A popular logistics magazine issues a message to the transportation supply chain recently: Make your policies more trucker friendly.
In a recent editorial, Inbound Logistics magazine explained how demographic trends are constraining capacity in the trucking industry as the driver pool ages and most young people choose other careers:
“And why would anyone with options choose driving? Truck drivers are generally treated poorly and paid poorly. If that’s not enough, the roads are crowded; many are in very rough shape, while others are endlessly under construction. After that, you have governments that pad their budgets by issuing as many tickets to carriers as they can,” the article states.
In response the publication issues some tips for the logistics sector:
Partner with your existing carriers: If a carrier does a good job, find out what else he does that you need. Build a relationship; ask your new carriers what lanes they need help with. Build an electronic profile so you can help them when your business matches their needs. Keep asking your regular carriers too. Things change. If you are helping a carrier by getting them loads out of a tough area, they are much more likely to want to help you with other less than perfect freight.
Use technology: You can make it a lot easier for your carriers to know about your company and the freight you have that is available. Use targeted email load offers, broad-based email blasts. Draw carriers to your web site with contests or prizes.
Respect the carrier’s time: To a carrier, Time is money. Every minute a driver is delayed, it’s a mile of revenue that wasn’t earned. Make it your #1 priority to get their trucks moving.
Faster payment: Everyone likes to be paid fast. The faster the better. Many companies charge for quick-pay. If you want to stand out from the crowd, offer faster terms at no discount.
Pay more: Carriers want what you would want: Higher pay.
OTA agrees with many of the above points and adds a few more. See below.
To read the full Inbound Logistics article, click here.
