The changes over the last few years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have added new layers of complexity to the RFP process for LTL shippers and carriers. The SMC³ educational workshop on Removing Complexity from the LTL Bid Process recently tackled some of these layers directly with help from logistics experts around the industry.

As part of the recent SMC³ LTL205 interactive educational session, industry experts discussed the forces changing the shipper/carrier relationship and how both sides can proactively prepare for the future.

A recent SMC³ educational workshop covered the inherent value of data and how transportation companies can harness it to drive their digital transformation. Here’s how shippers, carriers, and 3PLs can move toward the data-driven future.

In order to build out best-in-class bidding strategies, both supply and demand side organizations need to invest in the right set of bidding and procurement tools to set them up for long-term success. Using tools like SMC³’s BidSense® enables shippers to engage a broad range of carriers, helping to gauge the offers of existing carriers against other providers to find the best deal amid a rapidly changing market rate.

Common understanding is the real measure of any good transportation contract. Every paragraph, every line, and every word should be chosen in a way that reduces confusion. In this follow-up session, Rocky Rogers and Rob Moseley of Moseley Marcinak Law Group picked up the thread by outlining a handful of additional “must-have” elements from the model agreement and what purpose they serve in an ideal contract.

As a part of the SMC³ LTL 204: US LTL Transportation Law & Regulations hybrid summer course, industry experts shared some of their tips for navigating transportation contracts and making sure your organization is prepared for anything.