Ship Tomorrow

When you combine operational excellence and great customer service you get a winning combination, as Walmart, Mattel and Echo Global Logistics confirmed with their “carrier of the year” recognitions in April.

Walmart Transportation named YRC, Yellow Transportation,  its National LTL Carrier of the Year. Walmart awarded national carriers “Best of” designations in ten categories for partners who go above and beyond in servicing Walmart customers and exceeding Walmart service expectations. This year’s award marks the fifth time in the past nine years that Walmart chose YRC for the recognition.

Mattel honored YRC Glen Moore with its Truckload Carrier of the Year award.  Mattel acknowledged superior on-time performance to two of the toy maker’s largest retail customers, as well as outstanding customer service. Mattel stated exemplary delivery performance was the basis for awarding the highest ranking among all Mattel transportation providers.

Echo Global Logistics presented Holland with its Regional Carrier of the Year award for 2010. In the selection process, Echo rated its transportation providers on 10 criteria they deem essential for meeting their customer service objectives. This marks the 2nd consecutive year Echo has recognized Holland with a Carrier of the Year award.

R+L Carriers was presented with the 2010 Logistics Management Quest for Quality award in the Multiregional LTL Carriers category.

This award stems from surveys conducted specifically in the logistics industry evaluating and measuring Transportation Service providers and examines overall performance. Key elements of this survey focus on the following attributes:

• Performance – On-time pick up & delivery.
• Value – Pricing, based on services made available.
• Information Technology – Tracing and tracking availability, EDI and electronic commerce capabilities.
• Customer Service – Problem solving and claims resolution.
• Equipment and Operations – Availability and condition, safety record, percentage of low incidence of loss and damaged claims.

Governor Bob McDonnell has appointed Curtis Carr of Estes Express Lines to Virginia’s Board of Transportation Safety. His term will expire June 30, 2014.

Curtis has served as VP of safety and risk management for Estes Express Lines in Richmond since 1998. A graduate of the University of North Carolina, Carr is active in state and national trucking associations and currently serves on the American Trucking Association Safety Management Council.

Con-way Inc is a $4.3 billion freight transportation and logistics services company headquartered in San Mateo, California.  Con-way is a leader in the transportation and logistics industry and delivers industry leading services through its primary operating companies of Con-way Freight, Con-way Truckload and Menlo Worldwide Logistics. These freight companies provide less-than-truckload (LTL), full truckload and intermodal freight transportation; logistics, warehousing and supply chain management services. Con-way Inc and its subsidiaries operate from more than 440 operating locations across North America and in 18 countries.

In 1934, Lex and B.D. Benton pooled their savings together to open a filling station off of Highway 78 in Atlanta, GA. The two brothers would sleep above the shop at night while pumping gas and serving barbecue during the day. Over the next few months they learned about the movie film distribution through an acquaintance that stopped at the station weekly. With a desire to make a better living, they investigated the idea further. The Benton boys then decided to buy a used Ford Panel Truck and started to sell the idea of delivering movie film reels from Atlanta to South Georgia by truck.

In those days, no film was transported by truck, only by rail. The theatre managers had to go to the rail depot to pick up their new film and return their old film. Benton’s service was new -”give us a key to your theatre and when you come to work tomorrow, your new film will be there and the old film returned.” Because of the new convenience created by Benton, the service quickly grew. But the Benton Brother’s real success came in 1948 when the union struck against the rail. Because of the strike, the theaters not using Benton by this point could not get their new movies.

Upon temporary request to the Interstate Commerce Commission, the film companies asked for Benton to begin covering the entire state of Florida and Georgia during the strike. After the strike was over, the film customers did not want to lose the new increased service levels gained by using Benton, so they convinced the government to grant the Benton Brothers permanent authority to transport film throughout both Georgia and Florida. This type of service and freight kept Benton Brothers Film Express going strong down the same road until 1980.
The Motor Carriers Act of 1980 essentially deregulated interstate freight making it easier for trucking companies. This ruling placed Benton Express in an excellent position to take advantage and move into the general commodities business. The leaders of Benton at this time said that if they could deliver film and newsprint in an expedited manner on time, then the service levels should be no different for general commodities.

Bullet Freight Systems which was based in Anaheim, California has been purchased by Roadrunner Transportation Services Holdings Inc, a national trucking company located in Cudahy, WI. Roadrunner plans on keeping all current management and personnel. This acquisition will compliment Roadrunner’s services in California.

Beaver Express is a small package express and LTL trucking company that covers Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and New Mexico.  By using a network of independent contractors, terminals, and line-haul
schedules they can provide your company with overnight and early morning package express deliveries to all points daily, regardless of volume.  Their express rates are economical and their service is dependable.  They filled a niche by responding to the need for quality LTL freight service by arranging interline connections with regional and nationwide motor freight carriers. Their terminals are located in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Amarillo, Dallas, Kansas City and Wichita, but they provide dependable daily LTL freight service to and from
points across the US!

A. Duie Pyle, a leading shipping logistics provider, was pleased to announce that two of the company’s drivers, Leo Flack and Brian Singelais placed second and third respectively in their divisions at the 2010 American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) National Truck Driving Championships.
ATA’s Truck Driving Championships include top professional truck drivers from around the nation. They must first qualify at the state level to order advance to the national competition each summer. A Duie Pyle sent four drivers to the national championships this year.

Leo Flack placed second in the tank truck division and Brian Singelais placed third in the three-axle division. Also competing for Pyle this year was Rick Sly in the straight truck division, and John Forgione in the four-axle division. Nearly 400 drivers from all 50 states competed in Columbus for four days, challenging their driving skills, and knowledge of safety, equipment and the industry.

Vitran Logistics are experts at helping you manage your supply chain more profitably. With support services available at every phase of the distribution process, they can custom design a strategic solution that shortens the cycle to market, saving time and money.

They sit down with you and look at the way your entire distribution chain is configured. Then they put together a tailor-made plan that impacts specifc areas, offering the precise mix of services that reduces your total cost most effectively.

This is distribution management at its best; a flexible program supported by the full assets, facilities and staff of Vitran Logistics, complete with the technological tools to put you in the driver’s seat and keep you firmly in control of your freight shipping.

Shippers can save money by taking advantage of motor freight carrier’s resources such as technology and innovation.

In the truckload industry, there are often opportunities for shippers to work with their consignee and try to use the same carrier. This helps the carrier by not having a deadhead load coming back.

Shippers can use the carrier’s technology. Most large shippers have some sort of Transportation Management System, usually can be integrated with the carrier’s own system.

Carriers can implement fuel efficiencies techniques and technologies that help cost savings.Most carriers like AAA Cooper and Old Dominion Trucking have started using these ideas.