Emerge

Blurred lines: Carrier expansion creates challenges, opportunities for shippers

Once upon a time, carriers could be easily categorized by length of haul or by amount of freight moved in the trailers. Now, however, it is impossible to neatly place companies into these broad groups. Carriers no longer limit themselves to regional or long haul, full truckload or less-than-truckload.

Mergers, acquisitions and the desire to diversify their businesses now present a carrier landscape in which a company that was once primarily a truckload carrier is now a broker, a marketplace, a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/blurred-lines-carrier-expansion-creates-challenges-opportunities-for-shippers

Shipper technology offers serious benefits for carriers

Technology has completely reshaped the logistics industry in the years since the ELD mandate took effect. Companies across the space that have embraced modern solutions have quickly become more efficient, profitable and flexible. For many carriers, however, the rapid adoption of technology has sparked skepticism and reticence. 

“Historically, the adoption of new technology by shippers created new or additional costs for carriers to become compliant,” Emerge SVP of Product Kyle Jepson said. “For...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/shipper-technology-offers-serious-benefits-for-carriers

Understanding your network with the right tools helps shippers navigate unknown

A white truck and trailer on a highway

The domestic transportation market continues to show signs of leveling.

Rates have fallen steadily over the past several months and tender rejections are down nationwide. These shifts are sparking optimism for many shippers as they begin to build out annual transportation budgets.

With peak holiday season around the corner and the threat of a freight recession looming, however, it may be wise for shippers to approach the changing market with caution. Companies can take proactive measures —...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/understanding-your-network-with-the-right-tools-helps-shippers-navigate-unknown

Carriers should focus on acquiring, honoring contracts ahead of potential recession

A white truck and trailer on a highway

A freight recession is on everyone’s mind as capacity continues to loosen and spot rates remain on long steady decline for months.. As rates begin to approach pre-pandemic levels, some carriers are shifting their focus toward protecting their bottom lines. 

The logistics industry is collaborative by nature and leaning into that fact is one of the most effective ways carriers can ward against turmoil during market shifts. 

“The most important thing for carriers to focus on, regardless of how the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/carriers-should-focus-on-acquiring-honoring-contracts-ahead-of-potential-recession

How small, midsize carriers can protect their businesses as market shifts

Rear of trucks on highway

Capacity is loosening and spot rates have dropped steadily over the past few months, shifting the pricing power from carriers to shippers. This shift comes after two years of constricted capacity and soaring volumes that allowed carriers to benefit from sky-high spot rates.

A slight decrease in consumer demand has played a role in this market turn, but last year’s contract rate increases also have fueled it. FreightWaves research analyst Michael Rudolph recently explored how rising contract...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-small-mid-size-carriers-can-protect-their-businesses-as-market-shifts

Reinvigorated Emerge’s goal: Help carriers from ‘pricing themselves out of business’

Scottsdale, Arizona-based Emerge celebrated the opening of its Atlanta office this week while commemorating five years in business and looking ahead with a clear focus on providing shippers and carriers a modernized procurement process.

Emerge plans to leverage the Atlanta office to expand its customer base along Freight Alley, a market that holds about 17% of national outbound freight volume and employs over 12% of the national truck driving population.

Related: Freight Alley: a region where...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/reinvigorated-emerges-goal-help-carriers-from-pricing-themselves-out-of-business

API integrations offer pathway to compete in connected market

A truck rolls down the highway.

The logistics industry is in the midst of a widespread technological revolution. Spurred by the 2018 ELD mandate, the logistics software space has exploded over the past few years. Thousands of new solutions have hit the market, including dozens of new load boards, forecasting services and tracking applications.

At the same time, the coronavirus pandemic sent the market into a tailspin, causing seriously strained capacity and historic rate hikes. As a result, these new-to-the-scene technologies...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/api-integrations-offer-pathway-to-compete-in-connected-market

New RFP landscape: Building strong contracts in 2022

A truck rolls down the highway.

Shippers have long relied on Excel spreadsheets and emails to handle their freight procurement processes. When pandemic-fueled headwinds pushed historic amounts of freight into the spot market, however, many shippers found themselves running an unmanageable amount of seasonal bids to compensate for annual contract failures. 

From there, the traditional Excel spreadsheet and email system started to fall apart. 

“If you have 20 or 30 carriers, you don’t really need a robust system to run bids. You...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/new-rfp-landscape-building-strong-contracts-in-2022

Shorter RFPs gain ground as market softens

A white semi-truck is traveling down a road with a blue sky in the background.

After years of soaring rates and strained capacity, shippers have been buoyed by a softening market over the past few months. As capacity loosens up and spot rates fall, shippers and carriers alike are taking a look at their contracts. While carriers are hoping to lock in new annual rates before they dip even lower, shippers may be interested in evaluating shorter-term options that allow them to take advantage of future market shifts. 

“For the first time in more than 3 years, the market is more...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/shorter-rfps-gain-ground-as-market-softens

Summer holiday surge provides perfect use case for shorter RFPs

Every year around this time, shippers start seeing increased demand for all the quintessential summer fun foods as folks stock up on hot dogs, chips and beer for their July 4 barbecues. This year, American consumers are expected to spend $7.7 billion – a number that has climbed over $1 billion since 2019 – on food items leading up to the holiday, according to the National Retail Federation. 

This year’s holiday spending estimate shakes out to roughly $84 per person across the country, and this...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/summer-holiday-surge-provides-perfect-use-case-for-shorter-rfps

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