Source: Kathy Fulton, Executive Director, American Logistics Aid Network/ALAN.

"It's all about the company you keep."

This is a phrase used by many - and it holds relevant meaning for TMSA members, given the fact that 22 member companies have been named to the "Top 100 3PL List" by Inbound Logistics magazine, which is an Affiliate TMSA member. 

Even before the pandemic gave transportation companies hero status, the industry was on a roll. In July 2019, transportation jobs rose 49%, officially making it the fastest growing industry in America.  

It’s no surprise that technology is the major driver of industry transformation today. Its many manifestations from driverless trucks to AI keep it firmly at the top of oncoming transportation trends. However, demographic swings and lasting changes in consumer preferences will also determine the opportunities and challenges on the road ahead. 

The transportation and logistics industry is the behind the scene force that delivers the products that we use every day without fail. The toothbrush you use in the morning, the computer you use at work, the bed that you sleep in have all been given to you through some sort of transportation. But how much do you really know about this industry? Do you know the different types of transportation? What type of transportation your company should use? Or even the basic definition of ‘transportation?’ TMSA breaks down the basics for us in its on-demand webinar Transportation 101. 

At a basic level, the definition of transportation is moving something from point A to point B, but it becomes a bit more complex when you layer in additional services on top of the core of transportation. Services like routing, regulatory compliance and driver management turn basic transportation into logistics. If you add services like returns and warehousing, then the service becomes a supply chain.

Transport Topics recently announced its annual Top 100 For-Hire Carriers listing, which ranks companies based on annual revenue and includes a listing of operating units and description of services, names of top executives and type of ownership, plus data on the number of employees and equipment.

The Top 100 list also features a listing of carriers by sector, including truckload and dedicated, refrigerated, less-than-truckload, flatbed and heavy specialized, intermodal and drayage, package and courier, household goods and commercial delivery, motor vehicle and driveaway, tank and bulk, air and expedited and mail.

American Logistics Aid Network Urges Precautions, Preparation For Hurricane Dorian

As Hurricane Dorian heads toward the mainland U.S., the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), a TMSA Affiliate member, is urging residents of Florida, the Gulf Coast and other parts of the Southeast to start preparing – and advising the logistics community to get ready to help. TMSA members are encouraged to support the efforts of ALAN, which also is a TMSA member. 

Food Logistics magazine, a TMSA Affiliate member and Media Friend, recently announced its annual Food Logistics’ 2019 Top Green Providers. According to Jolene Gulley, Group Publisher at AC Business Media (the publisher of Food Logistics): “This initiative showcases companies that have found new ways to promote sustainability throughout their operations and for their customers. This year’s list consists of 3PLs, technology companies, transportation providers, cold storage providers and many more that have upped their game to become leaders in the sustainable global food supply chain.”

Congratulations to these TMSA member companies for their accomplishments that have allowed them to be named to Food Logistics’ 2019 Top Green Providers.

There were big financial gains in 2018 for most motor carriers, driven by the strongest economy in decades. According to Daniel Bearth, Senior Features Writer at Transport Topics, mergers and acquisitions continued to rearrange the business landscape – with the most notable one recently being XPO Logistics and Daseke Inc. Transport Topics, a TMSA Affiliate member and Media Friend, recently announced its annual 2019 Top 100 For-Hire Companies, which is based upon financial standing of motor carriers.

The Transportation Marketing & Sales Association boasts approximately 25% of those making the 2019 list as members.  Congratulations to these TMSA member companies for their accomplishments that have allowed them to be named to Transport Topics’ 2019 Top 100 For-Hire Companies!

Transportation and logistics-related companies comprise one of the leading categories among the Most Admired Companies in the World, according to FORTUNE magazine.

FORTUNE collaborates with partner Korn Ferry Hay Group on this corporate reputation survey, which evaluates approximately 1,500 companies, including the 1,000 largest U.S. companies ranked by revenue and non-U.S. companies in the FORTUNE Global 500® database with revenues of $10 billion or more. Korn Ferry Hay Group surveys 680 companies from 29 countries to select the 15 largest for each international industry and the 10 largest for each U.S. industry. Executives, directors and analysts are then asked to rate companies in their own industry on nine criteria, from investment value to social responsibility, and this vote results in the 52 industry lists. A company’s score must rank in the top half of its industry survey to be listed.

By Dan North, North America Chief Economist via TMSA Affiliate Member Euler Hermes North America 

The economy performed very well in 2018.

GDP growth, expected to be 2.9% for the year, tied 2015 for the strongest of the nine year recovery. Recent growth was particularly impressive in Q2 at 4.2% q/q annualized and 3.5% in Q3. The all-important consumer sector flexed its muscles at 3.8% and 3.6% in Q2 and Q3. Manufacturing was strong. Wages grew at the fastest in nine years. Job creation was vigorous. Inflation and interest rates remained low, and corporate profits set records. It was as good as it’s going to get.

Redefining the Road magazine, the official magazine of the Women In Trucking Association (WIT), announces there were 10 recipients of the 2018 “Top 50 Companies for Women to Work For in Transportation” that are members of TMSA.

A truly great supply chain partner is one who knows precisely which ingredients we need to make our operations successful — and those we can skip. Some partners can tell us, for instance, what technologies we need to deploy, when to implement and how to upgrade.

Others can advise who to contract for manufacturing and transportation, where to source parts and raw materials — or how to dispose of tainted or defective goods. They can help us finance supply chain operations, mitigate risk and ultimately bring together these disparate components to streamline our businesses.

By Jason Ickert, a seasoned commercial leader in the 3PL space with more than 23 years’ experience in various sales and marketing roles. Jason is currently a team member at ENERGY Transportation Group where he is engaged in their initiative to integrate logistics processes with technology. Ickert also sits on the TMSA Board of Directors and is co-chair of the Membership Committee. 

What happened to peak season? The demand we were expecting, considering the booming consumer economy, was a bit disappointing. Was it because of the increase and threat of additional tariffs that caused importers to forward stock their inventory earlier? Or perhaps because of the increase in e-commerce, and less brick-and-mortar foot traffic, retailers have held off allocating large quantities forward to store DC's and are filling customer orders direct from import warehouses?

By many indicators, the economy is strong – but where will it be in the months to come? And with consumer demand at high levels, how long will this last? And with capacity challenges, the ongoing driver shortage, and burdensome regulations, what is the overall outlook for providers of commercial freight services?

These are common questions currently being asked in the commercial transportation industry. A closer analysis at economic trends analysis provides some educated perspective.

Inbound Logistics, a TMSA Affiliate member and Media Friend, recently announced its Top 100 3PL Providers list, a qualitative assessment of service providers that Inbound Logistics editors feel are best equipped to meet and surpass readers’ unique supply chain and logistics needs. It includes well-known companies, niche providers, and newer companies offering specialized logistics services. Congratulations to these TMSA member companies who made the list in 2018:

Approved Freight Forwarders

Logistics Management, a TMSA Affiliate member and Media Friend, recently announced the winners of the 35^thAnnual Quest for Quality Awards. The Quest for Quality Awards are the gold standard for customer satisfaction and performance excellence for carriers, ports and logistics providers worldwide. These companies, including several TMSA members, have reached the pinnacle of service-excellence over the past year no matter how many economic, regulatory or operational pressures they continue to face. Congratulations to these TMSA member companies who earned Quest for Quality gold. 

National LTL Carriers
J.B. Hunt Transport Services

Inbound Logistics, a TMSA Affiliate member and Media Friend, recently announced its annual G75 for 2018 — a carefully curated list of 75 companies that go above and beyond to ensure their global supply chains are sustainable, and their operations are socially and environmentally friendly. These companies, several that are TMSA members, have spent years developing and implementing best practices to ensure the footprint they leave on the world is a positive one. Congratulations to these TMSA member companies for their accomplishments that allowed them to make the list in 2018:

Averitt Express, since 2004 has lowered CO2 emissions by about 27 percent, reduced nitrogen oxide emissions by 50 percent, and cut particulate emissions by 52 percent.

By Adrian Gonzalez of "Talking Logistics," who was named recently as another well-known industry thought leader who will be speaking at the upcoming 2018 TMSA Logistics Marketing & Sales Conference June 10-12 near Fort Myers, Florida. Sign up to follow his blog at www.TalkingLogistics.com. 

Shippers today find themselves in a difficult and costly situation: their routing guides are often broken and they’re having to go to the spot market to cover their loads, which is costing more than they had budgeted. The great transportation spot market inversion has occurred. What does that mean for shippers? How should they respond? And what actions should they take longer term to prepare for whatever market conditions lie ahead?