Recon Logistics Freight Management Blog

Dare we say there is some light showing down that tunnel?  Our estimate is that there is indeed some light, although it may be more a signal light before the tunnel takes another turn.

Tags: Freight Class, Accessorials, LTL, Freight Rates, LTL Carrier Cost, Rules Tariff, Logistics, LTL Service, Limited Access, Freight Technology, TMS, Freight Insurance, Freight Claims, Freight News, Freight Update

Welcome to 2021!

Kind of sad when we are hoping to see LTL carrier performance get back to the mid-'80s!  But as long as COVID and its disruptions persist and the TL market remains tight we remain a broken record.

Tags: Freight Class, Accessorials, LTL, Freight Rates, LTL Carrier Cost, Rules Tariff, Logistics, LTL Service, Limited Access, Freight Technology, TMS, Freight Insurance, Freight Claims, Freight News, Freight Update

Tags: Freight Class, Accessorials, LTL, Freight Rates, LTL Carrier Cost, Rules Tariff, Logistics, LTL Service, Limited Access, Freight Technology, TMS, Freight Insurance, Freight Claims, Freight News, Freight Update

Tags: Freight Class, Accessorials, LTL, Freight Rates, LTL Carrier Cost, Rules Tariff, Logistics, LTL Service, Limited Access, Freight Technology, TMS, Freight Insurance, Freight Claims, Freight News, Freight Update

Short and not-so-sweet message this week.  LTL carrier performance is BAD!  We have been pointing this out for months now, but either much of our audience isn't reading this or is having difficulty understanding it so we are going to repeat the message again.

Tags: Freight Class, Accessorials, LTL, Freight Rates, LTL Carrier Cost, Rules Tariff, Logistics, LTL Service, Limited Access, Freight Technology, TMS, Freight Insurance, Freight Claims, Freight News, Freight Update

"Your carriers still suck and eta's on transit times are wrong!!" (Angry Face!).

  There are 2 interesting charts below if you can get past the performance commentary (teaser).

 

Yep - we get it!  This is a performance pandemic while we are living in a pandemic of hysteria.  Fact is, while we see LTL carrier performance ticking up a bit, it remains well, well below historical norms so you continue to deal with more failures and upset customers.  If it's any consolation - you're not alone.  This is INDUSTRY-WIDE.  When we see even the best of the regional carriers struggle, it's systemic.

Tags: Freight Class, Accessorials, LTL, Freight Rates, LTL Carrier Cost, Rules Tariff, Logistics, LTL Service, Limited Access, Freight Technology, TMS, Freight Insurance, Freight Claims, Freight News, Freight Update

When shipping LTL freight, you’ve likely run into this hypothetical, but common scenario:

A damaged shipment occurs, and it’s 100% the responsibility of the carrier.  

The delivery receipt is signed as damaged, so all the right documentation is in order.  A claim is filed with the carrier.  The carrier takes upwards of a month to review and come to a decision.

Tags: Freight Class, Accessorials, LTL, Freight Rates, LTL Carrier Cost, Rules Tariff, Logistics, LTL Service, Limited Access, Freight Technology, TMS, Freight Insurance, Freight Claims

As the less-than-truckload landscape changes rapidly and the market hurtles down the path towards tighter capacity, and higher costs – one must wonder what all of this means for today’s shippers and 3PLs.  The days of the time-rich, doting sales rep; bringing pizza by the shipping office and shaking hands or slapping backs every other day are arguably behind us.  Not every problem can be solved with a wink, nudge or quick phone call.

Tags: Freight Terms, Density, LTL Pricing, Accessorials, Freight Tariffs, LTL, Freight Rates, Freight Management, Ship Smarter, Freight Data, Logistics, LTL Carrier, Reweigh, Reclass, Carrier performance, Freight Audit, Freight Pay

How many calls do your customer service representatives (CSRs) have to make related to shipping?

• Get a rate quote
• Confirm a customer has a loading dock
• Provide a status update (tracking)
• Provide instructions on how to handle damage

Here are a few tools that can reduce the burden of freight on your CSRs that a good Transportation Management System (TMS) ought to provide:

Tags: Freight Terms, Density, LTL Pricing, Accessorials, Freight Tariffs, LTL, Freight Rates, Freight Management, Ship Smarter, Freight Data, Logistics, LTL Carrier, Reweigh, Reclass, Carrier performance, Freight Audit, Freight Pay

Tired of fighting with Carriers over discounts, minimum charges and accessorials? Given the economy, capacity pressures, and LTL carrier's current perceived leverage, you may be more successful reducing your freight cost by taking a deep dive into your organization's shipping processes.

Tags: Freight Terms, Density, LTL Pricing, Accessorials, Freight Tariffs, LTL, Freight Rates, Freight Management, Ship Smarter, Freight Data, Logistics, LTL Carrier, Reweigh, Reclass, Carrier performance, Freight Audit, Freight Pay