December, the final month of 2023, is an interesting time for transportation companies; truck drivers head home for the holidays, freight volumes increase in the retail sector, open-deck shipments slow down and daylight hours shrink. For shippers, December is the final month to move freight before the brand-new year. That said, with so many changes happening within area trucking markets, it can be difficult to do so. In this episode of Beyond the Road, you'll hear from ATS Logistics Sales Team M...
Nov 16, 2023•23 min•Season 2Ep. 2
In our first episode of season two, ATS' Corporate Pricing Manager, Reid joins the podcast to discuss freight pricing. The past few years have been an interesting time for trucking companies; freight rates surged to all-time highs in 2021, only to fall substantially in late 2022 and into 2023. Where does a freight rate swing like this come from? And, perhaps more importantly, what can companies like yours do to ensure success as we head into 2024? In this episode of Beyond the Road, you'll gain ...
Nov 03, 2023•25 min•Season 2Ep. 1
November is a busy month in the transportation industry. Trucking companies around the country feel the impact of retail season and the impending holidays in November and December. As a company with freight to move and a budget to manage, you must understand how November changes things in your neck of the woods and around the nation. Reefer capacity, for example, tends to tighten during Q4, disrupting the companies that use them (particularly in the Northwest). Oversize freight, on the other han...
Oct 23, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 30
Wondering what happens in the transportation industry throughout October? Need some tips to employ to keep your supply chain running smoothly? As the first month of Q4, October kickstarts the final stretch of the year. Your company's supply chain needs to finish 2023 stronger than it started. In this episode of Beyond the Road we break down what happens in the oversize, open-deck, reefer and dry van markets in October. Use this information to avoid the common pitfalls companies encounter during ...
Sep 19, 2023•19 min•Season 1Ep. 29
September will be an interesting month in the transportation industry as dry van and open-deck capacities shift around our nation. Produce season is essentially finished in the southern U.S., forcing these drivers to evaluate their next move. As a company with freight to ship, make sure to stay on top of your transportation supply chain during the 9th month of the year. In this episode of Beyond the Road, you'll get an overview of what trucking will look like this month and Q4. Topics covered in...
Aug 15, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 28
As May ramps up, the transportation marketplace continues to change. This is seen most prevalently in the southern U.S. where produce markets start to soak up capacity. With this realization, truck drivers from around the nation flock to these areas and the heightened earning potential they offer. Construction season also picks up in May, tightening open-deck capacity across the board. This makes providing ample lead time to your carriers more important than ever. It's safe to say May will be an...
Apr 19, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 27
In April, the trucking industry experiences changes on a massive scale. The regional, area and local demand for transportation capacity shifts across the southern U.S. significantly. Similarly, construction projects and tradeshows soak up a lot of open-deck capacity in many regions. As the northern U.S. starts thawing out, frost laws are enacted in these areas and many shippers in these areas feel their impact. In this episode of Beyond The Road, you'll get an overview of what the transportation...
Mar 14, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Logistically speaking, the transportation marketplace undergoes transitions during March that are difficult to ignore. That's why, as your company's logistics expert, it's important to account for things like frost laws, construction season and dry van market shifts. In this episode of Beyond The Road, we'll give you an overview of what's happening in the dry van, flatbed, oversize and refrigerated transportation markets right now, and how we expect things to change in the future. Topics Covered...
Feb 16, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 25
February is kind of a slow month in the transportation industry. There's generally a drop off in the volume of freight moving around the U.S. As a result, you may see freight rates fall in the coming weeks. This makes February a great month to test your carrier relationships and develop systems for optimizing your processes. In this episode of Beyond The Road, Josh joins us to shed some light on how the second month of the year typically goes and to provide some tips for shippers (like you). Top...
Jan 12, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 24
January, like every other month, brings challenges to U.S. supply chains. Throughout the first month of the year, many of these issues are tied to the changing weather in the northern United States and a downturn in eCommerce activities across the board. As a shipper, there are several keys to successfully moving goods in January. Let's make sure your freight get's where it needs to go in one piece. Topics covered in this episode: A Note About Shipping Freight During Winter Shipping Out of the P...
Dec 16, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 23
December is a great month; the Holiday Season begins, snow falls across the northern U.S. and families gather around dinner tables to round out the year. For transportation companies and freight movement, December can be a challenging month. That’s why, in the interest of keeping your cargo moving on time and on your budget this month, it’s important to understand how transportation markets shift in December. In this episode of Beyond The Road, we’ll discuss how freight movement changes to finis...
Nov 15, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 22
There is a ton of transportation activity in November. This can be incredibly disruptive for shippers that don't plan for this uptick in freight movement. As the retail season kicks off and food and beverage freight moves with greater regularity, it's essential you're prepared. Otherwise, you may experience higher-than-usual freight rates and long-term disruption. In this episode of Beyond The Road, we'll go over many of the changes that occur in November and provide some tips for shipping freig...
Oct 25, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 21
As a company with sustainability goals, you're constantly searching for new ways to improve the carbon footprint of your supply chain. SmartWay certifications are one of the ways freight carriers and transportation companies display their commitment to sustainable practices and doing better in the future. Anderson Trucking Service is a full-service transportation company founded on the pillars of integrity and innovation. As such, ATS' four divisions constantly strive to sit among the best in th...
Oct 04, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Breakbulk shipping is a crucial segment of many businesses. Breakbulk Americas is an international breakbulk shipping conference where stakeholders from all over the work gather to network, share best practices and refine their processes. In this episode of Beyond The Road, you'll hear from Carl, one of ATS International's transportation experts as he discusses the Breakbulk Americas trade show and the current state of the breakbulk industry. Topics Covered in This Episode: Breakbulk Americas: T...
Sep 28, 2022•17 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Over the years, October has become synonymous with things like pumpkin pie, Sunday Night Football and piles of leaves begging for the chance to become a playground of color into which children tumble. Don’t worry though, you won’t miss out on all the fun. You see, during its 31 days, October also brings mounds of excitement to the transportation world — creating new roadblocks and challenges for logistics managers to navigate. And, although the leaves outside transition into the beautiful crimso...
Sep 20, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Protecting cargo is top of mind for many companies. That said, ensuring freight arrives at its destination in good condition can sometimes be challenging on open-deck shipments which have external elements, like the weather, to contend with. It’s not like you can avoid shipping these cargoes. So, what can you do to ensure your load is delivered damage-free? You’ve never been one to shrink from a challenge and even though open-deck shipments can get a bit complex, this doesn’t mean the quality of...
Sep 13, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Freight brokerage companies are a staple piece of the transportation industry. With their assistance, companies with cargo to collect and freight to distribute can do so in a swift, and often cost-effective, manner. But what is a freight brokerage really? What do they do, how do they source capacity, what should you expect when working with one and, perhaps most importantly, how do they actually make money? With so much on the line each time you hand freight off to a brokerage, it’s important th...
Sep 06, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 16
September is a pivotal month in many respects. The seasons shift from summer to fall and shorts are swapped for long pants as the warmth of longer days slowly dims. For American families, nights spent at the ballpark watching children live out their Little League dreams, come to a close. Baseball cleats are exchanged for shin guards, the diamond for a grassy field. That said, domestic life isn’t the only thing that changes in September. No, as fantasy football teams are drafted and homemade chil...
Aug 30, 2022•39 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Sometimes, moving freight can be a frustrating process. Struggling to get solid pricing commitments from your transportation providers is more than frustrating though; it’s harmful to your bottom line and reputation. In the pursuit of making yours a company that always delivers for its customers, understanding your transportation spot rates is crucial. Too often, good businesses fall short of their goals and renege on their commitments because the rate(s) they received initially wouldn’t execute...
Aug 23, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 14
There are three main options for transporting freight via marine vessel. These options are roll-on/roll-off (Ro/Ro), containerized/flatrack transportation and breakbulk. Without the proper understanding of, and expectations for, the international transportation service they use, many companies have trouble moving their freight in a time and cost-effective manner. In a world of more than 190 countries and multiple avenues for transporting cargo between them, it’s okay if you feel apprehensive whe...
Aug 16, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Your supply chain is only as good as its weakest link. Unfortunately, this title is sometimes held by the transportation providers you utilize — companies you rely on to help you deliver for customers. Without a well-rounded network of carriers, meeting your business goals will be a constant struggle. Which raises the question: Why is it so difficult to maintain a network of reliable companies? Perhaps most importantly though, what key performance indicators should you monitor each provider on t...
Aug 09, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 12
August is a month that can have a serious impact on the trucking industry, national supply chains and your shipping dollars — a fact that will hold true this year. What makes August a unique time for the transportation marketplace? And what should are we expecting to see this year in particular? August can be a challenging time for underprepared shippers. However, with the right information and preparation, you’ll have no trouble getting the most from your supply chain this month. In this episod...
Aug 02, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Freight brokerages that operate with an agent model are a widely popular option used by shippers around our nation. These companies offer their service at a high level as they prioritize customer service and follow-through over everything. As you continue your pursuit of a well-optimized transportation network, agent-model freight brokerages are certainly worth consideration. That said, agent model brokerages also have a list of weaknesses that you should keep in mind when doing so. In this epis...
Jul 26, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Making the best transportation provider selection decision for your business will take more than a basic understanding of your options. Selecting a single great transportation company can be challenging. Filling your network with them can feel next to impossible. Choosing a company based on a single metric or quality alone won’t make this any easier. And, with so much at stake for your business and customers, you can’t afford to make too many wrong choices. Still. . . there are a lot of options ...
Jul 19, 2022•39 min•Season 1Ep. 9
If you’ve recently, or ever, used less-than-truckload or partial-truckload transportation services for your freight, you’re probably wondering why the transit timing for these shipments is so hard to predict -- especially at the time of pick up. This can be extremely frustrating especially if you consider that your full-truckload shipments frequently arrive quicker than these other shipping services. Why does this happen though? It seems backward, if anything a truck fully loaded with your freig...
Jul 12, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Meeting the aggressive deadlines associated with project freight shipping takes a high level of oversight, comprehensive planning and a reliable mix of transportation options — a fact that’s not lost on you. No one, yourself included, wants their project to be thrown off track due to a lack of options and an inability to find timely, cost-effective transportation solutions. So, it’s understandable that you would look to mitigate this risk and expand your reach by working with as many providers a...
Jul 05, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In the trucking industry, July makes busy bees of us all as produce season in southern states continues to ramp up and Q3 stretches its legs in anticipation of an exciting three months. While July is a great time to catch some much-needed rays out on the water with your friends and family, finding truck capacity may prove a bit trickier. The 4th of July will be disruptive and practically every driver will have work to do. So what does all of this mean for you? And, how should you plan to make Ju...
Jun 28, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 6
If, as a shipper, entering a drop trailer agreement with your provider has ever intrigued you, you’re in the right place. Utilizing drop trailers can make a significant impact on the right supply chain, allowing these companies to gain efficiencies and keep their freight moving consistently. Up to this point, though, it has likely been difficult to figure out whether a drop trailer program would fit your needs — let alone how to facilitate one properly. In this episode of Beyond The Road, let’s ...
Jun 21, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Open-deck freight shipping using flatbed, step-deck and double-drop trailers, though an intricate process, shouldn't break the bank. You have a transportation budget to stick to and rigid freight requirements. That is why you can't afford to overpay for your open-deck shipment unnecessarily. However, with so many factors influencing the spot rates you receive, it can be difficult to budget for this expense. What rate per mile (RPM) should you expect for your next shipment? How much will this var...
Jun 07, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 4
National holidays are meant to be relaxing and stress-free, a time for reconnection with family and friends. When it comes to shipping freight over the days leading up to, or immediately following them, however, stress is often unavoidable. Why does moving freight around a national holiday get more difficult? Has it always been that way? Most importantly, is paying more to move your cargo unavoidable in these situations? These are the question we’ll seek to answer in this episode of Beyond the R...
May 31, 2022•19 min•Season 1Ep. 3
