In the second session of SMC3’s 2025 LTL Online Education Hybrid Series, Jenni McCammon, Senior Sales Director for Truckload at Ascend, offered an inside look at how less-than-truckload (LTL) freight operations turn a profit—or lose one.

Q&A with Brian Thompson, Chief Communication Officer, SMC³ Q: From your unique perspective, what do you see as the biggest challenges facing logistics andsupply chain professionals as we move into 2025? A: A significant challenge confronting the industry is the likelihood of shifting freight trends due to the relocation of production and manufacturing facilities worldwide, […]

As we enter 2025, a major challenge confronting the industry is the likelihood of shifting freight trends due to the relocation of production and manufacturing facilities worldwide, as companies strive to enhance cost-efficiency, manufacturing speed, and inventory management.

Often, data science is misunderstood as a specialized application of various tools and technology. But as Martin Ryan, vice president of pricing at XPO, emphasized in a recent SMC3 session, the real power of data science lies in knowing how to ask the right questions.

Increasingly, data can tell sophisticated stories that help businesses improve their operations. But all data isn’t created equal. How can LTL leaders know whether they’re asking the right questions? And how can they make sure that the questions they’re asking aren’t limited by a myopic perspective?

Sometimes, technology alone can be the fast fix for improving business outcomes. More often, the difference maker is technology delivered and backed by a true business partner, a partner who supports business functions and is invested to ensure their solutions perform and directly contribute to improving LTL transportation management. This is especially true in LTL, where digitized execution, visibility and optimized efficiency are key to customer service.