How can PRO number API tools aid supply chain visibility throughout the shipment lifecycle?
Authored by SMC³ on May 15, 2019
Shippers and 3PLs use PRO numbers to track goods through the supply chain, but when carriers pick up shipments, these identification tags haven’t historically been automatically generated at the point of dispatch. Consumers have been demanding greater visibility into their shipments, and real-time visibility accessibility has become job number one for transportation providers. But the timely transfer of PRO numbers from carriers to shippers has constrained visibility growth.
Reading the supply chain trends: Are lower freight transportation rates for shippers and 3PLs around the corner?
Authored by SMC³ on May 9, 2019
While carrier pricing is stable for the time being, there are signs that the rest of 2019 could bring about a different reality. Even a perceived loosening of freight rates is a signal to transportation buyers throughout the supply chain. If Old Dominion customers are currently finding carriers willing to use higher discounts to attract business, other carriers are also seeing the same from LTL shippers, and this means a significant trend might emerge. SMC³ has also witnessed an increase in LTL bid activity generated through its Bid$ense product.
7 reasons to attend Connections 2019
Authored by SMC³ on April 10, 2019
High-powered networking, cutting-edge insights and top-tier presenters are just some of the top reasons supply chain stakeholders will attend Connections 2019. The three-day supply chain event, held in Colorado Springs from June 24- 26, provides the ideal forum for discovering new ideas and learning how to respond to rapidly changing industry trends.
How do automated volume LTL pricing solutions help the logistics community?
Authored by SMC³ on April 1, 2019
Volume LTL is a valuable feature of today’s supply chain because it fills the gap between LTL and truckload transportation. It can really be looked at as a mutually beneficial arrangement among shippers and carriers. These shipments can move in a carrier’s backhaul or chronic empty lanes, helping to balance the carrier’s network. The pricing is derived from transactional spot-market rates, which are often lower than contractual rates, saving shippers money.
Why did trucking capacity shrink after the ELD mandate?
Authored by SMC³ on March 20, 2019
In 2015, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration put forward a supply chain safety measure meant to regulate the amount of time a truck driver stays on the road. The FMCSA regulation, which was put into force two years later, forced truckload and LTL carriers through some growing pains, but the resultant dip in available capacity turned out to be temporary. Supply chain stakeholders can ensure they always have needed capacity by automating their transportation procurement process.
