by logisticsplus | Feb 25, 2020 | News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Logistics Plus Recognizes 2019 LTL Carriers of the Year
Estes Express, FedEx Freight, Ward Transport & Logistics, and Dayton Freight all receive honors.
ERIE, PA (February 25, 2020) – Logistics Plus Inc., a leading worldwide provider of transportation, logistics and supply chain solutions, recently recognized four of its less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier-partners for superior performance in 2019. The annual awards were presented to the following carriers in each of two categories:
- Estes Express and FedEx Freight were named the National LTL Carriers of the Year. It is the second consecutive year Estes has earned the honor, and the second in the past four years for FedEx Freight.
- Ward Transport & Logistics and Dayton Freight were named Regional LTL Carriers of the Year. It is second time in the past three years that Ward has earned the honors, and the fourth consecutive year for Dayton Freight.
Logistics Plus manages hundreds of thousand LTL shipments annually as a top North American freight brokerage firm that delivers LTL services through its proprietary eShipPlus™ transportation management system (TMS) – an online platform made available to all of its LTL customers and select freight agents. In additional to standard LTL services, Logistics Plus offers shippers additional truckload, expedited, international, claims management, freight audit & payment, and business intelligence solutions.
The Logistics Plus annual LTL carrier awards are based on an assessment of the following performance criteria:
- Share of Business and Growth
- Service Performance
- Price Competitiveness
- Billing Accuracy
- Customer Service
- Account Representation
“2019 was another record year for Logistics Plus, including our LTL business segment,” said Scott Frederick, vice president of marketing and LTL carrier relations for Logistics Plus. “All of the logistics specialists within our North American Division are very grateful for the ongoing support we receive from of all our carrier-partners. However, Estes, FedEx, Ward, and Dayton all stood out last year by providing exemplary performance in all aspects of our partnership.”
About Logistics Plus Inc.
Logistics Plus Inc. provides freight transportation, warehousing, fulfillment, global logistics, business intelligence technology, and supply chain management solutions through a worldwide network of talented and caring professionals. The company was founded over 23 years ago in Erie, PA by local entrepreneur, Jim Berlin. Today, Logistics Plus is a highly-regarded fast-growing and award-winning transportation and logistics company. With a strong passion for excellence, its 450 global employees put the “plus” in logistics by doing the big things properly, and the countless little things, that together ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.
The Logistics Plus® network includes offices located in Erie, PA; Akron, OH; Baltimore, MD; Birmingham, AL; Buffalo, NY; Charleston, SC; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Dallas, TX; Des Moines, IA; Detroit, MI; Fort Worth, TX; Haslet TX; Houston, TX; Laredo, TX; Lexington, NC; Los Angeles, CA; Melbourne, FL; Nashville, TN; New York, NY; Olean, NY; Ontario, CA; San Bernardino, CA; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Tampa Bay, FL; Australia; Bahrain; Belgium; Canada; China; Colombia; Czech Republic; Egypt; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Libya; Mexico; Netherlands; Poland; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; Taiwan; Turkey; UAE; Ukraine; Uganda; and United Kingdom; with additional agents around the world. For more information, visit www.logisticsplus.com or follow @LogisticsPlus on Twitter.
Media Contact:
Scott G. Frederick
Vice President, Marketing
Logistics Plus Inc.
(814) 240-6881
scott.frederick@logisticsplus.com
Click the image below to download the Logistics Plus logo:
by logisticsplus | Feb 24, 2020 | News
Since inception, the Logistics Plus Dubai (LP Dubai) team has embraced turnkey, innovative technology solutions to ensure efficiency and effective management within the organization. Recently, the LP Dubai team hosted Criterion Technology to introduce and familiarize themselves with the latest innovative software developments and products in the industry. The ultimate goal for LP Dubai was to find a software that will help them achieve all of their business goals.
Criterion Technology introduced LP Dubai to their Zoho One software; a product created by the globally renowned brand Zoho. The software can connect and reconcile bank accounts in minutes to enable account holders to stay on top of their account activities. The Criterion team conducted a three hour live demonstration of the software that highlighted the groundbreaking achievements and capabilities of the Zoho One software. The Zoho CRM and Zoho Project platforms were also focal points of the live demonstration.
According to the Criterion Technology team, one of the best features of the innovative web-based office suite is the Integrated Operations function. “Zoho One software brings ease and speed to Zoho account holders. Zoho accounts, which are already integrated with multiple banks in the UAE, can connect and reconcile bank accounts in minutes,” a member of the Criterion Technology team noted.
Criterion Technology provided the LP Dubai staff with temporary user access for the trial session to allow Logistics Plus a hands-on experience with the software. The experience proved to be valuable and the LP Dubai team looks forward to using the Zoho Projects platform in the near future.
by logisticsplus | Feb 19, 2020 | News
In order to effectively manage your freight spend, it’s important to understand the different pricing options you have when negotiating freight rates. Both contract rates and spot rates offer a different value proposition, and one is not always better than the other. The only way to gain full control over your freight spend lies in finding the perfect balance between the two and knowing when to utilize them. Here are some benefits and shortfalls for both freight pricing options.
Contract Rates
A contract rate is the rate a motor carrier, freight broker or logistics provider agrees to use when moving a shipper’s freight in a set lane over a specific period of time. Contract rates have a fixed term, typically one year, and they offer the security of both price and capacity. While many shippers use contract rates, they can be a gamble depending on how the market shifts. Carriers get stuck with cheap loads when the market is high but they can profit big when the market is down.
Spot Rates
A spot rate is the price a freight service provider offers a shipper at any given time to move their shipment from Point A to Point B. Spot rates are based on market conditions at the time you are quoted for an immediate settlement of a service (in this case shipping). Since spot rates follow the fundamental concept of supply and demand, an increase in capacity will lower prices, while a decrease in capacity will raise prices. Like contract rates, exclusively using spot rates is a gamble depending on the market conditions at the time of your shipment.
Finding The Perfect Balance
Being able to assess freight pricing by reviewing the current market and setting expectations for the coming days or weeks is hard to do. The best way shippers can find a balance between contract rates and spot rates is to keep tabs on the current market rates while taking advantage of existing contracts when appropriate. Typically, contract freight rates are the preferred method of pricing for higher volume shippers because it locks in a price and sets expectations for a high level of service.
In order to effectively manage your freight spend, it’s important to find the perfect balance between contract rates and spot rates. If you’re still confused about what pricing option works best for you, contact us today for a free freight analysis.
by logisticsplus | Feb 17, 2020 | News
Gretchen Blough, Licensed Customs Broker and Brokerage Manager for Logistics Plus, was featured in the January 2020 Special Edition of Inbound Logistics Magazine. The article, titled Small Ports Big Benefits, was written by Sandra Beckwith and provides the benefits of utilizing smaller, lesser-known ports for shipping. Interview comments from Gretchen are included in the 4th benefit section of the article (page 192-196), which discusses moving freight through customs quickly.
Read the entire magazine here: inboundlogistics.com/digital/issues/Digital_January2020.pdf
Read the article featuring Gretchen by clicking the image shown here.
by logisticsplus | Feb 13, 2020 | News
Coronavirus Service Alert
The coronavirus outbreak in China has been causing a ripple effect across global supply chains over the past several weeks. As a global logistics provider, Logistics Plus is uniquely positioned to have our hand on the pulse of this situation. Below are several key status updates and insights as of February 17th, 2020.
On February 10th, most of China resumed work. In Shanghai, millions of people returned to work, but most are still working from home. Those who go outside are obligated to wear medical masks and protective gear. Places where people gather such as factories and public parks are closed or have limited operations until February 20th. Major highways in the highly infected cities are also shut down.
The government has blocked cities which are more seriously affected by the virus like in Wenzhou and Hubei Province to avoid further infection. No one can go back to work in these cities until further notice is given from the government.
Air Freight Updates:
- American Airlines – Suspended flights until late April
- Austrian Airlines – Suspended flights until the end of February
- Delta Airlines – Suspended flights until late April
- Qatar Airways – Suspended flights until further notice
- United Airlines – Suspended flights until late April
- Virgin Atlantic – Suspended flights until late March
- Many more
Ocean Freight Updates:
- Most carriers are not returning to work until February 17th. Major challenges include the introduction of blank sailings, port omissions and potential capacity reductions by carriers due to factory closures and low demand.
- All major seaports however remain open and operational. Warehouses across China have opened, but most with limited staffing.
- Drayage has resumed on a very limited basis and predominantly only in the major cities. Most require advanced bookings and have reported extended transit times due to driver shortages.
- Drayage costs have been impacted the most because of the virus, as ports are congested, and capacity is tight.
Trucking Updates:
- Inter-city and inter-Province trucking services remain at a standstill.
- Many drivers haven’t been able to return to their place of work, due to travel restrictions.
- Many drivers can’t leave their living quarters to go to work, due to movement restrictions.
- Various cities have introduced lock-down procedures to restrict movement of non-local citizens, especially in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Therefore, drivers aren’t accepting shipments to or from those places, as there are quarantine risks for them.
- The overall shortage of drivers remains a challenge.
Rail Updates:
- The China – Russia border remains open as the Ministry of Transportation in Russia explained that the Decree from the Russian Government does not apply for cargo trains.
- There is currently no impact on rail freight crossing borders to and from China for the time being.
If you are shipping to, from, or within the impacted areas, delays are expected. If you have any questions, or need help making specific shipping arrangements, please contact your designated Logistics Plus representative. If you don’t know who that is, you can contact us online at www.logisticsplus.com/contact-us or by calling 1.866.564.7587.
Yuriy Ostapyak
Director of Global Operations
yuriy.ostapyak@logisticsplus.com
