Articles
Trends
Trends—December 2010
A Cellular Distraction Exposes DOT’s Blind Spot When U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently took one hand off the Department of Transportation (DOT) steering wheel long enough to field another call about the dangers of cell phone use while driving, freight industry outsiders were eavesdropping. Truth be told, they’d prefer riding shotgun, even at their […]
Read MoreTrends—November 2010
A Break in the Chain: Solving the Port Chassis Problem When the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) started enforcing its discursive Requirements for Intermodal Equipment Providers and for Motor Carriers and Drivers Operating Intermodal Equipment rule in December 2009, there weren’t enough containers flowing through U.S. ports to cause immediate alarm. Shippers and trucking […]
Read MoreTrends—October 2010
U.S. Transportation Investment: A Political Pothole Drive any measurable distance across the United States and you’re bound to run into “Schneider Eggs”— trucker slang for sometimes-scrambled orange construction barrels. As much as road construction is an obstacle to efficiency and timeliness, it’s also a sign of progress, investment, and your tax dollars at work. Ironically, […]
Read MoreTrends—September 2010
U.S. Ports Dig Panama Gold For a wee slip of waterway, 48 miles in length and 33 feet wide at its narrowest, the Panama Canal has publicity buoyancy the likes of the two great oceans it connects—and the buzz is only building. Despite technology and globalization, the Canal has remained a vital gateway in the […]
Read MoreTrends—August 2010
Shipping Maintains Traction Despite Gulf Slick The considerable environmental impacts from British Petroleum’s (BP) Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico have cast a pall over the region, endangering delicate ecosystems and tourism industries alike. But to date, the oil crisis has had little negative impact on shipping in the heavily trafficked corridor. Gulf […]
Read MoreTrends—July 2010
21st annual State of Logistics Report: Beating the Recession; Making dollars and Sense out of Jabulanis and Vuvuzelas; Mergers and Acquisitions Show signs of Recovery
Read MoreTrends—June 2010
Patagonia and Walmart Grow Green Together Sustainability mandates are fast becoming competitive differentiators for many companies, outwardly attracting green-thumbed consumers while inwardly reducing inefficiency and waste. But for outdoor clothing company Patagonia, being green is simply a matter of corporate karma. The Ventura, Calif.-based clothier has been on the "greening edge" of environmental best practices […]
Read MoreTrends—May 2010
Despite Interruptions European Integrators Express Themselves When an ash cloud from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano forced the closure of most European airports and airspace in April 2010, express carriers TNT and DHL activated contingency plans and ramped up ground operations to cope with the service disruption. "The ground network allowed TNT to keep delivering customers’ goods […]
Read MoreTrends—April 2010
Logistics IT: Keying Into Shipper Demand Inbound Logistics’ annual Top 100 Logistics IT Providers survey and outreach canvasses solutions providers to understand the challenges and opportunities their customers confront as they navigate the global supply chain. How and where shippers direct logistics technology spend exposes broader trends in the transportation and logistics space. Companies invest […]
Read MoreTrends–March 2010
Alaska Gambles on Arctic ‘Pipeline’ America’s Last Frontier could be on the edge of a new front for global trade if Congressman Don Young’s (R-AK) vision for an arctic port becomes reality. Alaska, which is wild by nature, also has a reputation for bringing impetuous infrastructure projects to the table—for example, the much-maligned “Bridge to […]
Read MoreTrends—February 2010
The Little Railroad That Did Small railroad communities used to be widespread across the United States. Rural transportation and commerce were railroad-tied, each dependent on the other. In western New York towns such as Livonia, the past was very much aligned with the tracks. So is its future, thanks to a little foresight and determination. […]
Read MoreTrends—January 2010
Guaging the Future of Marine Rail Rail intermodal solutions have become an important component of the U.S. supply chain as capacity, cost, and sustainability concerns warrant more transportation flexibility. The hitch for shippers is the time it takes to re-handle cargo, switch modes, and turn assets and inventory. Rail intermodal requires better forecasts, greater visibility, […]
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Pacer International and Union Pacific (UP) have entered a multi-year arrangement that allows the intermodal company continued access to the railroad’s network. That’s welcome news to some rail users. Foremost, the announcement puts to rest speculation about the company’s tenuous financial position. Pacer will use the $30-million cash infusion received as part of the deal […]
Read MoreTrends-November 2009
The green movement is many things to different parties. But the common element all environmentally conscious supply chain practitioners and consumers should take a vested interest in is transparency—from source to self. Environmental watchdog Greenpeace, whose mission is to bring clarity to environmental issues and threats, knows something about transparency. Proof to point, the organization […]
Read MoreTrends-October 2009
Shippers and service providers have enough difficulty meeting customer demand despite encroaching time, service, and cost constraints without political bureaucracy getting in the way. But it does. Pitched battles over quality of life and the goods that bring quality to life are frequent and fervent—and serve as yet another reminder that domestic transportation policy and […]
Read MoreTrends-Sep 2009
Hormel Foods is adding a little zing to its U.S. product offering thanks to a joint venture with Herdez Del Fuerte, a Mexico City-based manufacturer and marketer of consumer-branded food and beverages. Together, they are launching a new brand, MegaMex Foods, to market Mexican foods in the United States. MegaMex Foods, which is expected to […]
Read MoreTrends-May 2007
It has been a tough year for the trucking industry with empty stores, trailers, and gas tanks casting their lot against carriers and motor freight buyers alike. Shrinking budgets, expanding carbon emissions and fuel efficiency standards, and steady competition from rail/intermodal providers have similarly pushed truckers and shippers into a sustainability strata that augurs a […]
Read MoreTrends-May 2009
Lean times call for equal measures. The U.S. automotive industry has been decimated by a slumping domestic economy and increasing global competition. While some cash-strapped manufacturers join government “bread” lines, still others are turning to their assembly lines. In what amounts to a corporate mandate to level production and lean out its supply chain, General […]
Read MoreTrends-2009
When consumer spending dips, few companies target high-income shoppers as a potential revenue stream. But few companies can walk in Walmart’s shoes, and the retailer has both attracted more consumers and convinced them to buy bigger-ticket items. With a fresh new logo to boot, Walmart is cleaning up in more ways than one. Its stores […]
Read MoreTrends-February 2009
Boeing is making supply chain management a critical pivot as it tries to steer its way out of an economic vortex. As demand for new aircraft ebbs, and a machinist’s strike and failed component installation hamper the launch of the 787 Dreamliner program, the company is reconsidering its global supplier network. The Chicago-headquartered aircraft manufacturer […]
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