Peak Season kicks off in October and lasts through the holiday shopping season. Carriers know that this time of year offers a heavy and steady flow of freight loads to move. During peak months, there is a significant surge in the loads available. At Taylor Logistics, we do everything we can to make the process as simple as possible for our customers. Our experts comprised a few best practices to use to make freight shipping even easier. Here are cost-effective strategies you can implement to help your freight stand out in today’s market.
Establishing a Carrier Program: One of the most important relationships is the one you create with your carrier base. Carriers have compelling value propositions in the markets they serve — carriers value consistency. If you’re happy with the overall relationship, provide incumbents with an opportunity to keep that freight.
Communicate Quickly and Effectively: The faster you communicate about upcoming loads, the more likely you are to secure a truck. Talking with carriers ahead of time about anticipated surges and decreases in your freight volume can also help them plan and prioritize your shipments.
Flexibility: If possible, become flexible in your pick-up and delivery times, so you can create a larger pool of trucking companies available to move your freight. For some shippers making operational changes that allow for deliveries and pick-ups on weekends increases flexibility. Most drivers do not operate on a traditional workweek schedule, so working with receivers and shippers that offer flexible hours allows for loads to be moved more efficiently and promptly.
Increase Efficiency: There are several ways to cut costs examine your transportation and supply chain for ways to increase your performance while saving money. Are there less-expensive routes you can use for shipments that are not time-sensitive? Would other modes of transport like intermodal or less-than-truckload be more economical than truckload freight?
Tap Your Third-Party Provider’s Range of Services: Warehousing, fulfillment, transportation, technology—the more you can obtain from a single provider, the more seamless, scalable, and cost-effective your supply chain will be. Organizing the logistics function helps to ensure that you provide consistent service and offer better predictability and reliable deliveries.
Taking a more strategic approach to truckload procurement helps align the business goals and outcomes of both carriers and shippers. It can result in significant savings and extraordinary service levels over time. To learn more about our freight services click here.
