Shipper Rates In A Tight Transportation Market
Greenway Transportation Services, Inc. has been handling truck load freight in a 3rd party position for since 1982. We have been in business long enough to see trailer lengths go from 42 ½’ to 45′ to 48′ to the now 53′ industry standard length. We have seen improvements in the safety of both trucks and trailers. Automatic transmissions, microwave ovens, refrigerators, TVs that are common in tractors now were not even a consideration years ago. All these amenities are to make the driver’s job easier. We have also seen more industry regulation changes in the last six years than all the previous years Greenway has been in business.
Shipping Industry Problems
The transportation leg of supply chain management is under extreme stress at this point. It does not seem to be a regional issue or be mode specific.
- We are seeing availability issues in Refrigerated, Frozen, Dry Van, Intermodal, FTL and LTL.
- These issues have been elevated by Electronic Logs (ELDs), Hours of Service (HOS), Food Modernization Safety Act issues (FSMA) and an extreme lack of drivers for Class 8 trucks nationwide.
- The driver shortage in the United States is approximately 50,000 drivers. When you add the age demographics of the existing drivers of Class 8 equipment in their 50s and 60s there will be a driver shortage of over 170,000 drivers in less than ten years. Due to these issues during the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2017, we saw an extreme shortage of available equipment nationwide.
Advantages of the Life Cycle/Cradle-To-Grave Business Model
From the start of our business in 1982, Greenway Transportation Services, Inc. has used the Life Cycle/Cradle-To-Grave business model. We have found that this business model works well for us and differentiates us from a lot of our competition.
Our Process
A single Greenway employee is responsible for the movement of our shipper’s freight, from the arrangement of transportation to the delivery at the consignee. The shipper has one point of contact at Greenway for all load aspects within their supply chain. This eliminates issues of who is responsible for the customer’s needs. The Greenway employee who handles your account is responsible for meeting your needs. The Greenway employee is responsible for supplying the shipper with the proper piece of equipment to transport your freight and have a professional driver. It also allows our customers to have 24/7 contact in case of an emergency.
We know this business model works, as we have many shippers that have been with us for decades who have stated that they appreciate the personalized service they receive from us.
Why it Works
- The Life Cycle/Cradle-To-Grave business model lessens waste of time and cost on a per load basis. Greenway Transportation Services, Inc. becomes an extension of your Traffic/Logistics department.
- Personal relationships are improved and expectations by the shipper are increased.
- Definitions of the shipper’s requirements are honed and improved.
- The single point of contact ensures service excellence through interaction and consistent response.
Get a Quote
Ready to experience the benefits of working with Greenway Transportation? Request a quote today and discover how our customized 3PL solutions can optimize your shipping operations.