Today’s top LTL carriers have different network needs and service offerings, and that is reflected in the way they calculate LTL shipping rates. Without a neutral, standardized pricing foundation that takes shifting freight flows and modern market pressures into account, it’s impossible for customers to accurately and reliably compare one LTL carrier to the next. Shippers and logistics services providers can simplify their LTL pricing with a modern base rate that reflects the country’s demographic profile and the flow of domestic freight.

At the start of the new year, it’s common for freight shippers striving for an optimized supply chain to review their carrier options to make sure they use the ideal mix of freight transportation providers. In 2019, this procurement business has lasted the entire year, as shippers and 3PLs look to take advantage of a softer freight market to secure better pricing and service.

The optimal way to understand the intricacies of today’s supply chain environment is to participate in an educationally focused transportation conference. Events hosted by a reliable company with decades of industry expertise arm attendees with new supply chain ideas and transportation tools.

New technology and the introduction of innovative supply chain solutions into established processes is one way to combat transportation issues. Brian Thompson of SMC³ sees the uptick in technology adoption, and a broader adoption of transportation management systems among even the smallest transportation companies, as a sign of how shippers and 3PLs are now confronting a challenging supply chain arena.

The current version of RateWare XL features more than 5,000 LTL base rates, small package and density tariffs, and the ability for users to conduct historical pricing inquiries and batch process files, SMC³ wanted to go a step further. Not content to rest on the laurels of such a widely used product, the company has created a new version of RateWare that will serve as a platform for future rating solutions.

Leonard’s Express began life with a single truck. Four decades later, the truckload operator has grown into a company with 450 trucks and 500 drivers moving freight across the nation. The carrier is an active user of SMC³’s Cost Intelligence System tool. Christopher DeMillo recently spoke with SMC³ about how he uses that tool to increase its profitability and how he sees the current supply chain landscape.