Ward Transport & Logistics built its reputation on what the company calls “Ship the Ward Way”—decades of operational discipline, service and consistency that have helped establish the company a widely respected LTL carrier. For nearly 30 years, Ward relied on its own internally developed costing system, an activity-based model that provided an accurate, detailed understanding of costs across the business.

Justin Springer, Director of Business Development, SMC³ and Joe Tillman, Manager Education Programs, SMC³ Analyst Insight: In an environment with increasing supply chain complexity, fluctuating capacity, and consistent technological advancement, shippers that stand out as a “shipper of choice” for carriers are most effectively able to drive lower costs and more productive provider relationships.  To stand out from […]

The sheer amount of industry knowledge being passed around at Jump Start 2024 has been astounding to behold. From evergreen tips on leadership to concrete strategies for managing volatility, our attendees are leaving with a fuller picture of where the logistics industry stands. On the third and final day, it’s natural to ask: What’s next?

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

What does it take to forge a productive, mutually beneficial relationship between shippers and carriers in today’s competitive LTL environment? As attendees at SMC3’s recent LTL webinar on the topic learned, it boils down to four things: partners sharing data, analytics, crucial insight, and getting to the “we.” In the third LTL online learning session, […]

The trucking industry has a significant challenge—knowing which customers and accounts are most and least profitable. Having this information can empower carriers to move freight more efficiently and cost effectively, which thereby improves the bottom line. This challenge took center stage at a recent TCA webinar where participants from SMC3 and XTL Transportation Inc. discussed how to make better business decisions through activity-based costing. When asked how carriers do costing today, the vast majority of the attendees said they rely on team member experience and knowledge.