Riverside Logistics

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July 9, 2021 by Logistics

Why is my Less Than Truckload (LTL) freight pricing going up and my service level going down?

As it stands right now, the LTL (Less-than-Truckload) market is best described as “STRESSED”. This is probably an understatement. All carriers, regional and nation-wide, are saying the same thing. It’s a tough environment out there. Terminals are over-loaded, service levels have deteriorated, embargoes are in place in select markets and pricing is under extreme pressure.

The first question should be “how did we get here”? In one word = PANDEMIC. Carriers anticipated that volumes would dry up due to the pandemic lockdowns. They furloughed and retired staff and drivers only to be left without enough help when the volumes not only returned but increased from pre-pandemic levels.

Now as we fast-forward to today, we are seeing multiple carriers, especially the nationals, shutting down flows into and out of specific terminals to reduce terminal congestion from excess supply. These “embargoes” are causing further stresses to the system. As one carrier shuts off capacity, another gets overloaded, and on and on and on. It’s a domino type effect that is not dissipating quickly.

So, let’s turn to service levels. They are lower, in some cases much lower. Your freight is sitting in the pipeline longer and delaying delivery to your customer. You identify the problem, push for better delivery, but it back-fires on you by causing more delays. The driver shortage is making it very tough for carriers to get the job done.

Finally, the pricing is going up. If you have contracts in place good for you. If you don’t, we would suggest you either get them in place or deal with a 3PL who has solid contractual commitments that won’t rise with the tide.

It’s not all doom and gloom. Carriers are slowly recovering, and capacities are adjusting to volumes. As supply improves, demand subsides, and capacity levels out, the service, pricing and overall market conditions will improve. How fast? Not fast enough. I would anticipate the network balancing in late 2021 or early 2022. Until then, make sure you align with the right partners who can help steer you successfully through this current environment.

Filed Under: News & Events, Transportation News Tagged With: Carriers, Freight Cost Management Solutions, Less than Truckload (LTL), Richmond, Riverside Logistics, Truck Brokerage Firm, VA, Virginia

May 1, 2021 by Logistics

Richmond Marine Terminal

(In)land of opportunity

Filed Under: Virginia Ports Tagged With: Richmond, Richmond Marine Terminal, Riverside Logistics, Third Party Logistics Companies near the port, VA, Warehouse Near Norfolk Port, Warehouse near the Richmond Marine Terminal, Warehouse near Virginia Ports

April 29, 2021 by Logistics

Great visit with Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) team!

Scott Claus of Riverside Logistics presents to the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) in Richmond, VAGreat visit with Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) team to discuss how Riverside Logistics benefits from its membership. Thanks to Ann Reinke, CEO for visiting with her team to learn more about “Why” Riverside is a member of TIA. Also, received some good information from Matt Evans, Director of Marketing and Communications and Paul Leahy, Director of Membership on upcoming events to better serve its members. We are fortunate to have an advocate like TIA striving to better serve our membership.

 

Riverside Logistics Leaders ship team with the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) in Richmond, VA)Why Join the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA)

Filed Under: News & Events, Transportation News Tagged With: Health care Logistics, Logistics Companies near the Richmond, Marine Terminal, Richmond, Riverside Logistics, Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), VA, Virginia

April 2, 2021 by Logistics

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.

  1. If your company or your branch revenue is between $5 and $100 million in yearly sales.
  2. If you really don’t have a transportation department per se.
  3. If the decision-making is done locally not centrally when the company has more than one location.
  4. If you need both Richmond-based warehousing AND transportation management to go with it.
  5. If your freight spend for all modes of transport is between $150,000 and $3 million annually.
  6. If you use a consolidator like FedEx or UPS to handle all your LTL and parcel and (even) your FTL moves.
  7. If you have no technology platform to tender, route, cost, or track LTL or parcel shipments.
  8. 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.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: News & Events, Supply Chain, Third-Party Logistics (3PL), Transportation News Tagged With: Cross Dock, Expedited Freight, FedEx, Freight Quote, Freight Spend, How to save money on Freight, LTL Freight, Norfolk Port, Parcel Shipments, Richmnond, Richmond Marine Terminal, RMT, Third-Party Logistics Company (3PL), Transportation Companies near the Virginia Ports, UPS, VA, Virginia Business

February 25, 2021 by Logistics

Supply Chains After A Year Of Disruptions

It has been a year since supply chains were disrupted due to Covid-19.  Yet businesses are still being challenged due to consistent disruptions to product supply and/or demand.  Inventories have continued to climb on some commodities while others cannot be purchased at any price.  Companies have ordered earlier only to have product delayed by stockouts or transportation interruptions.  Economic realities of the constant shift are becoming the norm.

Challenges are ahead for business that are stuck in the market flux.  Companies continue to look for regional and local solutions to supply problems they have traditionally solved offshore.  Creating a regionally based supply chain can provide options for a market that is in flux.  Flexible solutions for storage and distribution are the advantages of a third-party logistics (3PL) firm ensuring that you can change with market demand.

Leveraging Virginia’s vast range of transportation modes and modern highway network is one option to differentiate your supply chain. The Virginia transportation network offers cost advantages by being able to reach over 50% of the US population in one day.  Virginia continues to rank #1 as the best state for business which offers significant growth opportunities for companies needing a presence in this region.

According to Keith Hamlett, President of Riverside Logistics, “A 3PL partner can provide expertise for clients facing these challenging issues in the supply chain by offering flexible ways to diversify or expand your supply chain.”  Here is a list of value-add services provided by 3PL companies.

 

People – A 3PL has experienced staff with distribution solutions experience and can provide the appropriate personnel customized for your environment. They have training solutions in place to help speed this process. This ensures your supply chain will be in place quickly.

 

Warehouse Space Available – Experienced 3PL’s have warehouse space they can modify for your specific needs.  Special certifications can be provided for food, pharmaceuticals, hazardous materials, or other unique markets.  Usually, 3PL’s will have multiple locations offering flexible solutions for your product.

 

Transportation Solutions – An advantage of working with a 3PL company is they have a broad array of freight service options.  Truckload, Less-than-Truckload (LTL), Small Package and container drayage are just a few of the modes that can be considered. Utilizing the right service can save you money.

 

Technology – Specialized software can be expensive to purchase and implement. Utilizing a 3PL’s Warehouse and Transportation Management systems to minimize your distribution costs is smart.  Access to real time data such as orders, inventory status, competitive transportation rates and other metrics speeds information flow to you and your customers.

 

Supply Chain Strategies – Partnering with a 3PL can provide you with expertise and guidance to secure your supply chain and focus on your company’s goals – not just right now but for the future.

 

 

Filed Under: News & Events, Supply Chain Tagged With: 3PL Solutions, Certified Transportation Broker, Richmond, Riverside Logistics, Supply Chain Disruptions, Supply Chain Strategies, VA, Warehouses near Virginia Ports

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