ditat

Keep the ‘do more with less’ mindset during a tough economic freight cycle

The freight market is inching toward recovery, and although everyone has a different prediction of when the turnaround will be felt, the industry’s boom-and-bust cycles indicate that recovery is inevitable.

In recent years, the trucking industry has embraced TMS technology due to its ability to provide complete visibility into operations through powerful data insights and streamline processes. This has enabled companies to operate with leaner staff by maximizing outcomes and minimizing effort,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news-keep-the-do-more-with-less-mindset-during-a-tough-economic-freight-cycle

Integration allows Ditat TMS carriers to more easily find loads

With competition among motor carriers steep as ever, gaining the attention of shippers and winning loads requires diversification. Carriers are leveraging all options available to them, capitalizing on both their annual contracts and the spot market to keep their trucks full and moving.

While the capacity surplus seems to show signs of easing, the need to outpace the competition and win loads in their desired lanes will remain a top priority even as the market shifts.

For shippers, predicting...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/integration-allows-ditat-tms-carriers-to-more-easily-find-loads

TMS to release new user interface with improved mobile functionality

The way that people work has changed dramatically in the last two decades, but most noticeably over the last few years with the rise of remote work.

According to a Pew Research Center survey from February, of those who can work remotely, roughly 35% work remotely all of the time and 41% work a hybrid schedule.

The trucking industry is not immune to this trend, with positions like dispatchers, fleet managers, safety personnel, administrative staff, as well as freight brokers, being able to conduct...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/tms-to-release-new-user-interface-with-improved-mobile-functionality

Never miss out on detention time reimbursement again

In the trucking industry, one of the most valuable resources is time.

There is a reason for the saying, “If the wheels ain’t turning, you ain’t earning.” Because of the steep operating costs for a single semi-truck, lost hours of productivity greatly impact margins over time.

One way that time is often utilized inefficiently, which is out of the control of a driver or carrier, is long detention times — or when trucks are waiting to be loaded or unloaded at shipping and delivery sites.

According to...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/never-miss-out-on-detention-time-reimbursement-again

How instant, personalized data visibility changed the game for Silver Trucking

Running a business of any kind without data is unwise, and nearly impossible, to do well.

In an industry as volatile as truck transportation, where fuel costs can fluctuate by the hour, spot rates can rise or fall each day and high-dollar lanes can change on a weekly basis, up-to-date key performance indicators (KPIs) are essential for leaders to make decisions that help them capitalize on market opportunities and keep business profitable.

The categories in which companies require data about are...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-instant-personalized-data-visibility-changed-the-game-for-silver-trucking

Current market a hindrance for carriers and brokers alike

To say the least, the last few years for the transportation industry have been turbulent.

Motor carriers enjoyed elevated demand from mid-2020 through spring ’22, an environment that provided plenty of freight for them to move and stronger rates as consumers spent their stimulus dollars.

But a drop-off in demand came on quite suddenly during the second half of last year. As a result, rates dropped and tender volume rejections sank to near 2019 “bloodbath” lows, where they continue to hover, as...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/current-market-a-hindrance-for-carriers-and-brokers-alike

What can a bird’s-eye view do for load planning and recruiting?

Most people are aware that truck drivers are an essential piece of the supply chain, carrying everything from essential supplies headed to store shelves to the latest online purchases that end up on customers’ doorsteps. But not many people dwell on what takes place behind the scenes to make this efficient system possible.

Everybody in the transportation industry can tell you that there is another journey that takes place before drivers deliver their loads. Without it, the trucking industry...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/what-can-a-birds-eye-view-do-for-load-planning-and-recruiting

Amid rise in fuel theft, two companies collaborate to safeguard fleets

Imagine one day, while you are checking a driver’s fuel card statements from the previous month, you notice some suspicious transactions. Someone made purchases in Texas, but you know your driver — who is the only other person besides you with authorized card access — was in Missouri that day.

Somehow, an unknown person got ahold of one of your fuel cards and the personal identification number (PIN) attached to it. The fraudster’s spending spree has racked up thousands of dollars and left you to...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/amid-rise-in-fuel-theft-two-companies-collaborate-to-safeguard-fleets

EDI still proves to be powerful solution for carrier-shipper connections

If you don’t know what electronic data interchange (EDI) is, it’s likely you’ve at least heard it mentioned by one of your supply chain partners at some point.

EDI has been the front-running choice for internal information sharing between shippers and carriers for decades. It allows two companies to efficiently transmit data electronically between internal systems, removing the need for data entry or phone calls that would have previously been required. EDI is how a carrier, for instance, can...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/edi-still-proves-to-be-powerful-solution-for-carrier-shipper-connections

How automating check calls gave Eldon Frieghways’ dispatchers’ time back

Trucking has long been an accessible industry, but this is a mixed blessing. 

While a lower barrier to entry allows more people to have a shot at success, it also means companies must go above and beyond to gain and keep customers. The more trucks and drivers a company adds, the higher customer standards become.

Earning customer approval isn’t just accomplished with on-time delivery, however. Communication and the ability to problem solve are the bedrock of carrier-customer trust.

“Customer...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-automating-check-calls-gave-eldon-frieghways-dispatchers-time-back

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