Freight Transportation – the Road Ahead in 2024
The year 2023 was a challenging one for those involved in the freight transportation industry. Here are some of the major forces…
Transportation Executives Must Now Consider Geopolitics in Their Planning Efforts
For many years, Transportation executives have had to consider a range of variables in crafting their supply chain strategies. These variables have…
It’s Freight Bid Season Again
Shippers across North America are in the process of conducting their annual or mini freight bid exercises. What is in store for…
Are We Coming to the End of this Freight Recession?
These are crazy times. Wildfires in Canada produced dark skies over eastern Canada and the northeastern United States and some of the…
Will We Escape a Recession in 2023?
Friday’s surprising U.S. January jobs number raised multiple questions about the status of the American and Canadian economies and the prospects for…
Are We Headed for a “Pasta Bowl Recession” in 2023?
As 2022 comes to a close, there is much concern that world economies may experience a recession in 2023. There are…
Freight Rates, Inflation, and the Economy
The White House and the media are touting the tentative agreement reached last night between the major U.S. rails and their unions…
Sales Tips – P + T + W +S = Sales Success
In my last blog post, I highlighted the need for a compelling value proposition as a starting point in launching a company’s…
Sales Tips – Creating a Unique and Differentiated Value Proposition
I have had multiple sales careers during my many years in the business world. As a teenager, I sold men’s clothing for…
Some Reflections on Canada’s Trucker Protests
Canada has just gone through its own version of the insurrection that took place in Washington, DC. on January 6, 2021. Unlike…
The 2022 Puzzle – More Questions than Answers
As 2021 draws to a close, many pundits are providing their forecasts for 2022. As I reflect on the past two years,…
How to Protect Logistics and Transportation Organizations from Ransomware Attacks
Ransomware is a computer virus that takes over the target device, restricts the owner’s access, and demands the victim to pay a…
Shipper Strategies to Navigate through Q4
These are challenging times for shippers. Driver, labor and truck shortages, port congestion, escalating freight and fuel costs, coupled with the lingering…
Are “Dark Stores” the Future of Retailing?
The Covid-19 pandemic has expedited the growth of online shopping. After months of lockdown and quarantine measures, people have revised some of…
Uber Freight’s Purchase of Transplace Creates a Potentially Unique Logistics Operation
This has clearly been the year of the large M & A deal in the freight industry with TFII’s purchase of UPS’…
Why are Large LTL Trucking Companies such Attractive M & A Targets in 2021?
In the first seven months of this year, we have witnessed two of the largest acquisitions in the LTL trucking sector in…
More Leadership Lessons from the Habs Remarkable Trip to the Stanley Cup Finals
Two weeks ago I posted a blog (https://www.dantranscon.com/index.php/blog/entry/leadership-lessons-from-the-habs-amazing-victory-over-the-maple-leafs) on the Habs amazing come from behind victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Montreal…
Leadership Lessons from the Habs Amazing Victory over the Maple Leafs
I was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. From a very young age, I remember how hockey was such a big part…
What Covid-19 Has Taught Us About Our Political Leaders
I am a resident of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I live in a city and province where Covid-19 is just about out of…
What will be the Impact of the American Rescue Relief Bill on the Freight Industry?
Fifty-one days after taking office, President Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Relief Bill, one of the most important…
The First Big Transportation Deal of the Year: TFII’s purchase of UPS Freight
The new year has started with a bang with TFII's planned purchase of the LTL Freight division of UPS. TFII is a…
New Year / Same Challenge: Finding Truck Drivers
As we begin the new year, trucking companies throughout North America are facing the same challenge - - - finding qualified truck…
2020 – The Freight Transportation Year in Review – Part 2
Covid-19, and its effects on our personal and business lives, was clearly the major story of 2020. This topic was covered in…
2020 – The Freight Transportation Year in Review – Part 1
The Covid-19 pandemic, and the response of the Canadian and U.S. governments and citizens to the virus, is clearly the major story…
Shippers, will your Freight Bid Secure the Capacity you need to Move your Shipments?
Freight volumes are at record levels on many lanes this fall. Load rejections, freight embargoes and rate increases are now becoming the…
Mini Bids can be a Key Tool in Finding Capacity this Fall
Shippers throughout North America are trying to cope with the tight freight capacity that has been driven by Covid-19, truck and driver…
Shipper Strategies to Address a Tight Capacity Freight Market this Winter
Truck capacity remains tight during this peak season and this is expected to continue into 2021 as inventories are replenished. We are…
The Future of Transportation
A couple of weeks ago I received a copy of a fascinating new book entitled The Future of Buildings, Transportation and Power,…
Crafting a Pandemic Recovery Plan
There is considerable euphoria in the trucking industry these days. The July 2020 issue of Broughton Capital Truck Freight Barometers® is entitled…
Freightera, the Award-Winning Digital Freight Matching Leader, Introduces Value-Added Membership Plans for Shippers
On July 7, 2020, Freightera (https://www.freightera.com/), North America's rapidly growing online freight marketplace, announced the enhancement of its popular free platform…
Understanding the YRCW Bailout
On July 1, 2020 the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced that it was providing YRC Worldwide with a two-tranche loan that…
Economic Recovery and the Future of the Freight Transportation Industry – Part 2
In my previous blog (https://www.dantranscon.com/index.php/blog/entry/economic-recovery-and-the-future-of-the-freight-transportation-industry-part-1), I suggested that the economic recovery during the balance of this year will likely have a number…
Economic Recovery and the Future of the Freight Transportation Industry – Part 1
The recovery of the North American transportation industry is contingent upon the revival of the economies of the United States and Canada.…
CEOs Need to be Planning for the “Next Normal” and “New Normal”
The Covid-19 pandemic is much more than a major health crisis that has produced massive business closures and job losses. It represents…
As Some Businesses Return to Work, how will this Impact the Freight Transportation Industry?
As of May 2, 32 U.S. states and 5 Canadian provinces (https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/reopening-canada-provinces-ontario-quebec-saskatchewan-alberta) have announced plans to reopen businesses on a phased basis.…
We Need to Lead and Innovate our Way to a Business Recovery
As we watch the Covid-19 pandemic unfold, in real time, on our television and computer screens, we are observing major weaknesses in…
Covid-19 has Highlighted the Need to Improve the Online Shopping Experience
As seniors with underlying health issues, my wife and I have made the decision to commit to buying all groceries and supplies…
Leadership Lessons from the U.S. Response to Covid-19
These are amazing times, but this is not the first crisis that many of us have experienced. Having worked in the…
What can Companies Do to Prepare for the Coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, coronaviruses cause respiratory tract infections that are…
America’s Downward Spiral
Watching the Impeachment trial of President Donald J. Trump over the past two weeks has been a depressing experience. The trial essentially…
Shipper Strategies for 2020
In my previous blog (https://www.dantranscon.com/index.php/blog/entry/where-is-the-freight-transportation-industry-headed-in-2020), I outlined some of the forces shaping the freight transportation industry in 2020. This will likely be…
Where is the Freight Transportation Industry Headed in 2020?
2019 in Review After the hot freight market and record profits of 2018, many trucking companies added trucks and drivers to keep…
The Top Stories in Surface Transportation in 2019
Here is my annual recap of the major trends that shaped the Surface Transportation industry during the past year. 1. The Reboot…
Some Takeaways from the 2019 Surface Transportation Summit
The 2019 Surface Transportation Summit took place last week at the International Centre in Toronto. The event was co-hosted by Newcom Inc.…
What are Some Lessons that Shippers Can Learn from the Past Two Years?
From a Freight Transportation perspective, the past two years have been among the most tumultuous in decades. Throughout 2018, an economic surge,…
The 2019 Surface Transportation Summit will focus on the rapidly changing Canadian Freight Industry
The 2019 Surface Transportation Summit will take place at the International Centre in Toronto on October 16. Canada’s leading freight conference will…
Are we Heading into a Recession?
Whether you obtain your news from TV, newspapers or social media, it is hard to escape the drumbeat of downbeat updates…
Mid-Year Report on the Freight Transportation Industry
These are the major developments shaping the freight transportation industry in North America in the second half of 2019. 1. We…
Trust Issues
It is hard to believe that a decade has gone by since the Great Recession. Those of us in the freight transportation…
Freight Bids are Back in 2019
During the wild and woolly 2018, freight bid activity subsided as shippers searched for capacity wherever they could find it. As…
The Truckload Freight Industry in North America in 2019
There are approximately 540,000 truckload carriers registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in the United States. These range from…
Will Shippers and Carriers ever be able to Trust Each Other?
It is hard to believe that a decade has gone by since the Great Recession. Those of us in the Freight…
Engage your Business Partners in your Supply Chain Decisions
Carrier costing models have evolved over the past couple of decades. Freight rates are based on the complete set of transportation-related processes…
Are We Heading Into Another Freight Recession?
Global Economic Outlook Early this month, the International Monetary Fund downgraded its outlook for growth in the United States, Europe, Japan and…
The Impact of Ecommerce on the Trucking Industry
In February 2019, the American Trucking Research Institute completed an excellent study entitled, E-Commerce Impacts on the Trucking Industry. This blog contains…
The LTL Freight Industry in the United States and Canada in 2019
The following is my annual report on the state of the LTL Freight Industry in the United States and Canada. The Booming…
A Ckecklist for CEOs Seeking to Control Freight Costs in 2019
The financial impact of rapidly rising freight costs caught large numbers of CEOs and CFOs by surprise. Many companies were unprepared for…
How to Protect One of Your Most Important Assets
For the past twenty-five years, I have lived the life of a road warrior. I have traveled to all parts of North…
How to Retain Truck Drivers in 2019
Annual turnover of over the road truckload drivers is currently in the range of 95 percent. The cost of replacing a driver…
New Study Highlights Significant Impact of Recently Negotiated USMCA on the North American Automotive Industry
On January 10, 2019, LevaData, a supply chain AI company, released the results of its 2018 Automotive Survey based on responses from…
Freightera Has a Plan to Become the Amazon of the Freight Industry
- Starting with less than truckload (LTL) and rail freight, North America’s online freight marketplace is rapidly expanding its services and coverage …
Some Major Trends and Predictions for 2019
This has been a remarkable year in history and in the world of Freight Transportation. Here are some observations on the major…
Attention GM Workers: The Trucking Industry Needs You
On Monday, November 26, 2018, General Motors announced that it will be closing five plants in North America in 2019, four…
2018 – The Freight Transportation Year in Review
This has been a remarkable year for the Surface Freight Transportation industry in North America. Here are some of the top stories…
A Checklist for CEOs Seeking to Control Freight Costs in 2019
The subject of rising freight transportation costs has come up on the earnings calls and quarterly reports of almost every publicly traded…
The STS Focused on the Profound Changes Shaping the Canadian Transportation Industry in 2019
The Surface Transportation Summit celebrated its 10th anniversary at the International Centre on October 10. The event addressed the profound changes that…
Driver Compensation – The Devil is in the Details
Over the past few years, one of the defining challenges in the freight transportation industry has been a shortage of qualified drivers.…
Message to PM Trudeau and Minister Freeland: Don’t Let Canada be Bullied on NAFTA
These are distressing times for Canadians. Despite numerous meetings between the Canadian and U.S. (and Mexican) delegations over the past year, NAFTA…
The New Realities of Procuring Freight Transportation Services
Those of us who came into the freight transportation industry in the 80s and 90s remember when there were distinct sets of…
Time to Become a “Shipper of Choice”
For shippers that are experiencing shortages of trucking or rail equipment, there is a series of steps that need to be taken…
The 10th Anniversary Surface Transportation Summit Will Address many of the Key Issues Facing Professionals in this Industry
Ten years ago, my colleagues at Newcom Business Media and Dan Goodwill & Associates set out to create a high quality educational…
The Truckload Freight Industry in North America in 2018 – “Maybe the Best Freight Market we have ever seen”
The truckload sector of the freight industry is different from the LTL and small parcel segments in two significant ways. Unlike…
The LTL Freight Industry in North America in 2018
The following is my annual report on the state of the LTL Freight Industry in the United States and Canada. Here are…
Message to Prime Minister Trudeau: Respond to Trump’s Trade Sanctions by Hitting Him Where it Hurts
This week President Trump imposed a 25% tariff on imported steel and a 10% tariff on imported aluminum products from Canada, Mexico,…
Some Business Lessons from the Amazing Vegas Golden Knights
While there are lots of great sports stories at this time of the year, the Vegas Golden Knights should rank at…
An Action Plan to Optimize the Money Spent on Freight Transportation
In my last blog, I identified one of the recurring problems we encounter in working with shippers on a day to…
Manage your Freight Spend Data to Improve Your Profitability
For the past 15 years, my colleagues and I have been working with shippers throughout North America to help them save money…
Conducting Freight Bids in 2018 – It’s a New Ballgame
The New Year has started off with a bang. With the stock market at record levels, unemployment at historic lows in Canada…
What are Trucking Companies Doing to Solve the Driver Shortage?
Last week’s TruckWorld event at the International Centre in Toronto was a great opportunity to connect with old friends and get updated…
Time to Become a “Shipper of Choice”
In last week’s blog, I highlighted the tight freight capacity being experienced across North America (https://dantranscon.com/index.php/blog?view=entry&id=310 ), and that it is…
The Freight Market is Hot and it is Going to get Hotter
North American freight markets are witnessing the strongest demand for transportation services in decades. Contract and spot freight rates continue to soar.…
Lessons Learned from the ELD Mandate
Under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rules in the United States, that came into effect on Dec. 18, 2017, most…
Conducting a Transportation Audit can help companies Improve their Bottom Lines
This is a year that shippers have been dreading. Increased demand, from retailers looking to restock after the holidays and from manufacturers,…
Will the ELD Mandate trigger a move to Precision Trucking and Increased Profitability?
The implementation of the FMCSA’s ELD mandate in the United States on December 18 was one of the most anticipated milestones…
Freightcom has found a “Sweet Spot” in the LTL Freight Industry
From time to time, I come across companies that offer a unique blend of freight transportation services and technological capabilities. I have…
Tips for a New Transportation Sales Rep and Sales Manager
Five years ago, I posted a blog that was derived from a LinkedIn Sales Management Group. A range of people responded to…
Trying to Solve the Driver Shortage? – Try Paying them a Salary
Recruiting and retaining qualified drivers has been a challenge for several years. Many young people do not wish to spend so…
Conducting Freight Bids in 2018 – It’s a New Ballgame
The New Year has started off with a bang. With the stock market at record levels, unemployment at historic lows in Canada…
Some Major Trends in Freight Transportation in 2018
After a tumultuous 2017, the New Year is shaping up to be an eventful and momentous year for Freight Transportation. These…
The Trump Slump and the North American Economy in 2018
Donald Trump created high expectations as he became president in January 2017. These expectations were fueled by his extensive list of campaign…
The Top Stories in Freight Transportation in 2017
Here is my annual report on the top stories in surface transportation in the United States and Canada over the…
This may be a Pivot Point for the Intermodal Business
Periodically, business conditions change. These changes can have positive or negative effects on certain sectors of the freight transportation industry. Intermodal transportation…
Blockchain in Freight Transportation
Investopedia defines Blockchain as a distributed database that holds records of digital data or events in a way that makes them tamper-resistant.…
Shipper-Carrier Collaboration is a Challenge in this Era of Tight Capacity
On October 11, my company co-hosted the 2017 Surface Transportation Summit with my partners at Newcom Business Media. I am very…
Two Keys to Maintaining Truck Capacity this Winter
We have been hearing about the possibility of a trucking capacity shortage for several years. While there have been sporadic shortages in…
Select Quality Carrier Partners to Prevent Capacity Shortages in 2018
Economic conditions are solid as we approach the first quarter of 2018. Unemployment is low and companies are hiring. Demand for freight…
Natural Disasters Highlight Need for Supply Chain Risk Management
This has been a challenging month. Hurricane Harvey caused huge damage in southeast Texas and Hurricane Irma is expected to cause major…
Shippers need to become more “Carrier Friendly” to Minimize Freight Rate Increases
As the long, slow recovery from the Great Recession continues, shippers and carriers have become used to modest economic growth. Demand for…
Where will the Jobs be in the Future?
We live in a remarkable era. When people look back at this era 15 or 20 years from now, many will say…
Show some Respect for the Driver Delivering your Freight
Driving a transport truck is one of the most prevalent jobs in North America and throughout the world. There are about 3.5…
Understanding the “Amazon Effect” on your Business
This is the decade of the “effect.” As an example, we keep hearing about the “Trump Effect.” While not much of his…
The Trump Presidency – a 6-month report card
This week marks the six-month anniversary of the Donald Trump presidency. Four months ago, I posted a blog (http://www.dantranscon.com/index.php/blog/entry/will-donald-trump-be-a-successful-president ) that looked…
Is it time to Outsource your Sales Operation?
A few years ago, I wrote a blog about some of the major changes that were and still are shaping the…
2017 STS will focus on Canada’s rapidly changing business environment
Donald Trump. Robotics. Omni- Channel Fulfillment. The New NAFTA. Freight Marketplaces. Autonomous Vehicles. The Internet of Things. Andrew Scheer. Brexit. Climate Change.…
Will Uber take control of the market for Freight Matching Services?
Freight matching services or “freight exchanges” have become one of the hottest topics in Freight Transportation over the past few years. Venture…
Mastery of Supply Chain Management will determine if Amazon’s Purchase of Whole Foods will be a Success
The grocery business is about an $800 billion market in the United States and about $80 billion in Canada. This is…
Are you Ready to Start Your Own Business?
On February 28, 2016, I posted a blog entitled Passion (http://www.dantranscon.com/index.php/blog/entry/passion ). The objective of the article was to share my thoughts…
The 2017 Surface Transportation Summit will focus on Canada’s Rapidly Changing Business Environment
Donald Trump. Robotics. Omni-Channel Fulfillment. The New NAFTA. Freight Marketplaces. Autonomous Vehicles. The Internet of Things. Andrew Scheer. Brexit. Climate Change. Last-Mile…
America’s Downward Spiral in 2017
We are now four and a half months into the Trump presidency. While the president has not been able to achieve any…
Should your company Outsource the Management of its Logistics Operations?
As baby boomer logistics leaders move into retirement, their successors are tasked with directing the company’s distribution operations. Informed business leaders realize…
Get your “House in Order” Before Conducting a Freight Bid
One of the most frequent complaints I hear from carriers, in person, on social media, or at conferences, is about the…
A Lesson from the Comey Firing
The firing of FBI director James Comey by president Trump is the biggest story of the week. Most of the focus has…
Building a Leadership Team to Drive your Business
Over the past few years, I have noticed a disturbing trend as I meet with both our shipper and carrier associates. They…
The Basics of Freight Transportation Financial Management
The Basics Freight Transportation is typically the single largest cost component of Supply Chain Management. Data from Logistics Management’s Annual Study of…
Technology is Driving the Freight Brokerage Industry in 2017
The freight brokerage industry has been near and dear to my heart for many years. Earlier in my career, I had the…
The Truckload Freight Industry in North America in 2017
The truckload sector of the freight industry is different from the LTL and small parcel segments in one important respect. Unlike the…
Estes Cuts Ties with Long Term Partner to Provide Direct LTL Service to Canada
The big news on the LTL scene in Canada over the past few weeks has been the severing of ties between…
Autonomous Trucks – Part 2 – The Technologies and the Players
In last week’s blog, I outlined the market forces driving the launch of autonomous trucks; this blog will focus on the emerging…
Autonomous Trucks – Part 1 – The Next Big Thing in Trucking
There are approximately 3.5 million professional truck drivers in the United States, according to the American Trucking Association; there are an estimated…
The LTL Freight Industry in North America in 2017
The following is my annual report on the state of the LTL Freight Industry in the United States and Canada.…
Will Donald Trump be a Successful President?
It is still too early to make an assessment if Donald Trump will succeed or fail as leader of the free world.…
How to Prepare for the Next Wave of Automation and Robotics
Many thousands of jobs have been lost throughout North America in recent years and the trend will likely accelerate in the…
How to Bring Freight Costs Under Control
Much of the work we do at Dan Goodwill & Associates starts with a phone call or e-mail from a President, CFO…
Is it Time to Conduct your Next Freight Bid?
A little over a year ago, I wrote a blog entitled “How do you know when it is time to conduct a…
2017 “Stepping Stone” to Great Change
Here are the top stories in freight transportation that caught my attention over 2016. 2017 “stepping stone” to great change By Dan…
Positive Signals from Prime Minister Trudeau’s First Meeting with President Donald Trump
Today, the Prime Minister of Canada met with the President of the United States (#TrudeaumeetsTrump) for the first time. For President Trump,…
The Future of Freight Transportation
Over the past couple of weeks, I have had the privilege of sitting in on a discussion and reading some papers on…
Is there still Competition in the Canadian Freight Transportation Industry?
Last week I wrote about the consolidation that is taking place in the freight transportation industry in Canada. Thank you for the…
Canada’s Freight Transportation Industry Continues to Consolidate
It was sad to read that Meyers Transport, a Canadian motor carrier that has served the needs of shippers in Ontario for…
Reflections on the Obama – Biden Relationship
Yesterday I had the distinct privilege of watching President Obama bestow the Presidential Medal of Freedom, with distinction, the highest U.S. civil…
Measuring the Trump Effect on your Country, your Business and You
The election of Donald Trump as president of the United States will likely have a profound effect for years to come. I…
Some New Year’s Resolutions for Shippers
As we enter a New Year, many people create a set of resolutions to burn off a few pounds, to quit…
Freight Transportation in 2017 – Part 2. Economic and Market Forces
The previous blog looked at the potential Trump Effect (http://www.dantranscon.com/index.php/blog?view=entry&id=258 ) on Freight Transportation in 2017. This blog will focus on some…
Trends in Freight Transportation in 2017 – Part 1. The Trump Effect
This will likely be an eventful year in Freight Transportation. As I look ahead to the coming year, there will be two…
Freight Transportation in 2016 – The Year in Review
Here are the top stories in freight transportation that caught my attention over the past year. The Tepid Economy The North American…
Canada Needs to Prepare for Negotiations on NAFTA
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), came into effect on January 1, 1994, creating the largest free trade region in the…
Early Business Lessons from Trump’s Surprising Election Victory
It is still the morning after the night before. Thus, it is somewhat early to draw any conclusions about how Donald Trump…
The American Election Puzzle
The American election process is a long, complex and byzantine exercise that is very puzzling this year. After an extensive set of…
Hillbilly Elegy provides Life Lessons for those seeking a Career in the Transportation Industry
Last week, while on a brief vacation, I had the privilege of reading the book, Hillbilly Elegy, by J.D. Vance. The book…
Shippers, Watch Out for Unprofessional Freight Bid Service Providers
The subject of online freight bids and internet freight auctions came up a few times at the Surface Transportation Summit that…
LTL Shippers Need Effective Strategies to Address Rate Increases
Some large LTL carriers have announced rates increases this fall. Old Dominion, XPO Logistics, YRC Freight and UPS Freight have all declared…
Freight Management is a Team Sport
Freight costs represent between two and five percent of revenue in many manufacturers and distributors. They are typically the single largest supply…
25th Annual Masters in Logistics Study highlights some Significant Changes taking place in Transportation
On September 23rd, Logistics Management hosted a webinar at which time the co-authors of the annual Masters in Logistics study presented their…
Managing Inbound Transportation – Part 2 – Action Steps to Save Money on Freight
The first blog in this series looked at the money saving opportunities for organizations that take control of Inbound Transportation. This blog…
Managing Inbound Freight Transportation – Part 1 – Identify the Cost Savings Opportunities
Managing Inbound Freight is often overlooked or not optimally managed as an opportunity for cost savings in many companies. This is a…
In this Period of Declining Freight Rates, Shippers need to be Smart, not Greedy
During this period of modest economic growth and ample capacity, freight rates have been in decline. This is confirmed by the…
Fast Track your Career by creating your own Personal Coaching Staff
One of the business trends over the past couple of decades has been the employment of personal coaches to help key leaders…
Understanding the Canadian Freight Market – Part 6 – Some Tips for Carriers
This is the sixth and final blog in this series on surface freight transportation within Canada and between Canada and the United…
Understanding the Canadian Freight Market – Part 5 – Some Tips for Shippers
The first four blogs in this series looked at the fundamentals of road and rail transportation within Canada and between Canada and…
Understanding the Canadian Freight Market – Part 4 – Cross-Border Freight Transportation
The last blog in this series examined road and rail transportation within Canada; this blog will focus cross-border freight transportation. Please note…
Understanding the Canadian Freight Market – Part 3 – Intra-Canada Freight Transportation
This blog will focus on road and rail transportation within Canada; the next blog will look at cross-border freight transportation. Rail Transportation…
Understanding the Canadian Freight Market – Part 2 – Canada is America’s Top Trading Partner
In my last blog, I provided an overview of Canada’s economy and demographics. In this blog, I will outline the importance of…
Understanding the Canadian Freight Market – Part 1 – Demographics and the Economy
On July 1, Canada celebrated its 149th birthday. Just prior to Canada Day, I had the privilege of speaking to a…
Some Business Lessons from the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Remarkable Championship Victory
Last night, history was made in the National Basketball League. For the first time in the long history of the league,…
Finding your “Lane” in Life
This is a follow up to the blog on “Passion” (http://www.dantranscon.com/index.php/blog/entry/passion ) that was posted here a few weeks ago and is…
Some Personal Reflections on the Life of Muhammad Ali
I grew up in the Muhammad Ali era. Back in the 60's and 70's, heavyweight boxing was a major sport. The Championship…
Passion
As I reflect back on my over 45 years in the working world, the issue of passion has been a driving force…
Freight Management is a Team Sport
Freight costs represent between two and five percent of revenue in many manufacturers and distributors. They are typically the single largest supply…
Registration is Now Open for the 2016 Surface Transportation Summit
The 2016 Surface Transportation Summit will take place at the International Centre in Toronto on October 13. The event will be…
Technology Comes to the Freight Brokerage Industry in 2016
Every few years I like to take a look at some of the new technology-based entrants to the freight transportation industry…
Crafting an Effective Intermodal Utilization Strategy
Back in the 90s, I had the privilege of leading Canada’s largest Intermodal Marketing Company. Since that time, I have been a…
A Lack of Routing Guide Compliance Dooms Many Freight Bid Projects
Many shippers don’t achieve the cost savings they expect from their freight bid exercises. This can happen despite the time, energy and…
The Current State of the LTL Freight Industry in North America
Every few years I like to take a look at the segment of the freight industry where I got my start, the…
Managing Accessorial Charges – Part 2
Once you gather the necessary data outlined in the previous blog (http://www.dantranscon.com/index.php/blog?view=entry&id=229 ), it is time to take action. Here is…
Managing Accessorial Charges – Part 1
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a blog about the new pricing processes that LTL (and small parcel) carriers are employing…
How to Learn the Basics of Sales and Freight Transportation in a Company that Offers No Training
Three years ago I posted a blog entitled Tips for the New Transportation Sales Rep (http://www.dantranscon.com/index.php/blog/entry/tips-for-the-new-transportation-sales-rep-and-his-manager ). In that blog I consolidated…
Leading Your Trucking Company Through Tough Times
These are tough times. In a recent issue (February 22, 2016) of the Journal of Commerce, the headline was “Is the US in…
New Pricing Processes Could Revolutionize the LTL Freight Industry
It was just a few years ago that the airline industry appeared to be teetering on the abyss. During this tumultuous period,…
How Could the U.S. Election Impact the Canadian Economy?
This week’s visit to Washington by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his family and his Canadian delegation was certainly one of the high…
Shipper-Carrier Collaboration – Establishing Trust
The essence of successful freight rate negotiations is an honest exchange of information. Carriers count on shippers to supply them with complete…
The New Economic Paradigm of Freight Transportation
The US economy provided a number of mixed signals in December of 2015. Unemployment is at only five percent. Economic growth, while…
Passion
Last week, I was watching the U.S. Democratic Party Town Hall on television that took place in South Carolina. A member of…
Developing a Social Media Strategy for your Freight Business
Social Media have become huge in the last few years. There are new Social Media that pop up every day. I…
Creating an Effective Shipper-Motor Carrier Freight Agreement – Part 2
The first part of this blog focused on the operational, service and equipment issues that constitute a strong shipper-carrier freight…
Creating an Effective Shipper – Motor Carrier Freight Agreement – Part 1
Further to the last blog, a well written motor carrier agreement can be a powerful tool in promoting partnerships between shippers and…
Does your Company Need a Motor Carrier Agreement to Manage its Freight Transportation?
Motor carrier agreements or contracts are documents signed between shippers and carriers that set out the parameters and processes under which…
How do you know when it is Time to Conduct a Freight Bid?
Recent stock market and currency value declines in China and Canada point to a challenging year ahead for the economies…
Some KPIs to Monitor the Transportation Industry
There are a host of economic indicators that provide economists, academics and transportation professionals with insights into how the general economy is…
The New Economic Paradigm of Freight Transportation
As we approach 2016, there are a number of forces that are shaping the economics of Freight Transportation. Here are a few…
The Top Surface Transportation Stories of 2015
The past year started with some solid tailwinds as the economies of the United States and Canada appeared to be in a…
Now is the Time to Conduct your next Freight Bid
As everyone knows, it is very difficult to time the stock market. While we are all aware of the old adage,…
Freight Carriers – How to Achieve Success with Freight Bids – Part 2
In my last blog, I outlined a set of tips to help carriers achieve greater success with Freight Bids. Here are…
Freight Carriers – How to Achieve Success with Freight Bids – Part 1
Freight Bids or Freight RFPs have been around for over two decades. Every year we hear comments about their imminent demise.…
It’s all in the Numbers – Part 2 – Action Steps that Shippers can take to Reduce Freight Costs
In the last blog, I highlighted some of the opportunities that shippers miss out on to save money on freight when they…
Final Reflections on Freight Bids
Over the past two decades, freight bids have become one of the most commonly used methods of sourcing freight transportation services. They…
It is all in the Numbers – Part 1 – Manage your Freight Spend Data to Improve Your Bottom Line
A company’s freight costs often represents between two and ten percent of total revenues. For many companies in the manufacturing, distribution and…
The 2015 Surface Transportation Summit is just a few weeks away
The 2015 Surface Transportation Summit (www.surfacetransportationsummit.com) will be held at the Mississauga Convention Centre on October 14. We are…
Dan’s Transportation Newspaper
Many of us receive information from multiple news sources on a daily basis. You may start your day with the morning newspaper…
Becoming a Best in Class Shipper – 10. Operational Excellence
Some companies have strong leaders with good strategies and good systems. Unfortunately, they don’t put the pieces together and therefore deliver less…
Becoming a Best in Class Shipper – 9. Carrier Friendly
As we all know, freight capacity throughout North America is tightening. A shortage of drivers, new government regulations and rising fleet costs…
Becoming a Best in Class Shipper – 8. KPIs and Reports
Throughout this series of blogs, the focus has been on how Best in Class shippers ensure their freight is delivered at the…
Becoming a Best in Class Shipper – 7. Strategy
Success in business comes from crafting and executing effective business strategies. The attainment of strong financial performance comes from integrating and aligning…
Becoming a Best in Class Shipper – 6. Technology
The previous blog focused on some of the core freight management processes that are part of a company’s supply chain. For many…
Becoming a Best in Class Shipper – 5. Process
One can view a supply chain as a series of processes. From inbound freight management, the process of picking up raw materials,…
Becoming a Best in Class Shipper – 4. Freight Spend Management
In many firms, freight costs can be in the millions or tens of millions of dollars. This large expense can represent a…
Becoming a Best in Class Shipper – 3. Leadership
It takes leadership and management skill to become a Best in Class shipper. One question many companies face is where should Transportation…
Becoming a Best in Class Shipper – 2. Knowledge
Best in Class shippers possess an understanding of the following subjects. Modal options and trade-offs (e.g. Air, Road, Rail, Marine) …
Becoming a Best in Class Shipper – 1. Freight Data Management
Best in Class shippers have high quality, granular, historical freight data. They capture clean, accurate, complete data on all of their inbound,…
Is your company a Best in Class Shipper? – Find out with a Transportation Audit
Many manufacturers and retailers throughout North America spend millions of dollars a year on freight transportation. Freight costs can represent…
Final Reflections on Freight Bids
Freight bid projects have become one of the most commonly used methods of sourcing freight transportation services over the past two decades.…
Freight Bid Tip # 11. Conduct Ongoing Performance Review Meetings with your Carriers
Monitoring carrier performance is an ongoing process. Some trucking companies will track performance for new shippers with a heightened level of intensity…
Freight Bid Tip # 10. Implement Robust Compliance Tracking Processes
Some shippers operate under the misconception that once the bid awards have been made, the RFP process has been completed. This is…
Freight Bid Tip # 9. Sign Contracts with your Large Core Carriers
If your company provides hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars in revenue to certain carriers, they are a critical part of…
Freight Bid Tip # 8. Perform a Market Test with New Carriers
As the freight bid process comes to conclusion, there is an urgency to award the business so the shipper can begin enjoying…
Freight Bid Tip # 7. Establish Backup Carriers for Most Blocks of Business
We live in an ever-changing world. Trucking companies come and go. They are being bought, sold, merged, downsized and resized every day.…
Freight Bid Tip # 6 – Meet Face-to-Face with Potential Carriers and Perform Due Diligence
We live in an era of impersonal communication. E mails, text messages, tweets and GoToMeetings have replaced face to face communication in…
Freight Bid Tip # 5. Conduct Multiple Rounds of Bidding
The objective of a freight bid project is to secure a range of carriers and logistics service providers that are best…
Freight Bid Tip # 4. Cast a Wide Net in Selecting Carriers and Freight Management Companies
There are thousands of freight carriers, load brokers and logistics service providers throughout North America. One of the important elements of…
Freight Bid Tip # 3. Obtain quality data on the company’s shipment activity
In order to conduct a freight RFP exercise, shippers need to secure historical data on their traffic volumes by type of…
Freight Bid Tip # 2. – Obtain Accurate Product Descriptions and Density Calculations
In an RFP, the carriers are being asked to bid on specific types of freight moving on specific traffic lanes. The rates…
Developing a Core Carrier Program
In a recent Stifel report, it was noted that the “mother” of all capacity shortages is expected to hit the United States…
Freight Bid Tip #1. – Obtain Buy-in and Participation from the Operating Divisions
Over the past eleven years, my colleagues and I have worked on a variety of successful freight RFP or freight bid projects.…
Registration is Now Open for the 2015 Surface Transportation Summit
The 2015 Surface Transportation Summit (www.surfacetransportationsummit.com) will be held at the Mississauga Convention Centre on October 14. Dan Goodwill & Associates and…
The Current State of the LTL Freight Industry
During the Great Recession, the LTL freight industry experienced a “near death” experience as declining freight volumes, excess capacity and falling rates…
Developing a Core Carrier Program
In a recent Stifel report, it was noted that the “mother” of all capacity shortages is expected to hit the United States…
Shipping Crude Oil by Rail – Will Economics Trump Safety? Part 3 – What can be done to improve the Safety and Profitability of Shipping Crude Oil by Rail?
The two previous blogs in this series highlighted the critical role that the rails play in transporting crude oil. They also noted…
Shipping Crude Oil by Rail – Will Economics Trump Safety? Part 2 – Is Shipping Crude Oil by Rail Financially Sustainable?
The business case for shipping crude oil by rail was outlined in the previous blog. The rapid growth in the production of…
Shipping Crude Oil by Rail – Will Economics Trump Safety? Part 1 – Why Move Crude Oil by Rail?
Volume of Crude Oil Moving by Rail in the United States and Canada U.S. crude oil production has risen sharply in recent…
For Truckers, 2015 should be the Year of Yield Management
As we approach the end of February, most truckers would acknowledge that this is a good year for the North American motor…
The Top Freight Transportation Stories of 2014
1. The Economy – Two Steps Forward/One Step Back US GDP grew by over 3% in 2014, its best showing in several…
Shippers – “You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate”
This year, major freight carriers have been seeking general rate (GRI) increases, higher fuel surcharges (at a time when energy prices are…
The Shadow of the Economic Crisis Lingers in Canada
In President Obama’s State of the Union message that he delivered to a joint session of congress on Tuesday, January 20, he…
As Fuel Surcharges Decline, Shippers Should Not Be Complacent in Managing Freight Costs
Here are few statistics to consider. On June 27, 2014 a barrel of crude oil cost $107.26 U.S. On the same date,…
Some Major Trends Shaping the North American Freight Transportation Industry in 2015
This past year was a tumultuous and transformative year in Freight Transportation. What is in store for us in 2015? Here are…
The Top Freight Transportation Stories of 2014
As the year draws to a close, it is time to reflect on the major news stories in the world of freight…
The Incredible Shrinking Canadian Freight Carrier Industry
For many years, industry experts have been predicting a consolidation in the Canadian freight industry. During and after the Great Recession, the…
Some Takeaways from the 2014 Surface Transportation Summit Part 2 – Shipper-Carrier Collaboration
At the 2013 Summit, Jacquie Meyers, President of Meyers Transportation Services, made shipper-carrier collaboration a “hot topic” with an impassioned plea to…
Some Takeaways from the 2014 Surface Transportation Summit Part 1 – Economic and Trucking Trends
A sold out crowd attended the 2014 Surface Transportation Summit at the Mississauga Convention Centre on October 15. This year’s conference had…
How to Resolve the Current “Tug of War” between Shippers and Carriers
Over the past few weeks, there are a couple of items that have come to my attention that inspired me to write…
Managing the Uncontrollable Variables in your Supply Chain could Save your Company
A few weeks ago, I gave a presentation to a group of transportation professionals at a Best Practices in Cross-Border Freight Transportation…
As Freight Rates Go Up, an RFP is still one of the Best Ways to Control Freight Costs
This year, all signs point to rising freight rates. With driver shortages across North America, driver wages are on the rise. On…
The Incredible Shrinking Canadian Freight Carrier Industry
For many years, industry experts have been predicting a consolidation in the Canadian freight industry. During and after the Great Recession, the…
A Shipper’s Guide to Preparing for Dimensional LTL Pricing
Freight costs have historically been calculated on the basis of gross weight in kilograms or pounds. By charging only by weight, lightweight,…
Private fleet outsourcing webinar
Private fleet outsourcing webinar
The “Fun” is Back in the LTL Freight Industry
As I look at the LTL freight transportation today, it is hard to believe that just a few years ago, this was…
The Amazon Fire Phone – What could it mean to the Transportation Industry?
Amazon launched a new mobile phone, the Fire Phone that could be a true “game changer,” not just for mobile communications or…
How to Mitigate Freight Rate Increases
Freight rate increases are coming this year. The economy is on the upswing. Truck capacity is tightening as driver shortages, government regulations,…
As Retailers Modify their “Footprints,” Freight Companies Must Reshape their Businesses
E-commerce purchases make up 5 percent of Sales in the United States and about 3.4 percent in Canada. These relatively small percentages…
Registration is Now Open for the 2014 Surface Transportation Summit
For the sixth consecutive year, Dan Goodwill & Associates and the Business Information Group (publishers of Canadian Shipper and MotorTruck Fleet Executive)…
Time to Face the New Reality of Freight Transportation
Thankfully, the first quarter of 2014 is behind us. The challenging winter across Canada and the northeastern USA and capacity shortages, brought…
The “Virtual” Freight Broker has come to the Transportation Industry
This is the fourth in a series of blogs on Technology in Transportation. The three previous articles appeared in 2013 (http://www.dantranscon.com/index.php/blog/entry/quotemytruckloadcom-and-freightopolis-enter-the-automated-freight-brokeragefreight-portal-space, http://www.dantranscon.com/index.php/blog/entry/innovation-and-technology-come-to-the-freight-brokerage-industry,…
Has your Company Mastered Cross-Border Trade between Canada and the United States?
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2014. Since the enactment of NAFTA in 1994, trade…
Freight Management Consulting
Freight Management Consulting Dan Goodwill and Associates helps shippers improve their freight transportation processes and save money on freight through a structured,…
Freight Carrier Profitability Improvement
Freight Carrier Profitability Improvement DG&A’s multifaceted approach examines a carrier’s current business processes and identifies opportunities for best practices and profitability improvements.…
What Can Shippers Do to Mitigate the Upcoming Freight Rate Increases?
Freight rate increases are coming this year. The economy is on the upswing. Truck capacity is tightening as driver shortages, government regulations,…
Best Practices in Intermodal Transportation
The term intermodal refers to moving a container or trailer by more than one mode of transportation—generally truck plus rail, ocean plus…
Time for Some New Business Models to Spur More Competition in the Canadian Freight Industry
Two developments over the past five years have reshaped the Canadian Freight Industry. The Great Recession in the late 2000s caused many…
Trying to Solve the Driver Shortage? – Focus on Health and Wellness
At the January 21 Driving for Profit Seminar in Mississauga, Ontario, the number 61 was placed on the screen. Glenn Caldwell, Vice…
Omni-Channel Retailing – Part 2 – Implications for Freight Carriers and Logistics Service Providers
In last week’s blog I provided an overview of Omni-Channel Retailing, a very important transformational change that is taking place. This change…
Omni-Channel Retailing – Part 1 – What are the Implications for Shippers, Retailers and Consumers?
Omni-Channel Retailing is a subject we are go to be hearing a lot about in the coming years. This is the first…
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Dan Goodwill & Associates: a solutions-oriented team for the best possible results! Dan Goodwill and Associates was formed over 10 years ago…
New Year’s Resolution # 1 – Establish an Effective Crisis Management Program
One of the distinguishing features of 2013 was the number and range of crises that took place in many parts of the…
Some Major Trends in Freight Transportation in 2014
In my previous blog, I tried to capture some of the Major Freight Transportation Stories of 2013 (http://www.dantranscon.com/index.php/blog/entry/the-top-freight-transportation-stories-of-2013). In this blog I…
The Top Freight Transportation Stories of 2013
As the year 2013 winds down, it is time to reflect on the major transportation trends of the past year. While I…
Will your trucking company be around in 5 years?
If your trucking company hasn’t been purchased or doesn’t get purchased by TransForce, will it be in business in five years? That…
Intermodal Continues to Deliver Results
The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) reported an increase of 4.7 percent in total intermodal traffic in the third quarter of…
What were the Biggest Freight Transportation Stories of 2013? / What will be the Top Trends in 2014?
At the end of each year, I like to take stock of the major freight transportation stories of the past twelve months…
Shippers and Carriers – – It’s Time to Talk
One of the highlights of this year’s Surface Transportation Summit was the impassioned plea from Jacquie Meyers, President of Meyers Transportation Services,…
Is your Transportation Strategy in Alignment with your Business Strategy
One of the most enjoyable aspects of our work as consultants is that my colleagues and I have an opportunity to visit…
Is your Transportation Strategy in Alignment with your Business Strategy?
One of the most enjoyable aspects of our work as consultants is that my colleagues and I have an opportunity to visit…
The Freight Payment and Audit Process – a Work in Progress
For the past several years, American Shipper, in partnership with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) and Retail Industry Leaders…
The Dynamic and Ever-Changing Retail World in Canada
Canada is going through some dramatic evolutions and revolutions in the world of retailing and in retail distribution. The changes are very…
Career Advice from the President of Microsoft Canada
A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of listening to Max Long, President of Microsoft Canada as he addressed a…
As October 1 approaches, US Freight Brokers must post a $75,000 Bond
At the time of this writing, there is less than a week until the new US federal $75,000 financial security requirement for…
The Next Big Retail Battleground – Same Day Delivery
If you haven’t been watching, you may be missing one of the most interesting and important battles in retailing and freight transportation…
FreightSnap – an exciting new visual tool to verify the density of LTL freight
A picture is worth a thousand words. This certainly applies to LTL freight. Shippers can be penalized financially if their LTL freight…
How do you Transform a Business?
Companies typically call us in when they are having a problem and they are not able to solve it themselves. For shippers,…
What have you failed at today?
On Sunday morning, I had the pleasure of listening to a great interview conducted by Fareed Zakaria, the host of GPS (Global…
Two New Studies provide insights into the LTL Freight Industry
Last week the Stifel Transportation & Logistics Research Group hosted a webinar event that featured two speakers from the Transportation Intermediaries Association, Mark Christos,…
The Fifth Annual Surface Transportation – a Great Opportunity to Learn and Network
The 2013 Surface Transportation Summit is scheduled for October 16 at the Mississauga Convention Centre. This year’s event, co-hosted by Dan Goodwill…
The Threat of Wal-Mart and Target Drives Loblaw’s proposed acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart
The major business news story in Canada this past week was the planned acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart by Loblaw Companies Limited…
The Legacy of the Lac-Mégantic Train Disaster
The tragic accident in the Quebec town of Lac-Mégantic was the major transportation story of the past week. As of tonight, the…
Is your Freight Transportation Strategy in Alignment with your Business Strategy?
One of the most enjoyable aspects of our work as consultants is that my colleagues and I have an opportunity to visit…
Smaller Carriers are “Feeling the Heat” in the Truckload Market
Dr. Richard Mikes, Managing Partner of Transport Capital Partners (TCP) recently spoke on the subject of the Truckload Market on a conference…
State of Logistics Report Highlights “New Normal” in Freight Transportation
Last week the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals released its 24th annual State of Logistics Report. Last year, business logistics costs…
Ship Smart – 10 things your company can do to save money on freight
The economy is improving slowly and this is pushing up costs. Motor carriers are experiencing cost increase pressures from higher fleet purchase…
A U.S. Manufacturing Renaissance in 2014 to 2016 will Boost Freight Volumes
Every year at this time, RBC Dominion Securities Inc. assembles a group of investors and invites Jim Allworth, Co-Chair and Portfolio Strategist…
The Major Freight Transportation Stories of the First Half of 2013
As we approach the mid-point of 2013, here is a peek at some of the major trends that are having an impact…
Lessons from my Travels down the Social Media Trail
Social media has become one of the hottest marketing tools over the past five years. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and a host of…
More on Shipper-Carrier Collaboration and Freight Bids
In last week’s blog, I shared some ideas from the recent SCL – CITA annual conference on how to improve shipper- carrier…
Shipper-Carrier Collaboration – How do you make the RFP Process work for Both Parties?
The subject of Shipper-Carrier Collaboration and Freight Bids came up in at least three tracks at this week’s Supply Chain Canada Annual…
QuoteMyTruckload.com and Freightopolis – will one of these companies become the Expedia of the Freight Industry?
Two weeks ago I wrote about two exciting young companies (PostBidShip and Buytruckload.com) that are applying Innovation and Technology to the automated…
U.S. and Canadian Governments Provide Resources and Incentives to Operate an Energy-Efficient Fleet
Trucking is a $37-billion industry in Canada. The U.S. trucking industry is about ten times the size of Canada’s trucking industry. In…
Understanding Consumer Behavior and How to Think in New Boxes – More from FCPC’s Supply Chain Symposium
The two final presenters at last week’s FCPC (Food and Consumer Products of Canada) Supply Chain Symposium provided the attendees with some…
Thinking in New Boxes – FCPC’s 2013 Supply Chain Symposium
On April 17, Food & Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) held their annual Supply Chain Symposium. It was an excellent event that…
Ten Things your company can do to Save Money on Freight
What can I do to save money on freight? The same question comes up with every shipper I meet. This is a…
Innovation and Technology come to the Freight Brokerage Industry
In my 2012 year-end blog on Trends in Transportation, I identified a number of areas where I expected to see some changes…
NAFTA Rail Revenues Set to Grow
In my last bog I looked at how the near-shoring movement and a host of other factors are contributing to an economic…
Almost 20 years since NAFTA, the Mexican Freight Boom May Finally Be Here – Intermodal Shipping may be Big Winner
It is hard to believe that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) came into effect on January 1, 1994, almost twenty…
A Driver’s Guide to Selecting the Right Trucking Company to Work For
Much has been written in recent years about the looming driver shortage in North America. While there are still millions of people…
To Save Money on Freight, Let’s Focus on Good Data rather than Big Data
“Big Data” has become one of the more popular business expressions over the past couple of years. This commonly refers to a…
America’s Major Truckload Carriers Shift Focus to Dedicated and Intermodal
The fourth quarter 2012 financial results for America’s leading truckload carriers tell a story of an industry going through transformation and change. …
Have you looked at Deferred Packaging and Transloading as a way to Reduce Freight Costs?
An article in the February 11 issue of Bloomberg BusinessWeek caught my eye and got me thinking about another way of reducing…
Tips for the New Transportation Sales Rep (and his Manager)
For the past week I have been reading with great interest the postings on the LinkedIn Sales Management Group. As of the…
10 key trends to watch for in 2013
America is facing a number of economic headwinds and tailwinds. Should America’s leadership come to a good understanding on tax increases and…
Is President Obama Now Ready to Lead America’s Economic Recovery?
The economic forecast for this year and for the balance of the decade is rather glum. Many economists have projected a two…
Does Your Trucking Company Still Need An Outside Sales Force?
During my early days in the trucking industry, I spent a number of years directly or indirectly managing sales teams. At the…
Take a Fresh Look at your Freight Management Program with a Transportation Audit
Manufacturers and retailers spend millions of dollars a year on freight transportation. Freight costs can represent between 1 and 10 percent of…
Regina’s Global Transportation Hub Designed to be Major Distribution Centre for Western Canada
Regina’s Global Transportation Hub (http://www.thegth.com/) was launched in February of 2011. The 1700 acre property is owned and operated by the province…
Creating a Productive Sales Organization
A recent Harvard Business Review article (“CEOs Need to Get Serious About Sales” by Ram Trichur, Maria Valdivieso de Uster, and Jon Vander Ark, July…
Risk Management in Freight Transportation in 2013
One of the 2013 trends identified in my last blog was the requirement for transportation professionals to ramp up their efforts at…
Transportation Trends in 2013
The New Year will be an exciting one that will likely be shaped by the financial talks currently taking place in Washington. …
The Year in Review – The Top Freight Transportation Stories of 2012
As the year 2012 draws to a close, it is time to reflect on the major transportation stories of the year. Here…
Sales and Marketing Lessons for Truckers from the Obama Re-Election Team
Despite being the incumbent President, Barrack Obama and his re-election team were faced with a tall challenge in trying to secure enough…
Wal-Mart’s 60 Foot Prototype Tractor-Trailer is the Talk of the Transportation Industry
The decision by Wal-Mart to conduct a pilot of a 60 foot high cube tractor-trailer in Ontario, Canada caught the transportation industry…
Transportation Industry Trying to Keep Pace with the Rapidly Changing Retail Sector
Last weekend I walked into one of my favourite Men’s stores in a local mall, Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, to arrange…
CN Rail and CP Rail – Canada’s two “Precision” Railroads set to Power its Economy
Pierre Berton, the late, famous Canadian author noted in his book, “The Last Spike,” that CP Rail has held a respected place…
The Divided States of America – a Canadian Perspective on the U.S. Election
Mercifully, the U.S. election is in its final days. As a Canadian with friends, family, colleagues and clients in the United States,…
Attributes of Top Trucking Company CEOs
During my 30 years in the transportation business, I have had the privilege of leading some great organizations. Like everyone else, I…
Shipper-Carrier Collaboration – – one of the major themes at this year’s Transportation Summit
The 2012 Surface Transportation Summit held in Toronto last week attracted over 200 shippers, carriers and industry vendors. The speakers and panelists…
A Look Ahead at 2013
The increase in job creation in Canada over the past two months and the decline in the U.S. unemployment rate to 7.9…
The 2012 “Masters in Logistics” Study highlights how Larger Shippers are using Transportation Strategy as a Competitive Weapon
For over two decades the University of Tennessee has been conducting its Masters in Logistics research study. This year the study was…
From Offshoring to Reshoring
Over the past several decades, offshoring has become a very popular supply chain strategy. The low costs of production in many Asian…
Is your Trucking Company Engaging its Customers?
In reviewing the 11th annual shippers choice awards in the current issue of Canadian Transportation & Logistics, I noted with interest that…
Business and Government need to align their Strategies to Speed up the Growth of the U.S. Economy
For four years the U.S. has been in a slow motion economic recovery. Unemployment remains chronically high with little sign of improvement. …
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Client Testimonials “I have had the pleasure to work with Dan over the course of a 10 month period where Dan and…
Have you heard the joke about the Trucker who charged $4.00 a mile to move a Load?
It is not a joke. It is happening out there. The fact that it is happening caused a tidal wave of comments…
What is happening to Surface Trade between the NAFTA Countries?
Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners, Canada and Mexico, was 6.6…
Integrating Social Media into Sales Pipeline Management
A well-developed sales pipeline is a key component of any well managed sales management system. When properly utilized, the tool is an…
Dan’s Transportation Newspaper
Many of us receive information from multiple news sources on a daily basis. You may start your day with the morning newspaper…
The Successful Management of Freight Transportation Requires a Partnership between Finance and Logistics
Freight costs often represent a significant percent of a manufacturer or retailer’s expenses. While many companies have highly qualified CFOs and VPs…
Cost Savings is the Number 1 Priority in Freight Bids in 2012
American Shipper conducted their annual shipper survey earlier this year to determine Best Practices in Freight Transportation Procurement. The magazine contacted 275…
It’s Time for Trucking Company Leaders to Create Focused, Lean, and Productive Sales Organizations
The economic forecasts for the second half of this year do not look too promising. While there are a few positive signs…
2012 Surface Transportation Summit to Promote Dialogue between Shippers and Carriers
For the third consecutive year, Dan Goodwill & Associates and BIG Media, publishers of Truck News, Canadian Transportation & Logistics and MotorTruck…
Three Trends You Must Deal With Now
The world of freight transportation is changing rapidly. The signs are there and they are unmistakable. Recognizing and responding effectively to these…
“Reshoring” – Bringing Manufacturing Jobs Back to North America
Over the past several decades, “Offshoring” has become a very popular supply chain strategy. The low costs of production in many Asian…
Drivers Speak Out on Recruiting, Training and Student Drivers
In last week’s blog, my panel of three expert drivers spoke out on the topic of driver shortages and compensation. In this…
Drivers Speak Out on the Driver Shortage Issue
I have been writing a blog on a variety of freight transportation issues for the past 5 years. None has generated as…
Social Media will Transform Transportation
This week I had the opportunity to participate in a Logistics Management webinar that featured Adrian Gonzalez, Director, Logistics Viewpoints, as one…
Some Lessons for Senior Transportation Executives from the CP Rail Proxy Battle
The proxy battle at CP Rail is unprecedented in Canadian business since it resulted in the resignation of the company's CEO and…
How Should Shippers Manage Carrier Rate Increases in 2012?
Carriers and the transportation media have laid out a compelling case as to why transport companies should be receiving rate increases in…
How should Shippers Manage Carrier Fuel Surcharges?
In the most recent Transportation Buying Trends Survey undertaken by Canadian Transportation & Logistics magazine, there is an interesting set of questions…
A Look at the New Paradigm of Freight Transportation
The world of freight transportation is changing rapidly. The signs are there and they are unmistakable. Recognizing and responding effectively to these…
Trying to Save Money on Freight – – – Perform an objective Transportation Audit
This is a very interesting year in the world of freight transportation. The economy is improving but at a very slow pace. …
Some thoughts on the Driver Shortage Issue
This past week I had the opportunity to speak with some of North America’s leading truckers. Other than the “head shots” in…
How to Successfully Buy and Sell Trucking Companies
At a recent Driving for Profit Seminar in Toronto, Lou Smyrlis, Editorial Director of Canadian Transportation & Logistics Magazine, led two trucking…
Intermodal’s ‘transformational’ decade
I became a big fan of intermodalism during the 1990s when I ran Canada’s largest IMC (intermodal marketing company). Each time I…
Experts are predicting a Surge in Trucking Company Acquisitions
Two experts in trucking company acquisitions predicted this week that we are in store for an upswing in industry consolidation in 2012. …
Energy Conservation Strategies Remain a Key Priority for Truckers
As the cost of diesel fuel hovers around $4.00 a gallon in the United States and $1.30 a liter in Canada, trucking…
How to Improve the Hiring Process
Last weekend I was struck by an interview on leadership lessons in The New York Times. It appeared in the “Corner Office”…
New LinkedIn Group formed to discuss Best Practices in Freight Management
For the past several years I have been a participant in and fan of LinkedIn. It is an amazing social media tool…
The Impact of CSA on Shippers and Freight Management Companies
CSA 2010 was created by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to remove unsafe commercial drivers from…
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Reduce Your Company's Transportation Costs Reduce your company's transportation costs with consulting services from Dan Goodwill & Associates. Our consulting services for…
The Current State of the Freight Recovery and its Projected Impact on Freight Rates
Much has been said and written about the Great Recession and its impact on the freight market. The question on the minds…
Why do so many Freight Cost Savings Initiatives Fail to Deliver to the Bottom Line?
Over the past week, there has been a barrage of comments posted in one of the Procurement groups in LinkedIn on the…
Transportation Industry Vendor Consulting
Transportation Industry Vendor Consulting DG&A can help your company market its products and services to the transportation industry. We identify prospects that…
2010 – 2020 – Intermodal’s “Transformational“ Decade
I have written about intermodal transportation several times over the years that I have been preparing this blog. I became a big…
Mutually Beneficial Antidote
On several occasions, I have commented about a looming truck capacity shortage. A soft North American economy, coupled with political uncertainty and…
A Driver’s Perspective on the Current State of the Trucking Industry
I have been writing a blog on the transportation industry for five years. During this period I have received hundreds of postings…
Harper’s Vision for Canada has Major Implications for Transportation Companies
Over the past two months Stephen Harper has presented a clear and compelling vision of where he wishes to take Canada during…
Social Media in Transportation in 2012
It is hard to believe that a year has gone by since I sat in on a presentation on Social Media in…
Innovation in Freight Transportation – Paper Pallets
As I reach my 30th anniversary in the freight transportation industry, I continue to be struck by the lack of innovation in…
What will the new U.S. / Canada Border Security and Trade Agreement do for Shippers and Truckers?
For the past decade, the Canada-U.S. model of economic integration has been deteriorating - - a victim of a border chocked with…
Business Strategies to Lead your Freight Transportation Organization in 2012
We enter 2012 with a lot of unknowns. Will the European debt crisis be resolved effectively and expeditiously or will it lead…
Some Key Economic Trends in 2012
As we enter the New Year, it is time to reflect on the events of the past year and try to anticipate…
2011 – Surface Transportation – The Year in Review
Freight Transportation Adjusts to a Resetting World Economy The year 2011 was another momentous one that was shaped by events on…
Wal-Mart’s About Face
Wal-Mart launched a program in mid-2010 to reduce costs and deadhead miles, leverage the retailer’s logistics skills and scale, and improve visibility…
With the Unemployment Rate so high, why is there a Shortage of Truck Drivers?
Today we received some unexpected good news in the United States as the unemployment rate fell to 8.6%. In Canada the news…
For Carriers, it is all about Service and Solutions
Last Thursday night, I had the distinct pleasure of participating in a Shipper-Carrier Roundtable along with a number of old friends and…
Dedicated Trucking is One Answer to Potential Capacity Problems
On several occasions I have commented in this blog about a looming truck capacity shortage. A soft North American economy coupled with…
Creating a Freight Capacity Plan for Your Company
The traditional and social media remind us on almost a daily basis that we are seeing the first manifestations of a looming…
Shippers Employing Range of Transportation Strategies to Address Slowing Economy
Two weeks ago I looked at the economic realities we are currently facing. Leading economists are predicting either a number of years…
Carrier Strategies During the Slowing Economy
In last week’s blog, I tried to capture what appears to be the sentiment of a majority of economists. Their…
The Road Ahead – Some Economic Forecasts for 2012
It is that time of year when many companies are in the process of finalizing their business plans and budgets for 2012. …
Wal-Mart Refocuses Inbound Transportation Initiative
Wal-Mart launched a program in mid-2010 to reduce costs and deadhead miles, leverage the retailer’s logistics skills and scale, improve visibility and…
Leadership Lessons for Trucking Company Executives from Steve Jobs
This week the world lost a business and technology giant with the passing of the iconic Steve Jobs, for many years the…
Schneider is rolling out a Shared LTL Service in Selected American Cities
In view of the troubling state of the United States economy, shippers are looking for creative ways to reduce transportation costs, specifically…
A Lack of Innovation in Transportation Practices May Hurt Shippers in the Years Ahead
Each year, Mary C. Holcomb, Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee and Karl B. Manrodt, Professor at Georgia Southern University, in…
Don’t Blame the Higher Price of Goods in Canada versus the U.S. on Transportation Costs
There is in interesting article in the Thursday issue of the Toronto Globe & Mail that addresses the issue of the differential…
What it will take to pull the U.S. out of another Great Recession?
Today’s U.S. job numbers coupled with the latest ISM manufacturing report would seem to suggest the American economy is as “flat as…
In The Box Thinking
I have long been a fan of intermodal transportation since the days I ran one of Canada’s largest IMCs. I continue to…
Lessons in Leadership for Transportation Executives from Jack Layton
This week Canadians lost an exceptional leader and citizen with the sad passing of Jack Layton, the head of the New Democratic…
Reconstructing your Transportation Career during the Second Great Contraction
The wild gyrations in the stock market and the continuing bad economic news, particularly on U.S. unemployment and housing prices, make one…
Towards an Understanding of the Truck Capacity Shortage Issue
Over the past several weeks, one of the trucking and logistics groups on LinkedIn has been capturing responses to the question, “How…
The Paradigm Shift in Shipper-Carrier Freight Rate Negotiations
American Shipper released a new study on Freight Procurement Strategies on June 29, 2011. The study was sponsored by JDA. The results…
Intermodal Gears up to Gain Market Share
I have long been a fan of intermodal transportation since the days I ran one of Canada’s largest IMCs. I continue to…
The U.S./Mexico Truck Deal – – a Winner for American Business/a Loser for American Truckers
Beginning the week of July 5, Mexican trucks are being allowed to operate in U.S. territory under a new deal between the…
5 Top Technology Trends in Transportation in the Multi-Device Era
In the “Money” section of the June 30 issue of 50plus, there is an article entitled 5 top tech trends for the…
There is Lots of Good Free Stuff for Transportation Professionals on the Internet
As the years go by, there is an increasing amount of useful content appearing on the internet. Some of it is designed…
Adapting to the ‘new normal’
The improving job numbers provide further confirmation that an economic recovery is underway. The drop in commodity and fuel prices is likely a brief…
The 2011 State of Logistics Report – The “Elusive” Recovery
Rosalyn Wilson presented the CSCMP’s annual State of Logistics Report at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on June 15. Each…
Crafting and Executing a Compelling Vision – a Key Attribute of Successful Leaders
Last week I had the opportunity of seeing the famous ex-CEO of General Electric, Jack Welsh, interviewed on CNN’s Piers Morgan show.…
Yield, Cost and Sales Management are Keys to Recovery in the LTL Transportation Sector
The less than truckload segment of the freight market was hit particularly hard during the Great Recession. This asset-heavy component of the…
Rate Increases – Elevating the Shipper/Carrier “Tug of War” into a Business Partnership
One of the highlights of last week’s Transportation Company Workshop that was held in Toronto was the panel discussions on rate…
A Carrier’s Guide to Responding to Freight Bids
Over the past decade, freight bids have become very popular with shippers across North America. Freight bids, reverse auctions, freight RFP’s and…
It’s still all in the numbers
Freight rates are on the rise in 2011. These increases are being driven by a broad range of forces including tightening capacity,…
Identify and Transform an Underperforming Shipper Organization
A cost effective supply chain can be a competitive weapon. Companies such as Wal-Mart have reaped significant financial rewards from their skills…
Test Article 3
Yoga Article
The Keys to Successful Shipper – Carrier Freight Contracts
Tight capacity is driving shippers and carriers to take a hard look at the value of freight contracts. Shippers are seeking rate…
Shippers are changing their Transportation Paradigms to Address Capacity Shortages and Rising Freight Rates
The improving job numbers this past week provide further confirmation that an economic recovery is under way. The drop in commodity and…
Understanding the Canadian Freight Market
While much of the world’s attention has been focused on the “wedding of the century” in London this week, history is about…
Would Reindustrializing America be the Spark Needed to Produce Stronger Freight Volumes?
For many years America has been the envy of the world. Its powerful, diverse economy helped generate consistent freight growth and produce…
Higher Freight and Fuel Costs could spur more Horizontal Supply Chain Collaboration
This past week I had the privilege of attending and speaking at the Food and Consumer Products of Canada’s (FCPC) first ever…
2011 Carrier Workshop Will Focus on Understanding Shipper Needs and Best Practices
On May 25, Dan Goodwill & Associates and the Business Information Group will co-host its third annual Transportation Company Workshop at the…
It’s still all in the Numbers
Freight rates are on the rise in 2011. These increases are being driven by a broad range of forces including tightening capacity,…
The latest “State of the Freight” Report Highlights Shippers’ Expectations of Higher Rates
Wolfe Trahan & Co. is a Wall Street research firm that has a strong focus on freight transportation. Each quarter they survey…
Shipper Options in dealing with Inbound Freight Programs
Over the past few years, inbound freight management has taken hold like a new weight loss diet, particularly among Canada’s leading retailers.…
Natural Disasters Highlight Need for Supply Chain Risk Management
This has been a challenging winter. In addition to the earthquakes and tsunamis in New Zealand and Japan, harsh winter storms throughout…
The Rising Cost of Crude Oil Casts a Cloud over the Economic Recovery
At the depths of the Great Recession, a barrel of crude oil cost $40. Last Friday, the number closed at over $104…
What TMS system is right for you?
As economic indicators improve, there is growing interest among shippers and buyers of transportation services to re-start some of their infrastructural systems…
Some Carriers Need to Learn how to “Seal the Deal” on New Business
Thankfully business conditions are improving in 2011 and freight volumes are more robust than they have been the past couple of years.…
Best Practices in Transportation – Freight data management: which elements are essential to capture
One of the most frequently repeated lines in business is that you can only manage what you measure. This well known business principle applies just…
How to run a successful freight bid
As shippers continue to face the challenges of capacity shortages, high fuel surcharges and upward pressure on freight rates, many are turning…
RFQ Secrets – How to achieve success with freight bids
As shippers wrestle with the continuingchallenges of tight capacity, increasing freight rates and elevated fuel surcharges, many companies are turning to a…
It’s all in the numbers
A company’s freight spend often represents between 2% and 10% of its total expenses. Formany companies in the manufacturing, distribution and retail…
Competing with the giants
At a recent transportation industry conference, an executive of one of Canada’s major freight carriers was quoted as saying that within the…
The Backup Plan
The safety and dependability of your company’s supply chain can “make or break” your company. A supply chain is only as strong…
Ready for crude oil at $200 a barrel?
Jeff Rubin, a respected CIBC World Markets economist has predicted that crude oil will hit (US) $150 a barrel by 2010 and…
Which TMS is best for you?
As economic indicators improve, there is growing interest among carriers to restart some of their infrastructural systems improvement projects that had been postponed due to cost…
We’re all in the transportation business
Every company that ships products to customers on a regular basis – and which does not now employ some form of automated…
Is there a better LTL pricing scheme?
Freight pricing has been an interest of mine for many years, particularly the pricing of less-than-truckload freight. This somewhat ambiguous category encompasses shipments weighing typically between 100…
Intermodal tsunami coming to North American transportation
The North American intermodal freight system is being transformed. The Class 1 railways are in the process of making significant investments that will reshape and…
Best Practices in Transportation – Building the Organization
Companies that exhibit Best Practices in Transportation tend to be those that are led and managed by excellent people who part of…
Achieving Success with Freight Bids
With the soaring cost of fuel, freight transportation costs are increasing at an alarming rate. Shippers are searching for ways to mitigate…
Friday, June 01, 2007 – Dan Goodwill to Lead Transportation Practice at KOM International
Dan Goodwill to Lead Transportation Practice at KOM International News Release For Immediate release Ref. NRE20061711 KOM International’s Dan Goodwill Now Directs…
Thursday, June 28, 2007 – Dan Goodwill & Associates Forms Strategic Alliance with Schneider Logistics
Dan Goodwill & Associates Forms Strategic Alliance with Schneider Logistics Dan Goodwill and Associates and Schneider Logistics Plan Transportation Consulting Services Alliance Services…
Monday, January 05, 2009 – Jim Papineau to lead Supply Chain Systems & Automation practice at Dan Goodwill & Associates
Jim Papineau to lead Supply Chain Systems & Automation practice at Dan Goodwill & Associates Dan Goodwill & Associates Inc., one of…
Testimonials
Testimonials: These are some of the shippers and carriers we’ve helped over the years: Paper & Forest Products Consumer Food Products…
Executive Profiles
Executive Profiles Dan Goodwill, MBA, P. Log Dan Goodwill has held executive level positions with some of the largest trucking and logistics…
Links
Links Associations Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals Conference Canadian Society of Customs Brokers Tips for Truck Drivers Intermodal Association of North America…
Downloads
Downloads Dan Goodwill and Associates Online Brochure 2012 Dan Goodwill and Associates Corporate Profile
Contact
Contact Dan Goodwill & Associates Inc. Address: 105 Hillhurst Boulevard Toronto, Ontario M5N 1N7, Canada Direct Contact: Telephone: 416.932.9701 Toll-Free: 888.837.7818 Facsimile:…
Carrier Profitability Assessments
Carrier Profitability Assessments Our team has a lifetime of carrier and logistics experience, combined with a comprehensive and current understanding of shippers’…
Investor Consultation
Investor Consultation We provide independent due diligence for potential acquisitions, mergers and partnerships within the transportation sector. With our industry knowledge, contacts,…
Freight Network Optimization
Freight Network Optimization Reduce costs through effectively consolidating and pooling freight Cost savings come from consolidating small orders into larger ones, creating pool…
Freight RFP Consulting
Freight RFP Consulting Freight transportation services can represent up to ten percent of a manufacturer or retailer’s overall expense. Strategic sourcing is…
Transportation Management Consulting
Transportation Management Consulting You can trust the team at DG&A to perform a comprehensive audit of your freight transportation program. We identify,…
Profile
Dan Goodwill & Associates Profile As our company approaches two decades of service, we are appreciative of the support we have received…
Automated Procurement of Ground Transportation Services
This past week I read an article entitled, “Not an Automatic Decision”, written by Eric Johnson that appears in the February issue…
Shippers Must Work Harder in 2011 to Mitigate Freight Rate Increases
There are a number of signs that shippers may come under pressure for freight rate increases this year. An economic recovery is…
Mastering the Art of the Terminal Tour
A terminal tour has long been a key element in the freight transportation purchasing process, particularly for medium and large size LTL…
Companies with Strong Green Strategies are going to be Winners
There have been a lot of words written about “Green” strategies, Lean Manufacturing, Lean Supply Chains and Sustainability over the past decade.…
The Keys to Crafting an Effective Social Media Strategy
At this week’s annual SMC 3 winter meeting in Atlanta, David Tuttle, director of digital strategy at TMP Worldwide, a New York-based…
Where will Jobs be created in Logistics and Transportation?
This begs an obvious question. If we are truly in an economic expansion, where can the unemployed, the underemployed and those unhappy…
Social Media Come to the Trucking Industry
While social media have been around for several years, 2010 was a landmark period in their evolution. The popularity of the movie…
A Shippers Guide to Selecting a Freight Broker – Part 2
I would like to thank the readers of this blog for their positive feedback on last week’s posting and for their suggestions…
A Shipper’s Guide to Selecting a Freight Broker – Part 1
Some shippers have a negative attitude towards freight brokers. Labelling them “freight pimps” or worse, they do not see their value proposition. They…
Achieving Success with Freight Bids
With the soaring cost of fuel, freight transportation costs are increasing at an alarming rate. Shippers are searching for ways to mitigate…
Is it time to move from the NMFC Classification System to a Density/Cube Based LTL Tariff?
As many of you know, the National Motor Freight Classification has been the foundation of the LTL pricing structure for domestic U.S.…
