This year has been all about adjustments and change. As we transition from summer into fall/winter, consumer spending is rebounding and volumes generally are up. At the same time, transportation capacity has fallen to record new lows. With all of these factors in play, our September 2020 blogs are focused on the big picture and how adjusting your strategy can help you grow your business, even when the future seems unpredictable. In our September blogs, you’ll learn how to prepare for what’s slated to be an eventful peak shipping season and what the future of trucking might look like. You’ll also gain insight on the power of digitization, get tips on how to start a freight brokerage from scratch and learn why load boards are often a losing proposition for you and carriers — and lots more!
Are You Ready for Peak Shipping Season?
Truck capacity is tighter than it’s been in quite some time as we head into this year’s holiday season. Experts are predicting that capacity will tighten even further in the next one to two months. In this blog, we provide tips on how to use technology to your advantage in what is expected to be an intense and dynamic peak shipping season.
How Trucking Is Evolving
Two major factors that are reshaping the trucking industry are a greater focus on operational efficiency and broader use of technology in everyday operations. In this blog, we consider how real-time digital visibility, digital freight matching and a more tech-savvy trucker are driving this evolution — and what it means for the future of logistics and freight brokerage.
When Capacity Tightens, Use Technology To Build a Loyal Carrier Network
In a recent webinar with Trucker Tools and FreightWaves, Kingsgate Logistics’ Tom Curee discussed how the 3PL is using Trucker Tools’ driver app technology to keep its carriers engaged. Curee says truckers are looking for true partnerships and that using carrier-centric tech can go a long way in creating partnerships with key carriers — and help you stay the course and even grow your shipper base when capacity is tight.
Trucker Tools: Providing the Visibility Consistency and Compliance Your Shippers Require
It’s no secret that shippers want and often require real-time visibility of their freight. Some shippers are using specific visibility consistency and compliance metrics to identify their ideal broker and logistics partners and to measure their performances. This blog is a must-read if you need help understanding and meeting your shippers’ stringent freight visibility requirements.
Why Should I Use Trucker Tools Book It Now®?
Trucker Tools’ Book It Now® is a revolutionary load booking automation tool that simplifies how you finalize load bookings with carriers. With Book It Now®, specific carriers can book your open loads using Trucker Tools’ free driver app. When a trucker books one of your loads with Book It Now®, the load is automatically booked in your TMS thanks to an integration between your TMS and Trucker Tools’ driver app.
How COVID-19 Has Changed How Brokers Do Business
Experts agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has permanently altered the transportation landscape. For brokers and 3PLs like you, the pandemic has accelerated the need for and importance of using technology in your operations. Find out why using technology to automate and digitize your brokerage operations is the key to withstanding current and future market disruptions.
Who Has the Best Digital Load Matching Tool?
Digital load matching uses API and machine learning technology to pair your uncovered loads with available trucks from your network of preferred carriers. The result? Less time and resources spend on covering a load, which is always good news. Learn why digital load matching outperforms manual methods for finding (and securing) truck capacity, such as load boards.
Five Tips on How To Start a Freight Brokerage
Trucker Tools recently had the good fortune to speak with Michael Clements, Jr., the president of asset-light freight brokerage PDQ America and co-host of the podcast Trucking for Millennials. In our conversation with Michael, he offered five tips on how to start and build a successful freight brokerage business, which we share with you in this blog.
I Need a Load Board — Which One Should I Use?
Instead of asking yourself which load board to use, a better question would be, “Is there a better way to find capacity?” Load boards are problematic for brokers and carriers alike because they aren’t built on a real-time technology. Using real-time tech like Trucker Tools’ digital freight matching and Book It Now® helps reduce your cost per load and provides a better experience for carriers.
Integration Partner Highlight: Port TMS
Designed by veterans of the transportation industry, Port TMS is an affordable transportation management system that you can use to manage documents, accounting, reporting, onboarding, loads and other operations-related tasks with a single interface. The Port TMS-Trucker Tools integration lets you view Trucker Tools’ real-time visibility info and digital freight matching data in Port TMS.
The Value of Book It Now®
Book It Now® is a transformative technology because it can reduce the variable cost of covering a load to near zero. Book It Now® achieves this by greatly reducing the time and resources you devote to covering loads. When one of your carriers books your load with Book It Now®, the load is automatically booked in your TMS — no follow up emails or phone calls are needed.
How To Automate Your Brokerage Operations with Trucker Tools, AscendTMS’ AWE
Take your company’s operational efficiency to new heights with AscendTMS’ new automated workflow engine and Trucker Tools’ digital solutions. When integrated with Trucker Tools, AscendTMS and its AWE help you reduce the manual tasks associated with load tracking, load booking and finding capacity, while reducing human error.
For even more tips, announcements and updates, read Trucker Tools’ August 2020 Monthly Link Roundup.
Schedule a free demo of Trucker Tools’ digital freight matching and real-time visibility platforms.
