Land-Link Traffic Systems was established in 1979 as an international shipping organization with the goal of providing collaborative logistics and transportation services. Of course, that’s only what we have to offer on paper. In reality, our team is devoted to providing the highest-quality relationship-driven logistics services to each and every client. That’s why one of our very first clients is still doing business with us today, more than three decades later! 

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union and port operators along the U.S. West Coast have finally reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract following months of talks. Since the June 30, 2014 expiration of the labor contract between the ILWU and the Pacific Maritime Association contentious talks have been ongoing.  International Longshore and Warehouse Union reached a deal Friday on a five-year contract, ending nine months of talks. It will take six to eight weeks to relieve cargo congestion at ports from San Diego to Bellingham, Washington, where productivity has been reduced by as much as half since November.  U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez arrived in San Francisco last week to take part in talks and pushed for a resolution on the last significant roadblock, which was the union’s demand to be able to unilaterally fire arbitrators who hear workplace grievances. 

The first vehicles with some level of self-driving capability are expected to come to market by 2020, with sales volumes for autonomous vehicles likely becoming significant by 2025, according to a new report from Navigant Research of Boulder, CO.

The North American Transportation Industry is tremendously dependent upon labor unions. From the airline industry, railroad, trucking, parcel, and ocean transportation we rely on organized labor to make everything move. Labor pains in any one segment can have a rippling effect on the entire transportation infrastructure.

In times of tight equipment availability taking steps to accommodate a carrier can go a long way in ensuring timely and consistent pick ups and deliveries. The most obvious and perhaps simplest to initiate is getting the driver in and out of your facility as quickly as possible.

Driver shortage remains a significant problem in the trucking industry. Carriers have committed a significant amount of attention of late in increasing driver pay packages and recruiting efforts, especially on the truckload side. Sign on bonuses from thousands of dollars to Caribbean vacations are common. This summer, many well-known carriers, including Swift Transportation, Con-way Truckload and US Xpress made what amounts to a full-on press regarding increasing driver wages in an effort to secure more capacity and keep their wheels moving, as well as to prevent driver turnover at a time when it is becoming more difficult to recruit and retain drivers. These tactics will mostly help recycle existing drivers among carriers. 

PierPass Inc. Thursday launched the Free-Flow Program, testing a new cargo handling process expected to significantly reduce the time it takes participating commercial trucks to pick up containers at marine terminals. Today’s random-access process, where any truck can show up at any time to pick up any container, hasn’t changed since containerization began in the early 1960’s. 

HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. The HACCP system can be used at all stages of a food chain, from food production and preparation processes including packaging, distribution, etc. 

The ninth circuit appeals court judge in Oakland CA has ruled some 2300 Fed Ex Ground workers from 2000 to 2007 were "mis-classified" as contractors according to California law. The laws determining the distinction between employee and contractor are based largely on the degree to which the employer has control over the circumstances under which the contactor achieves the duties for which he or she was hired to perform. Employees are required to work specific hours, dress and conduct themselves according to company policy, etc in the completion of their assigned responsibilities. 

Vast Network of Resources

3PLs have a vast network of resources available that allow each step in the supply chain to be executed in the most efficient, cost effective way. They can leverage relationships and a wealth of industry experience, which results in lower overhead and the fastest possible service.