Freight rates got you down? Freight rates have settled a bit during the last two weeks of October--probably due to Hurricane Michael. Even so, 2018, as a whole, has been a year of change, fluctuations, and rising contract rates. In fact, according to The Journal of...
Do you use a Freight Broker? At last count, there were about 18,000 freight brokers operating in the United States. You’ve probably had the opportunity, or more likely the need, to work with one during the past year. Maybe one of your critical loads got...
If you’re a shipper (or carrier) chances are you’ve been hearing or reading about “load optimization,” a lot these days. It’s a buzz phrase in transportation circles. In fact, 3PL people and techie folks like to throw the term around, promising to help you “optimize your...
by Connor Dixon, CTB I’ve been working at AM Transport Services for five and a half years. That’s why I was excited to attend my first TIA Convention this year. Even as a first-time attendee, I could see how the members of the TIA are a...
Shippers continue to experience the spot market blues. According to DAT Solutions, the average spot rate for trucking was 2.15 per mile at the end of March. The natural disasters occurring in the last half of 2017 merged with the ELD Mandate and the continuing driver...
By Michael McKinney, CTB This week, I was notified that AM Transport received a longevity award from the TIA (Transportation Intermediaries Association) for 25 years of continuous membership since 1993. I have to admit, it’s pretty cool to be recognized, and it’s hard for me to believe...
By Michael McKinney, CTB “Culture eats strategy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.” --Peter Drucker, Founder of the Drucker Institute Why would a shipper work with a small company like AM Transport? It’s a valid question; after all, we compete with multibillion dollar behemoths who have vast financial resources,...
Carriers are purchasing new trucks at record levels. According to the Wall Street Journal, heavy-duty truck orders hit a whopping 48,700—twice as many during the same time frame last year. Some industry people believe this might loosen the crunch of tight capacity. But is capacity coming...
Michael McKinney, CTB Who do you blame when the new stackable washer/dryer you ordered doesn’t show up? It was shipped--these days you can track almost any order--but it’s now a week or two late, and you’re tired of lugging your family’s clothes to the neighborhood laundromat. Are...
Driver shortage; natural disasters; and an ever-tightening capacity giving you the spot market blues? What recourse does a shipper have? A few weeks back, a worried customer, feeling the capacity crunch frantically demanded a meeting. Let’s face it, when natural disasters and federal mandates mix it up...
