Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1099303
22 PalletCentral • January-February 2019 palletcentral.com lanes, distribution points, detention practices and trucking partners as a result. So what should shippers reliant on trucks to move their goods to market be doing now to temper tight capacity when products and goods hit docks later this year? A good step is to review and reset the supply chain clock. By that, I mean eliminating processes that hold up the free movement of freight, wasting valuable time, such as driver detention at loading docks. That could also mean tendering freight further in advance, and avoiding panicked last minute calls for pickups. That may cause inconvenience in one area, but save time and money overall by making it easier for carriers to assign drivers and trucks to customers and shipments. Many LTL carriers are pressing customers to send electronic bills of lading to speed transactions. The best advice is to sit down and talk with carriers not about price but ways of improving processes and doing business better together. This is a two-way street, or better yet, an interchange where several parties can find ways to move freight efficiently and save money across an enterprise – including logistics providers, freight brokers, and technology firms. And shippers should strive to get carriers and their logistics partners to focus more on the needs of their end customer, whether another business or the consumer, and that customer's experience, not just on completing an efficient transaction. That's a tall order, but those that don't try a little collaboration may find themselves up the supply chain without a pallet. PC TRANSPORTATION William B. Cassidy is senior editor, trucking at The Journal of Commerce/JOC.com, which is owned by IHS Markit. Bill is also a feature speaker at the NWPCA 2019 ALC, presenting "Trucking Trends and the Future of Transportation." Contact him at bill.cassidy@ihsmarkit.com or (202) 872-1228. iStockphoto.com.com/welcomia A good step is to review and reset the supply chain clock. By that, I mean eliminating processes that hold up the free movement of freight, wasting valuable time, such as driver detention at loading docks.