If you spend over $100,000 on LTL Freight maybe Riverside Logistics can help.
Let’s see why or why not. Riverside Logistics a third-party logistics company (3PL) has considerable buying power in the freight markets for Less-Than-Truckload (LTL), Parcel and Truckload. We also have a significant presence in the Richmond, VA market handling local container drayage, warehouse and plant shuttles and short-haul dedicated moves. We have a strong local following of carriers. We also have a broad portfolio of LTL carriers that can be applied to any Origin/Destination set.
But we are not an omni-budsman (handle anything) Third Party Logistics Company (3pl). Although we’d like to think that we are very good at what we do, we are not one-size fits all 3PL. If you meet most or all of the following criteria, then you are a great candidate for a partnership with Riverside Logistics. If not, then maybe it’s better to just be friends and move on.
- If your company or your branch revenue is between $5 and $100 million in yearly sales.
- If you really don’t have a transportation department per se.
- If the decision-making is done locally not centrally when the company has more than one location.
- If you need both Richmond-based warehousing AND transportation management to go with it.
- If your freight spend for all modes of transport is between $150,000 and $3 million annually.
- If you use a consolidator like FedEx or UPS to handle all your LTL and parcel and (even) your FTL moves.
- If you have no technology platform to tender, route, cost, or track LTL or parcel shipments.
- If you can’t create a digital Bill of Landing (BOL) that ties orders to carriers and provides a full data set.
These criteria are benchmarks. We have found in the 25 years we’ve been in business, that companies who “fit” the above criteria do very well in partnership with us. Our overall book of business includes smaller and larger companies, so the above would not exclude you from being a candidate to work with Riverside. However, the above is definitely a “sweet spot” we found that works well. We do business with a lot of different clients with assorted wants and needs. There is no standard way of doing business, but rather key processes that work well across the demands for transportation and warehousing. We customize our solutions to meet the client’s needs and incorporate technological solutions to provide timely and effective answers for their daily transportation challenges.
How does technology fit into the equation? In the good old days manual routing guides were used by and for clients to handle their LTL and parcel shipments. Today Riverside has a robust technology platform that allows client’s to do their own routings. They can electronically tender, track and trace, cost, (and even pay invoices) using this system. It also allows for reporting and research of the data elements attached to each move over the life span of use. It’s a powerful tool that allows the data to be used timely and effectively on either a daily (short term) or long-term basis.
In today’s fast paced world having data is important; but having an experienced team to help you analyze, find efficiency’s and make decisions to add value is a strategic advantage. Supply chains have been disrupted and now more than ever the team of experienced people at Riverside Logistics may be able to help you navigate the faster pace of change. If you would like to talk to one of our representatives please call us at …804-747-7700 Option 4 or fill out a quote form online.
Are your freight costs going up?
If so, you are not alone. The recent disruption in supply chain due to Covid-19 has been challenging and well documented. Being able to ship product on demand is a basic business need. The challenge in today’s environment is lack of predictability. As Covid-19 cases increased, demand for food to restock grocery stores rose dramatically, while demand for food from restaurants and hotels slowed drastically. This shift is just one example of an extraordinary change in freight demand. As demand goes up, prices go up. As demand goes down, prices go down. When both are happening at the same time…it can be very challenging.
A third-party logistics company can help relieve some of this stress because of the volume of freight they handle and their close monitoring of truck capacity. This volume means they have strong relationships within the transportation industry and warehouse space at their disposal to help provide solutions that many transportation companies cannot offer. A strong 3PL team is dedicated to finding solutions for their customers often in unexpected ways. A 3PL can help “flatten the curve” of your freight cost and reduce the heartburn that comes with high price volatility. Below are a few specific ways a 3PL can help when your freight costs are going up and your demand for freight is changing rapidly.
- Local Delivery – 3PL’s have trucks running every day within a 150-mile radius of their location to serve multiple customers. By putting multiple clients product on one truck the cost is reduced for all. As a matter of fact, when more clients that have different products going to the same locations (Example: hospitals) everyone saves money and reliability increases.
- Dedicated Lanes – If a 3PL has a truck shipping freight from point A to point B for one client and finds another client who needs product shipped from point B to point A, then the 3PL can “match” the driver and truck with the loads. Everyone benefits from this relationship. More predictability, lower cost, and a knowledgeable and reliable driver who knows what you need and when you need it.
- Drayage – International shipments, whether exports or imports, can be difficult to time with respect to labor. A 3PL can help by not only picking up TEU’s (containers) from the port but they can either transport directly to your warehouse or client, or they can cross-dock the product (usually less than a week) at their warehouse to allow more time to find the lowest freight cost available. The Virginia Ports and the Richmond Marine Terminal are very attractive options because of their locations on the East Coast.
- Change in Mode – Another example of how freight costs have shifted dramatically is in the airlines. The cost of using passenger airlines to ship freight internationally has increased because the number of passenger flights has dropped substantially . Before, freight was added to flights that were frequent and reliable so capacity was available at a reasonable cost. Now, with so few flights, there is a significant decrease in freight capacity. Shipping internationally may require dedicated freight flights often with an expedited focus which comes at a much higher cost. How is this problem solved? Maybe with a shift in mode of transportation! Instead of Air freight maybe the shipment travels internationally by ship, or domestically by rail or truck. Obviously, timing can be a factor that needs to be taken into consideration. Low Air Freight may be a long way in the future but a 3PL company can help.
- Flexibility – A 3PL has many solutions to choose from to help lower your freight costs and offer cost savings from unexpected places. As you navigate the uncertain future cost of freight, it only makes sense to develop a partnership that focuses on reducing costs to help you navigate the challenges ahead.
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Riverside Logistics is a third-party logistics and supply chain management company providing a full complement of third-party logistics, transportation and warehousing solutions.
Riverside Logistics serves the Medical, Food, Chemical, Paper and other mission critical industry sectors. Riverside Logistics has owner operator’s and dedicated lanes, with routes throughout Virginia, the Mid-Atlantic and the Southeast. Riverside Logistics offers pooled distribution and consolidated delivery services throughout the 48 states that can save you money. They are headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. To contact Riverside Logistics for a quote call 1-804-474-7700 Option 4 or click here.
2019 Looks Bright for The Ports of Virginia and Riverside Logistics!
The “State of the Port 2019” presented by John F. Reinhart, CEO and Executive Director of the Virginia Port Authority at the recent meeting of the Virginia Maritime Central Chapter was an exciting update. Below is a quick overview and a link to the update. This was an excellent presentation of the growth of the ports in Virginia and the positive effects on our economy.
Here are a few takeaways for RMT (Richmond Marine Terminals):
- FY-2016 – 16,347 containers moved on the barge.
- FY- 2019- Projection of 34,229 will be moving on the barge. More than doubled from 3 years ago.
- This will mean 34,229 trucks will be taken off the highway.
- Second Barge is in Service for Daily Sailings
- Container Staging drop lot will be completed by August of 2019. ( reduce potential for on-port demurrage)
- 37 businesses announced they were locating or expanding their businesses in VA.
Link to the full presentation:
https://www.portofvirginia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/2019_State_of_The_Port_of_Virginia.pdf
Riverside Logistics TMS system provides insight to shippers for the best LTL carrier choices.
Introducing Logistically TMS:
Logistically TMS (LyTMS) was designed with simplicity in mind. The system provides shippers with insight into the best carrier choices for their customer by listing cost and transit information across a wide variety of carrier choices. This allows the user to make an up-to-date informed decision consistent with their immediate requirements for cost and service. Once carrier selection is decided based on your customer requirements, the bill of lading and tendering functions can be generated right from the quote screen, making the transaction very efficient. The Dashboards will allow you to view your shipping patterns and track your costs and shipments in real time. The Logistically TMS offers additional benefits to help manage your freight accurately.
- Automated shipment tracking and event notification.
- Pre-loaded customer database addresses and information.
- Changes to the bill of lading can be done and updated while in the system.
- Total cost metrics are available on demand per customer or carrier
- Multiple users with varying levels of access can be setup as needed
- Quotes can be saved and retrieved at any time to tender to the carrier