Tackling the Trucking Pain Point

Posted on June 14, 2018

Trucking moves about 70 percent of freight in the United States. The boom in e-commerce transactions has increased volume, which requires speed and accuracy in freight shipping. However, according to a C3 Solutions white paper, Leveling Up: Navigating the New Trucking Landscape, the trucking market has been at 100 percent capacity since 2004, resulting in driver shortages and rejected orders. Additionally, new regulations that address driver and food safety have further constrained delivery times. The report encourages trucking companies to seek solutions by diversifying their workforce (the industry is 94 percent male), and advises shippers to reduce driver time spent at drop-off facilities, use technology for better scheduling, and maintain good relationships with carriers. The researchers state autonomous or semi-autonomous trucks will help alleviate shortages, but implementation is still years away. The report concludes: “While the capacity crisis may be unprecedented, there are many operational improvements you can make to ease the pain it is causing your business. Making changes to adapt to the new [trucking] landscape should not be seen as an 'if', but rather a 'when'."

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