than last year’s, an article in thetrucker.com explains.
But the increase in freight shipments also came with an increase in capacity issues as well, with companies being affected by a number of issues including driver shortages, new rules/regulations (HOS, CSA 2010), and increasing prices (fuel/equipment). As thetrucker.com notes, “The trucking industry has lost more than 16 percent of its capacity during the last three years.”
Companies are being forced to turn down shipments for the above reasons, especially due to a shortage of drivers. The CK Commercial Vehicle Research’s Fleet Sentiment Q3 Report acknowledged that 40% of fleets admitted to having a driver shortage problem that is currently affecting their operations, while 25% claim that the shortage is preventing their company from growing.
The report continued to explain that out of the fleets experiencing problems with driver shortages, 63% say that it is preventing their company from expanding/adding capacity while 42% state that they are limiting their shipping areas to more regionalized/local moves instead of long haul (http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=74354).
As a result, shippers who must get their products moved are facing higher spot rates. As analyst Rosalyn Wilson notes, “The rate picture for the rest of the year could be confusing, as costs are rising for fuel and labor, pushing up carrier expenses” (http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2011/8/5/CassShipmentsslipinJulycapacitystilldrivingrates.aspx).
If you among those dealing with capacity issues, visit www.roadscholar.com and let Road Scholar Transport handle your LTL and truckload freight. With van, reefer, and hazmat certified drivers, Road Scholar can handle all of your shipping needs.
Are you currently seeing changes due to capacity issues? Place your comments below.
Tags: capacity issues, carrier, Cass Freight Index, CK Commercial Vehicle Research, CSA 2010, driver shortage, equipment, fleet, Fleet Sentiment Report, freight, fuel prices, HOS, July, ltl, rates, road scholar transport, Rosalyn Wilson, shipments, shipping, spot rates, trucking industry, truckload freight
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Friday, July 29th, 2011
Trucking companies having been turning down load requests due to unavailability. Manufacturers are experiencing backups on their docks and late or canceled appointments due to the hard time they are having finding a trucking company with the capacity to move their freight.
The problem is not so much as having a large enough fleet to accompany incoming freight requests but having enough drivers to transport these goods. And that problem is about to get worse.
Come next year, the driver shortage is expected to hit 200,000, this number increasing to nearly 2 million by 2018, The U.S. Department of Transportation predicts (http://www.oxfordpress.com/news/oxford-news/shortage-of-drivers-looms-for-u-s-trucking-industry–1217966.html).
According to The Oxford Press, 3.5 million drivers are employed annually, and with the average driver being 51-years-old, many of those entering into the industry are of the new generation replacing jobs from those who have retired. But there are problems associated with a younger generation.
As the site notes, individuals drawn into the trucking industry for a variety of reasons, often find that their expectations are not fully met, leading only about 10 percent to remain in the industry.
Whereas regional transport companies may allow drivers to work a more regular workday with weekends off, this is often not the case in the trucking industry, the site explains. It is this younger generation that is often tossed into unwanted hours/days in what is called a Catch-22… “recent graduates need experience to get the job they want but cannot get it unless they “pay their dues” working for companies that may have them out for longer periods of time,” and this draws them out of the industry, the site continues.
This leads to another problem with a new generation of drivers…inexperience. New regulations such as the CSA 2010, revised hours of service (HOS) proposal, as well as more advanced drug testing (see Follicle Drug Testing Further Adds to Driver Shortage, Reducing Availability by Nearly 15 Percent) set out to remove unsafe drivers from the roads in an effort to prevent accidents and open the door of opportunity for more qualified drivers.
Although regulations may be tougher, that shouldn’t stop you from pursuing a career in truck driving. Just look at all of the opportunities Road Scholar offers their drivers:
-Excellent Pay
-Benefits
-Full-time employees are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package
-Flexibility
-…in work schedules (Full-time and Part-time positions available)
-Home time!
-Great Work Environment
-An operations team that is friendly, courteous, and knowledgeable
-No discrimination
-Excellent equipment (We’ve never been cited for a piece of faulty equipment in an accident!)
-Once-in-a-Lifetime Experiences
-The ability to see new places/sights and meet new people
-Make a Difference
-Road Scholar Transport created the 10 Million Miles to a Cure Awareness Campaign, dedicating several trucks to charities such as Autism Speaks, Prostate Cancer Awareness, and the Children’s Craniofacial Foundation to help spread awareness and fight for a cure.
Apply today at http://www.roadscholar.com/employment.php.
State your comments/suggestions regarding the driver shortage below.
Tags: 10 Million Miles to a Cure Awareness Campaign, Autism Speaks, awareness program, benefits, Catch-22, Children’s Craniofacial Foundation, CSA 2010, dock, driver shortage, drug test, fleet, follicle drug test, freight, HOS, hours of service, job, manufacturer, occupations, opportunities, prostate cancer, road scholar transport, The Oxford Press, transport, trucking company, U.S. Department of Transportation
Posted in Awareness Campaign Articles, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Thursday, June 16th, 2011
(the following information is derived from the ATRI’s report available at www.ATRI-online.org).
After research and analysis, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) last Tuesday, released an updated version of the previous 2008 trucking report depicting operational costs in the industry.
Taking into account fleet size, location, and sector, the ATRI analyzed 2009 and first quarter 2010 data collected from truckload, less-than-truckload, and various specialized carriers throughout the country and calculated last year’s operational costs, comparing them with the previous two years and arriving at the following.
Combining vehicle-based costs (fuel, tolls, maintenance, permits, etc.) with driver-based (wages and benefits), the average marginal costs per mile for 2010 was $1.491, which was slightly higher than 2009’s $1.451 and a decrease from 2008’s $1.653 average.
Using this data, the ATRI calculated the average marginal costs per hour, which came in at $59.61, compared to 2009’s $58.00 and 2008’s $66.07.
Next, the ATRI identified the largest operating costs from Q1 2010. Ranking in the number one and two spots were fuel and driver wages composing of 58% of costs, followed by lease/purchase payments (16%), driver benefits (10%), repair/maintenance (8%), and finally insurance at 3%.
operating_graph
The data the ATRI collected is important because, as Centre Daily notes, it “will provide carriers with an important high-level benchmarking tool and government agencies with an accurate dataset for future infrastructure improvement analyses” (http://www.centredaily.com/2011/06/14/2775934/atri-releases-updated-operational.html).
In closing, the report expressed a forecast based on current fuel prices, which is expected to grow into next year, along with the increase in freight demand, predicting the average marginal fuel cost to rise, driver shortage to increase, and the need to purchase updated equipment, like the newer, more efficient models Road Scholar Transport has incorporated into their fleet.
To read the ATRI’s full report visit www.ATRI-online.org.
What are your operational cost predictions for 2011?
Tags: american transportation research institute, ATRI, driver shortage, fleet, ltl, operational costs, road scholar transport, tolls, trucking industry, trucking report, truckload
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Friday, June 3rd, 2011
Last month, Senator Charles Schumer proposed a new bill that would alter the theft of medical products to reflect tougher punishments due to the risk associated with stealing pharmaceuticals.
Introduced on May 16th, S.1002 would “amend Chapter 31 of the US Code to increase fines and jail terms for theft and other criminal acts which take genuine medical products out of the supply chain,” as well as “give law enforcement agencies license to use measures such as wire taps more easily and place pharmaceutical theft under the 1970 ‘RICO’ (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) law, recognizing the increasing role of organized crime networks in the activity” (http://www.securingpharma.com/40/articles/955.php).
S. 1002 is an attempt to crack down on pharmaceutical thefts, which cost the industry millions of dollars a year as well as put numerous people at risk.
A recent survey conducted by FreightWatch International showed cargo theft to surpass terrorism in rankings of concern among manufacturers, professionals in the transportation industry, insurance companies, and more.
According to truckinginfo.com, 80% of those surveyed noted that “cargo theft was a major concern for supply chain operations over the next five years” due to “increased value of shipments, economic conditions, and cargo theft being a low risk and high reward crime,” with 74% experiencing the problem first hand.
Pharmaceuticals are a high valued target, placing 10th last year in the number of reported thefts. March of 2010 alone had a single case at a Eli Lilly warehouse in Connecticut that resulted in $76 million worth the products being stolen.
Along with large monetary losses come higher health concerns as 
thieves often sell the stolen products on the street or to other companies. When improperly transported (certain medication has to be shipped under specified conditions) it can lead to the product being tainted/deemed unusable. That’s why Road Scholar Transport has temperature protect trailers that are equipped with ReeferTrak to allow constant monitoring of where your freight is at all times as well as the current temperature within the trailer, alerting of any changes.
To increase the safety of products and consumers, S.1002 states the need for harsher punishments. According to Securing Pharma, these penalties include: 1-20 years of jail time, which doubles for related offenses including “racketeering, breaking or entering premises and receiving stolen property,” as well as fines that reflect “three times the economic loss attributable to the theft or $1m, whichever is greater.”
Prevent your goods from being stolen by shipping with a company well-versed in cargo security such as Road Scholar Transport. Road Scholar Transport is working with the Cargo Security Alliance to ensure the toughest and most reliable security features on its fleet.
Visit www.roadscholar.com to learn all about the services Road Scholar offers for your LTL and truckload freight and don’t forget to check out our awareness campaign at www.roadscholarawareness.org.
Have you ever been the victim of a cargo theft?
Tags: awareness campaign, awareness trucks, Cargo Security Alliance, cargo theft, Chapter 31, Connecticut, Eli Lilly, fleet, FreightWatch International, jail time, LTL freight, pharmaceuticals, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization, RICO, road scholar transport, S. 1002, Securing Pharma, Senator Charles Schumer, supply chain, truckload freight, US Code
Posted in Awareness Campaign Articles, LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Friday, May 20th, 2011
Rx-360, a group of volunteers consisting of members and shippers of the Pharmaceutical and Biotech industry, addressed the issue regarding the rise in pharmaceutical theft last week.
The consortium, formed in 2009 and whose purpose is to improve the secure transport of pharmaceuticals, outlined what they believe would enhance the safety of pharmaceutical shipments, according to www.rx-360.org.
Over a billion dollars is lost annually as a result of cargo thefts across the nation, partially due to punishment not being strict enough, as well as the need for multiple security means on transport trucks, such as those belonging to Road Scholar Transport which contain independent tractor and trailer tracking, navalock, bolts, seals, and much more.
According to Rx-360, there are standard measures that can be taken based on the level of security to prevent cargo threats and are outlined below (information provided by http://www.rx-360.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=l5-cxXtx4p4%3D&tabid=209):
-For standard shipments, RX-360 recommends, “panic buttons within the 
drivers compartment (Road Scholar uses Qualcomm which features similar panic buttons disabling the vehicle and preventing it from being stolen), hard sided vehicles, bull dog locks, seals, security vetting of drivers and probationary period of six months with the carrier before moving pharmaceutical product (you can verify a driver hassle-free online at http://www.roadscholar.com/verification.php), satellite tracking of the trailer position (ask about Road Scholar’s ShowMe feature which enables real-time tracking down to the “breadcrumbs”) and documentation controls.”
-For sensitive shipments, the group encourages “additional alarms 
indicating when the trailer doors are open (satellite located, remote temperature monitoring), roof markings to allow the identification of the trailer by air, additional probationary period for the driver before moving sensitive shipments, known securing parking locations and, in some cases, the use of two drivers.” It comes as no surprise that Road Scholar Transport provides electronic door monitoring alerting of every time a door is opened or closed, user-defined temperature alerts and monitoring via ReeferTrak, aerial tracking, and even the utilization of a team of drivers.
-Finally, for critical shipments, Rx-360 “entails the logistic service provider working with the site/market to determine per product what is critical (security, quality, both)” with “tailor made solutions for the specific distribution need.”
For those shipments that need to arrive at their destination fast, Road Scholar provides expedited shipping options.
Visit the RS University page at www.roadscholar.com to learn more about cargo security and the steps Road Scholar is taking to ensure the safety of your products.
What percentage of the trucking industry do you feel is actually well-versed in cargo security measures, applying the latest technology to their fleet?
Tags: aerial tracking, biotech industry, bolts, cargo security, consortium, electronic door monitoring, expedited shipping, fleet, freight, logistics, navalock, panic buttons, pharmaceuticals, Qualcomm, ReeferTrak, road scholar transport, Rx-360, satellite tracking, seals, shipment, ShowMe, temperature protect, tractor-trailer, transport, truck driver, University
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
Thursday, April 14th, 2011
Johnson & Johnson has issued another recall, this time for the popular epilepsy drug Topamax, used to prevent seizures.
Nearly 57,000 bottles of 100-milligram tablets sold between October and January 2010 with lot numbers OKG110 and OLG222 are being recalled, with less than 6,000 still claimed to be on shelves, according to ABC News.
The company issued the recall after receiving four concerns about an “uncharacteristic odor,” which could result in short-term gastrointestinal problems, The Wall Street Journal explains.
Johnson & Johnson believes that the smell being reported is TBA, “a byproduct of a chemical preservative sometimes used to treat wooden pallets,” (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703983104576262873794364328.html?mod=googlenews_wsj)
The company has already taken measures back in January of last year to ensure that this did not happen, including a verification process with suppliers to make sure they did not use pallets that were chemically treated, the site notes.
Johnson & Johnson is now investigating the mislabeling of these pallets as well as other products that could have been affected.
It is very important that pharmaceuticals are transported properly or else it could result in contamination of the product and health affects for the consumer. That’s why Road Scholar Transport provides temperature protect services for those products that must be stored at certain temperatures as well as trucks that are highly equipped with the newest security features.
Road Scholar Transport will even transport your epilepsy medications with our Clayton’s Hope awareness trailer!
Clayton’s Hope, an organization benefitting epilepsy research, is just one of several foundations Road Scholar has awareness trailers dedicated to.
Check out Road Scholar’s continuously growing awareness fleet at www.roadscholarawareness.org.
Tags: awareness trucks, chemical preservatives, Clayton’s Hope, drug recall, epilepsy, fleet, Johnson & Johnson, road scholar transport, temperature protect service, Topamax, wooden pallet
Posted in Awareness Campaign Articles, Services | Comments Off
Monday, April 11th, 2011
With the national average price of diesel nearing $4/gallon, the cost of fuel is showing its effects on the trucking industry. How so?
Many trucking companies are unable to maintain the same size fleet as they had months ago, reducing the number of trucks they operate, some to the point of having to close their business completely.
A reduction in trucks also means more capacity issues as well, as companies are not able to provide enough trucks to meet the growing demand of manufacturers.
Due to less capacity, carriers are making fewer moves, and therefore, losing money. In return, companies are charging higher rates to account for increasing fuel prices. The problem with this is that shippers are turning towards the carrier with the cheapest rates instead of the better service, which could end up costing those shippers thousands of more dollars in the end when their freight becomes damaged due to an accident caused by faulty equipment or an unsafe driver.
Driver loss is also becoming a result of surging fuel prices. Many drivers are paid by the mile and with carriers losing customers due to high fuel surcharges (and therefore, higher rates), they no longer can afford as many drivers as they once had.
High diesel prices are not only affecting the trucking industry, but shippers as well. With it becoming more expensive to transport freight, shippers will eventually need to charge more for their goods in order to make a profit.
So how do you compete with rising fuel prices while maintaining competitive prices with quality service?
Road Scholar Transport does its best to try and control energy costs by taking the following measures:
-Use of cruise control, which adds 5% fuel efficiency
-Checking air pressure
-Auditing APU usage and idling time
-Decreasing the speed on our trucks by 5 mph
With these steps, along with many others, Road Scholar continues to deliver your LTL and TL freight on-time, every time.
Tags: air pressure, APU, capacity issues, diesel, driver, fleet, fuel efficiency, fuel prices, idling, LTL freight, road scholar transport, shippers, TL freight, trucking industry, trucks
Posted in LTL freight, Services, Trucking Industry News | Comments Off
