The Department of Transportation's Office of the Inspector General is on a fact-finding mission to determine the effect of detention on driver hours of service. The purpose of the investigation is to measure detention times during loading/unloading and to quantify the impact of these delays on our economy. 

Amazon has forever changed the way we purchase consumer goods. Amazon launched Prime Now, its super-fast local delivery service, via its mobile app nearly a year and a half ago, and now the company is bringing the service to the web. Amazon's PrimeNow.com is the new website that lets customers place orders to be delivered within one to two hours, expanding the service beyond the mobile app for the first time. The scars from Amazon's retail onslaught are evident in mostly all brick and mortar retailers. The convenience and now speed seem to be a more attractive option than a visit to the mall. Macy's, Sears and Nordstrom reported dismal earnings, and retail share prices have plunged.

In a comprehensive presentation at the recent NASSTRAC (National Shippers Strategic Transportation Council) Shippers Conference and Transportation Expo in Orlando, Fla., Bob Costello, chief economist at the American Trucking Associations, provided an outlook specifically focused on the freight industry.

Workplace safety and confidentiality are increasingly paramount concerns in today's workplace. In response, we've gone from picture ID cards to magnetic lock card access systems to retinal scanners and now...human implanted RFID sensors. Where do we draw the line between security and personal privacy? It seems to be moving more to the right with every new application. The idea of implanted RFID chips is the first application to invade one’s personal skin. Arguments can be made on both sides of the issue. After researching the topic, I have come to the conclusion that the nature of this application does not increase security enough to justify the excessively invasive application. Let's dive into the facts and you can arrive at your own conclusions. 

The commercial freight transportation industry faces regulatory trends that have the potential to worsen the capacity crisis, increase transportation rates and harm carrier productivity at a time when carriers are operating at tight margins.  

A TMS System is Crucial 

In today's information based logistics environment, a Transportation Management System (TMS) is essential. A TMS can be used for more than just booking loads; it provides historical and real-time data for visibility into the supply chain, which is necessary before any profitable changes can be made. It is impossible to effectively manage inbound and outbound shipments if data is decentralized and fragmented. Information on several different computers must be co hosted in one system to have any real interpretive value.

The Panama Canal Authority announced its new locks are going to be opened in June 2016, nearly 2 years beyond the original target date. The massive, multibillion-dollar project had originally been scheduled to end in October 2014 but has been successively pushed back. It has suffered construction and labor problems, legal issues and the discovery of fissures in one of the widened locks.

In the ultra-competitive retail world, Target is looking to supplier costs to improve supply chain efficiencies similar to the demands Wal-Mart placed on suppliers last year. According to several sources, Target plans to reduce windows for deliveries to its warehouses, increase penalties for late deliveries, and potentially institute penalties of up to $10,000 for inaccuracies in product information.

On-demand delivery continues to set the standard expectations of today's consumer. To meet the demand startup, Dispatch has designed and is manufacturing motorized autonomous delivery vehicles for use on sidewalks and pedestrian spaces. Dispatch co-founder Uriah Baalke has said, “Our goal is to fulfill the demand for low cost local delivery and build a system that can scale and that can operate in all locales efficiently.”

If you’ve never used a third-party logistics provider (more commonly referred to as a 3PL), they help companies realize various benefits by managing logistics and supply chain management functions. Here are the top four strategic advantages of utilizing a 3PL: