After several record setting years, 2023 saw shifts to the freight market. How did the 2023 freight market affect shipper and carrier businesses? Did other businesses have the same struggles as yours? Are they expecting to face similar difficulties in 2024? How are their partner relationships? 

Trinity Logistics wanted to get answers to these questions for you, so we asked a random sample of our shipper and carrier relationships to gauge the effect 2023 had on their business and what their expectations for 2024 in our first Freight Market Survey. Here’s what we found out:

2023 SHipper & Carrier Data: Freight Market Survey Results

Past Challenges – Same, But Different

Considering the recent turndown of demand and the freight market, it’s not a big surprise that money was the biggest issue for shippers and carriers alike. Shippers answered that transportation costs were their biggest challenge in 2023, with supply chain delays/disruption and capacity not far behind. Low rates and increasing operating costs were the main challenges facing carriers. 

Business Impact – Could Have Been Better

Even with the change in consumer demand trending downwards throughout 2023, most shippers answered that their year was good overall. Carriers on the other hand seemed to face a rougher year in business with over half of them stating their year could have been better or was poor. 

A LOOK INTO 2024

Future Challenges – Money Problems

2024 isn’t looking much different in terms of challenges compared to 2023. Shippers look to have the same financial challenges as they did in 2023 with transportation costs, supply chain delays/disruption, and decreased demand being the top concerns selected. Carriers are still concerned about low rates, operating costs, and low freight volumes hurting their businesses. 

Hot Trends

Even though transportation costs are shippers’ strongest concerns in their previous answers, it seems the increased amount of supply chain disruptions and delays we’ve all experienced in these recent years have hit a nerve, with the majority answering that supply chain resilience is the trend their business is most interested in. Cybersecurity also looks to be a growing interest.

Carriers on the other hand, interestingly enough, look to the recent trend of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Also, as noted in the comment boxes of our “Other” option, increased rates and better fuel prices were trends they’d like to see in 2024. 

Load Volumes & Capacity – Slightly Positive Outlook

Overall, shippers are slightly more optimistic for 2024, thinking it won’t bring any change or the change it brings will be positive. Most think load volumes will stay the same or there will be a little more in freight volumes this year. As for truck capacity, they think it will be the same as 2023 or slightly tighter. 

Carriers also think 2024 will bring more freight volumes and that capacity will likely stay the same or get tighten slightly versus 2023.  

Spot or Contract?

Year-over-year, shippers aren’t looking to change much in terms of which market they turn to. Most look to continue to put most of their freight on the spot market.

For carriers, there looks to be some change anticipated. In 2023, most carriers ran spot market freight but in 2024, over half of them look to haul contracted freight. 

Do Shippers Have a TMS?

It’s 2024, so you’d think most shippers would have a transportation management system (TMS), and no surprise, they do. For those that don’t and answered, it seems they did not have a good experience with one in the past or don’t know enough about them. 

Brokers Are the Way to Go

When asked how they like to move their shipments, most shippers use a mix of carriers and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) or just 3PLs. A few do use their own trucks. For those that do outsource to 3PLs, they usually just stick to one provider.

Shippers most often look to a 3PL for help with their everyday shipments, for transportation management, visibility, and access to their capacity. The main reason shippers choose not to work a 3PL for their logistics? They don’t like the risk. 

Transportation Modes – Staying Consistent

Overall, shippers aren’t looking to change what transportation modes they use for their shipments. Truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) are the primary modes they like to use, with a little diversification sprinkled in.

Exceptional Service Stands the Test of Time

When it comes to their logistics partners, shippers find the most value in receiving exceptional service, with costs coming in as a close second. 

Most Wanted: Long Mileage, Flatbed Shipments

When it comes to mileage, most carrier companies tend to run long-hauls or a mix of short and long shipments. Flatbed hauls are the type of shipments most carriers like to haul with dry van coming in as a close second. 

Load Boards are the Way

With 74 percent selecting this option, load boards are the norm for carriers to find available shipments. Sometimes they use their shipper relationships, and occasionally they make use of a 3PL. 

3PLs – Expanding a Carrier’s Reach

Carriers most often look to a 3PL for help with gaining access to available shipments that they wouldn’t have otherwise. Covering backhauls are another big reason carriers reach out to a 3PL. 

For those that choose to not work with a 3PL, it’s often because of money; rates not being high enough. Surprisingly in the comments, many are not familiar with what a 3PL or freight broker is as well.  

When it comes to measuring value in their 3PL partners, most carriers want good rates and great communication.

Fraud Concerns Growing

Fraud and scams have been growing in the industry, so we wanted to know what carriers think about it. Carriers are most worried about double and triple brokering affecting their businesses compared to concerns of identity theft or cargo theft. 

Craft Beer Logistics: Navigate Complexity, Grow Your Business

Beer, a beloved and timeless beverage. It’s a staple in many cultures and continues to be one of the world’s most popular drinks. A growing subset in beer is the craft beer industry, known for its robustness, variety of flavors, and highlighting regional tastes. According to the Brewers Association, in 2022, craft beer sales increased five percent and now account for almost a quarter of the U.S. beer market. While the demand for craft beer grows, the logistics behind its distribution is increasingly complex.

Craft brewery owners often wear many hats and have lots of tasks to hop on. This can include handling their logistics. This includes more than just the shipping of their beer but the many ingredients and equipment that go into making it. From start to finish, these beer supply chains involve numerous stages and stakeholders, including ingredient manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.

Having effective logistics planning and processes is crucial for craft brewers to meet their growing demand and provide great service to their stakeholders. Managing their supply chains can be difficult to do alone, which is why a third-party logistics (3PL) provider can be a valuable resource to growing craft breweries. 

LOGISTICS CHALLENGES FACING THE CRAFT BEER INDUSTRY

Knowing how to legally and efficiently manage their shipping networks is a crucial part of running a successful craft brewery business. There are several challenges craft brewers face such as keeping temperature control throughout transportation, meeting state regulations, and meeting customer demand.   

PERISHABLE INGREDIENTS AND PRODUCTS

The need for temperature control in the logistics of craft beer is paramount to preserve the integrity of any needed ingredients or finished products.

Craft brewers also often experiment with ciders, mead, and other malt beverages with specialized flavors, which can include perishable ingredients like fruit. The shelf life of the raw materials and craft beer brings along the element of urgency, placing even more importance on on-time deliveries. Coordinating these shipments to ensure quality beer adds an additional layer of complexity to the logistics process.

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Navigating the web of regulations for shipping beer in logistics can be a considerable challenge. Regulations for shipping alcohol vary from state to state, meaning you’ll need to be compliant based on where you are shipping to and from. Additionally, state laws will often change every few years, making it even more difficult.

Craft brewers must also find carriers with the correct licensing, knowledge, and experience to handle the unique requirements of transporting alcoholic beverages. It’s important to work with a logistics provider that knows all the ins and outs of meeting your product’s requirements and state regulations to prevent costly disruptions due to non-compliance.

MEETING CUSTOMER DEMAND

As craft brewers reach more customers, the more need there is for effective logistics planning. Having to juggle keeping track of supplies, determining the most efficient distribution methods, and preparing for any supply chain disruption can be overwhelming. Having a successful craft brewery goes beyond just brewing great beer, but ensuring it reaches the consumer when and where they want it.

Managing costs is on top of rolling out new beverages can be a significant challenge for craft breweries. Having efficient strategies, such as freight consolidation or finding the most cost-effective mode of transportation, can help keep costs in check. This is where an expert third-party logistics company (3PL) can assist with strategy and technology, like a transportation management system (TMS) for visible reporting.

3PL BENEFITS: BREWING SUCCESS WITH TRINITY LOGISTICS

While there may be difficulties to face in the dynamic world of craft brewing, partnering with a 3PL like Trinity Logistics can alleviate the burden. Here’s why working with us for your craft beer shipping and supply chain is the perfect recipe for success:

Our Only Job is Logistics

Logistics is what we handle day in and day out. When you trust us with your freight, you get more time to focus on what you do best – brewing exceptional beer and growing your business.

Experts in Specialized Shipments

Understanding the nuances of transporting freight with specialized requirements, such as temperature control, is our expertise. Whether it’s raw materials or the final product, we ensure everything arrives in optimal condition.

Regulation Compliance

Our dedicated Team and compliance department work diligently to ensure the necessary regulations are meant to provide you peace of mind and reduced risk.

Tracking and Tracing

We understand transparency is key to your success, so we offer several ways to view and keep track of your freight, no matter the time of day.

Effective Logistics Strategies

Whether you need help with something as simple as finding the most cost-effective mode of transportation to freight consolidation, we can help you find and implement strategies to optimize your supply chain and manage costs. It doesn’t matter if it’s just one or 20 pallets of freight, we can arrange full truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), expedited, or any other mode you may need. 

Reduced Risk

At Trinity, we meticulously verify all carrier relationships that we work with, not just during the initial setup but for every shipment. We’re also proud to share that less than one percent of all shipments coordinated with Trinity Logistics end up in a claim. If something does happen, we have a Cargo Claims Department at the ready to assist you in navigating any issues.

24/7/365 Support

No matter what happens, we’re ready to support you around the clock. We have a dedicated After-Hours Team to continue the monitoring of your freight and are ready to quickly resolve potential challenges, no matter the time of night, holidays, and every weekend.

Trustworthy Carrier Relationships

We treat and respect our carrier relationships just as much as our shipper ones. We aim to build a strong partnership with each one to help their businesses be successful. Because of that, we’ve built strong and trusted partnerships with those in our carrier network, providing you further confidence that your freight will arrive safely.

Managed Transportation

Whether you solely need a TMS for your transportation management, you’re looking for a fully outsourced solution, or something in between, we can help. We understand companies don’t come one-size-fits-all, and neither should the services you need to optimize your logistics. Our Managed Transportation services cater to businesses of all sizes and needs, capable of growing right alongside your brewing venture.

Partnering with Trinity Logistics offers you more than just transportation services. We’re a trusted, strategic ally that’s invested in seeing your business succeed. Leave the logistics to the seasoned experts, so you can focus on creatively and passionately brewing while we ensure your craft brews reach your consumers right when they want it.

Consumers want more fruits and vegetables in their diets but produce shippers must face these common logistics challenges to keep up with their demand.

It’s hard to deny the nutritional value fruits and vegetables bring to our diets. It’s likely why there’s been substantial growth in consumer demand for produce over the past decade. While that’s great for businesses based in produce, there’s also greater pressure for produce shippers to deliver.

The journey from farm to table can be surprisingly complex for fruits and vegetables. Produce shippers face several hurdles that they need to overcome for their products to deliver fresh and meet the growing consumer demand. Let’s explore the intricacies of these difficulties and how they all can be taken care of by working with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider, like Trinity Logistics. 

CHALLENGE 1: CHOOSING BEST TRANSPORTATION MODE

Produce shippers first face the challenge of determining what transportation mode to use for their shipments. With produce, half of its shelf life is spent in transit. It’s also reported that roughly 33 percent of produce is lost or wasted during its journey, according to the Logistics Bureau.

This is why produce shippers must ask themselves these questions to help determine the right transportation mode for their shipment.

What’s best for your product?

What can you afford?

How much time does your produce have?

Air is great for foods that have a very short shelf life and may need expedited shipping. However, air is often the most expensive of your options. Rail can offer you cost savings but requires more travel time, often two to three days. This option is often saved for produce with a longer shelf life. Lastly, there’s truckload shipping, which offers several shipping options and costs, depending on factors like whether you need a full truck, expedited shipping, or freight consolidation.

CHALLENGE 2: SELECTING THE RIGHT CARRIER PARTNER

The next challenge produce shippers need to tackle is choosing the right carrier to pick up and deliver their shipment. This may be the most crucial task of all because the carrier you choose can make or break your shipment. You need to trust the carrier you choose has experience in handling your specific cargo and meeting food safety regulations, especially for those that need temperature control.

CHALLENGE 3: MAINTAINING FRESHNESS/QUALITY

Maintaining freshness is one of the primary logistics challenges for produce shippers. Millions of dollars are wasted each year on produce that didn’t maintain freshness by delivery.

Produce begins to deteriorate the moment it’s harvested, so the risk of decomposition is equal to, or perhaps even greater, to produce shippers than those of theft or delay. Fresh or frozen produce needs to be stored and transported at specific temperatures to ensure its quality when bought and eaten by the consumer. Even the amount of humidity, light, or kind of packaging can affect a produce product, so produce shippers face this challenge in every segment of their shipping.

Every kind of produce also has different needs. Some need very specific environments to maintain freshness. Others can stay at room temperature or take on more handling. Shelf life is also something to consider. Produce with short shelf lives will need quick transit from farm to store. This also means several kinds of produce often can’t ship together. Since there is no one-size-fits-all process for produce, it’s important for produce shippers and their logistics partners to understand what’s needed for the specific product to deliver at peak quality.

CHALLENGE 4: SHIPMENT VISIBILITY

Tracking and shipment visibility is essential for produce shippers to be able to reduce risk. Without a clear look into your shipments, you’re left in the dark and uncertain whether your product will arrive on time or in acceptable condition.

This can challenge more than just produce shippers, but all stakeholders in a company’s supply chain. Miscommunication can happen between retailers and sellers as well, causing miscalculations in capacity planning or undependable forecasts. Real-time visibility and data are absolutely needed for produce shippers to enhance transparency with their business partners and gain more control over their supply chains.

CHALLENGE 5: REGULATIONS

Navigating regulations is a huge challenge for produce shippers. Failure to meet those regulations can lead to severe and often costly consequences. For example, in the U.S., produce shippers must comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which entails specific guidelines for food safety.

There are also quality standards and labeling requirements to be met. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a strict grading system to determine the quality of produce, considering its size, shape, color, and defects.

CHALLENGE 6: HANDLING ANY CLAIMS

There’s always a risk for claims in shipping, but claims can happen more often for produce shippers compared to other industries, due to its shorter shelf life. The majority of claims we see in produce shipping are the result of spoilage, which can happen for many different reasons. 

Handling claims for produce is slightly more difficult due to the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). When handling produce claims, it’s important you and your transportation provider understand and follow PACA. 

HOW TRINITY LOGISTICS HELPS PRODUCE SHIPPERS OVERCOME THEIR CHALLENGES

All those challenges listed above that you may face – we know how and are prepared to handle them.

After 45 years of serving shippers in the food and beverage industry, we’re experts in its logistics requirements and regulations. We also take part in industry organizations, like the International Fresh Produce Association, so we stay knowledgeable about what may affect produce shippers. 

When it comes to choosing your transportation mode, we have a multitude of options available to support you, whether you’re looking for help with one shipment or a fully outsourced logistics solution.

Additionally, we work with trusted carrier relationships that have been fully vetted to ensure your product travels safely and delivers on time. This includes vetting that reefer equipment is not older than 2012 and a temp-reading or download can be made readily available for any refrigerated or frozen produce shipments.

No matter where your freight is in its journey, we provide you with several real-time tracking options to stay fully informed. Through our Managed Transportation service and the use of a transportation management system (TMS), you can find more visibility and data to improve your supply chain processes and communication.

And then there are claims. While we wish every situation could go smoothly, there can still be mishaps. Even so, we’re proud to share that less than one percent of all shipments coordinated with Trinity Logistics end up in a claim. That’s likely because we work with shippers and receivers to monitor load and unload times, checking to ensure trailer doors are not left open, causing temperatures to fluctuate outside of any required ranges.

Now, fear not, because if something does happen, we’re able to help with that too. We have an in-house expert Claims Team to help negotiate any produce claims on your behalf, with an average rate of 60 days in resolving cargo claims.

By working with Trinity Logistics for your produce shipments, you’ll also gain an extra benefit – experiencing our acclaimed People-Centric service. It’s what our customers praise the most about our services and keeps them returning to Trinity Logistics for their logistics needs.

If you’re tired of tackling these produce shipping challenges alone, it may be time to get connected and join the thousands of shippers that choose to make their logistics easy with Trinity Logistics. You won’t be-leaf our exceptional service until you try it!  

Get Out of Your Produce Shipping Pickle

Partner with Trinity Logistics and easily expand the shipping services offered by your Freight Agency.

There are so many benefits to being an Independent Freight Agent. You have the flexibility to run your business in a way that works for you while having the support of a large brokerage behind you, you’re able to work from anywhere that has Wi-Fi, you have the potential for unlimited income, and more! The benefits of being a Freight Agent are too many to list!

There can also be challenges. One of these challenges is the feeling that you must know it all when it comes to moving freight. Perhaps you’re a truckload shipping expert that has a customer with less-than-truckload (LTL) or drayage freight to move. Maybe you know LTL like the back of your hand, but you see warehousing opportunities with one of your shipping customers.

Now, how can you learn all you need to know to serve each of your unique customer’s shipping needs while still maintaining a thriving business? One option is to hire people for your office that have expertise in all the different modes of transportation. Or, an easier and less costly option, you can partner with a freight broker that has subject matter experts in all modes at your disposal!

Expand Your Shipping Solutions with Trinity Logistics

Trinity Freight Agents have access to supportive Operations Teams that specialize in all the modes and specialized shipping services we offer:

• LTL
• Drayage
• Expedited
• Air
• Ocean
• International
• Intermodal
• Warehousing

If it’s transportation-related, Trinity has experts ready to help support and grow a Freight Agent’s business. It doesn’t stop at just educating our Freight Agents. These Operations Teams can both educate you and manage the freight! 

Our Teams Are Ready to Support Your Freight Agent Business

Less Than Truckload (LTL)

Trinity has a fully trained and equipped Operations Team to handle your customer’s LTL needs. The Team handles quoting through delivery including tracking and tracing and delivery notifications. You, as the Freight Agent, maintain your customer relationship while this Team takes care of the rest! You can even give your customer direct access to our LTL operating system to quote and track shipments.   

Expedited/Drayage/Intermodal/International/Warehousing

Trinity’s Advanced Services Team is a one-stop shop for quoting any of these services. With established carrier relationships in these complex modes, this Team can quote, dispatch, and manage the cargo through transit.

Managed Services/TMS

Is your customer interested in a transportation management system (TMS)? With Trinity, you can offer just a TMS, a fully outsourced Managed Transportation solution, or anything in-between. We can fully customize a Managed Transportation solution to meet your customer’s unique needs. Now you can take your customer from solely working with you for truckload shipments to fully outsourcing their logistics to you!

Wait, Don’t Forget Our Education Team

Trinity’s internal education department, Trinity University, offers classes so you can learn all modes offered as well as sales, negotiation, technology training, and more! Virtual classes are held every month, giving you the opportunity to increase your sales skills and introduce you to any new Trinity Technology. Most importantly, we offer our Freight Agents the same opportunities as our Team Members. In addition, there are many virtual courses offered outside our monthly classes through our learning management platform. That means you can take these courses in your own time, and they cover various topics, such as leadership, cybersecurity, and customer service.

Join Trinity’s Freight Agent Network and Start Growing

We realize you have a choice of who you’d like as your Freight Agency’s partner. So now is the time to ask yourself – is your current 3PL partner offering you the support and education you need to expand your shipping services and grow your business?

If that answer is no, then perhaps Trinity Logistics may be able to help. Trinity has over 30 years of experience aiding in the success of our Freight Agent offices. We realize that Freight Agents are an integral part of Trinity’s business, which is why we aim to support and invest in our Freight Agent network to offer our relationships the opportunity to grow to their fullest potential.

So, if you’re looking for a long-term 3PL partnership that is supportive of your growth, offers you continued education and operations support to keep you competitive, and most of all, is made up of a Team of people who are passionate, dedicated, and striving for excellence, then Trinity Logistics may be the Freight Agent program for your business.

If you feel like you’re leaving opportunities on the table because you can’t handle it all yourself, reach out to a Freight Agent representative to learn more about how Trinity’s Operations Teams can help support your business.

Call Trinity’s Agent Support Team at 800-846-3400 ext. 1908.

If you’d like to learn more about our Freight Agent Program, click the button below.

SEAFORD, DE, July 18th, 2023 – Trinity Logistics, a leading third-party logistics (3PL) provider, is proud to share that the company has been named a Top 100 3PL by Inbound Logistics.

Every year, Inbound Logistics publishes its annual 3PL edition including its Top 100 3PL list. The theme of this year’s edition surrounds growth. Outsourcing supply chain, logistics, and transportation solutions to a trusted partner is important to prepare or position companies for times of growth. Hundreds of 3PL companies submitted credentials to be considered this year and IL selected the top 100 3PLs to help companies manage growth, efficiently meet demand, and improve service while holding down costs, with Trinity Logistics selected in that list. 

Trinity Logistics has a long history of providing innovative and customer-focused solutions, offering a wide range of services, including warehousing, multiple modes of transportation, technology, and transportation management. 

“Trinity is committed to providing our customers with the best possible experience to help them grow and succeed,” said Sarah Ruffcorn, President of Trinity Logistics. “This award is a wonderful recognition of the commitment our Team makes to our shipper and carrier relationships. We are honored to be known as a 3PL partner that companies can depend on to support their growth.”

This is the third year Trinity Logistics has earned recognition as a Top 100 3PL by Inbound Logistics. The recognition is a testament to the company’s growing brand of People-Centric service and customized logistics solutions available to businesses of all sizes and growth goals. 

Learn how Trinity Logistics helped these companies grow their business.

Thinking Trinity Logistics might be the 3PL partner to support your company’s growth?

Freight is always on the move, every single day, seven days a week, 24/7. There are different types of ways to move freight, whether it’s shipping international, drayage, truckload, or intermodal, all have different paths to the same destination. But what about those last-minute shipments or freight that has a quick turnaround?

Throughout this article we will discuss:

• The basics
• The difference between this and standard shipping
• The importance and benefits of shipping freight expedited
• The different forms of expedited shipping
• How to partner with the right company

WHAT IS EXPEDITED SHIPPING?

Expedited shipping sounds just like what it is, a means to move freight as quickly as possible from point A to point B. This shipping mode is for those time-sensitive shipments you may have. 

It’s also an option when the freight is high-value or fragile, and you would like for it to go in a dedicated truck instead of using truckload or less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping. Or for when you might just need a sprinter van or straight truck for your freight.

Any freight requiring expedited is on a single truck and typically has one driver, but team drivers can be made available upon request. This helps reduce long transit times by having the drivers take turns to keep the truck moving without any stops.

Expedited shipping can be between one and twelve pallets and under 10,000 pounds. This shipping method can be over-the-road (OTR), less-than-truckload (LTL), or air international shipping. While this mode of transportation is often used for perishable goods, many also use it for dedicated or tradeshow freight. 

While expedited shipping is not as popular as some other modes of transportation, its use is on the rise, due to the “Amazon Effect”. Amazon, known for its fast delivery of products, has caused people to expect other packages and goods to be delivered at this rapid pace. With, consumer demand growing to expect goods shipped faster, expedited shipping has become more popular. 

EXPEDITED VS. STANDARD SHIPPING

How does expedited shipping differ from standard shipping? Let’s look at some of the differences between the two.

Cost

One of the biggest differences between standard and expedited shipping is the cost associated with it. Expedited shipping is higher in price because it has a strict deadline and moves at an above-average pace. 

Standard shipping transports at a slower pace, so often it’s less costly due to the less strict delivery deadline. However, it’s important to note that the cost for any shipment varies depending on the nuances of each shipment. 

Time Frame

Expedited shipping delivers anywhere from the same day to three days. Standard shipping time frames are going to vary greatly. They can be anywhere from a week to as high as a month, depending on the pick-up and delivery locations. 

Types of Shipments

Expedited shipments often include goods like tradeshow materials, perishable goods, new product launches, or just those last-minute shipment needs. Standard shipments transport goods of all kinds. 

Unlike expedited shipping, standard shipping can consist of multiple trucks, drivers, pick-up and delivery locations, and stops in between.

IMPORTANCE & BENEFITS OF EXPEDITED SHIPPING

Expedited shipping has many benefits outside of having your freight delivered faster. It allows you to meet tight deadlines, like if you run out of a product in a store and need to restock quickly, then expedited is the solution for you. 

While expedited may not be the most popular mode, it’s an important tool to have in case of emergencies with your freight. Also, with e-commerce demand consistently growing, expedited shipments are here to stay and become more commonplace.

YOUR EXPEDITED SHIPPING OPTIONS

Expedited shipping can take many different forms. Below are some examples:

Dedicated LTL Shipments

These are your normal LTL shipments; however, no other freight is on the truck besides yours. Thus, it eliminates the need to drop off other shipments along the way to the destination.

Airport Recoveries

When freight arrives from shipping in the air, airport recoveries mean the freight is being picked up directly from the airport where the freight has landed. 

Liftgate assistance

This machinery loads and offloads the freight on a truck, usually when the shipper or receiver doesn’t have a dock, when delivering to a storefront location, or when a truck is broken down and need to transload the freight to another truck. 

Next day option

This option is when goods are ordered, and they are available for delivery immediately and will arrive at the destination the following day. 

Tradeshow freight

Any items, booths, collateral, promotional items, and televisions for tradeshow events.

STRATEGICALLY PARTNER WITH A 3PL

It can be difficult to navigate supply chains. Every company has unique needs and looks for custom-tailored logistics solutions to meet them. Your solution could be as simple as partnering with a trusted third-party logistics company (3PL) to handle all your shipments for you.

A 3PL can offer you real-time visibility and updates on your shipments and can adapt quickly to delays and disruptions that may occur. 3PLs understand the nuances of each shipment and the urgency for on-time delivery while having the tools, experience, and expertise to provide you with the best logistics solutions. 

IS TRINITY LOGISTICS THE RIGHT PARTNER FOR YOU?

At Trinity Logistics, we handle all types of shipments and have years of experience handling expedited shipments. With our network of relationship carriers, we ensure your freight is taken care of from receiving to destination.

Our Team of Experts is here 24/7, day or night to help you. We also provide you with the Customer Portal where you can track and trace your freight any time of day, see its status, and its estimated time of arrival. 

If Trinity sounds like the 3PL for you, click below to connect with our Team of Experts by requesting a free, no-obligated freight quote.  

Or, if you’d like to learn more about our expedited shipping solutions, click here.

We often will hear from a Freight Agency on how their business has become stagnant while partnered with either small or start-up brokerages. This could be for several reasons. For one, no business will grow unless the main driving force – which is YOU – is 100 percent committed to its success.

In fact, many of the single-person Freight Agents we have seen with great success in the past five years have a focused passion that affords them no “Plan B”. They are so determined to make their small freight agency work that they don’t even consider failure as a potential option. Having that hunger is essential but finding a partner to support your growth is vital. When considering who that partner should be, it’s important to consider several things, such as;

WILL CARRIER PARTNERS EVEN TAKE MY FREIGHT?

The days of only being a point A to point B truckload-only Freight Agency are fading. Customers have unique shipping challenges that need unique shipping solutions. Therefore, it’s important to ensure your Freight Agency’s partner has a vast network of carrier partners.

As important, is their reputation among the carrier community. It must be strong enough to foster relationships that promote carriers consistently working with them versus having to always rely on “one and done” carriers. Find out how often carriers seek repeat business with the partner company you’re considering. If it happens a third of the time or less, that could be a warning sign that carriers may give your company a shot, but the relationship doesn’t progress for whatever reason.

WHAT OPERATIONAL SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE TO MY FREIGHT AGENCY BUSINESS?

Typically, most Freight Agents are well-versed in truckload operations as that is where most get their start in the industry. But shipping customers have needs that don’t just require a full truckload of a product being moved.

Does your partner company have a strong relationship with less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers that will provide competitive service and rates? Will you have a team of experts to assist you with those non-traditional freight moves, like expedited, drayage, or international? What about a shipper customer with more complex needs, like a transportation management system to help manage their business?

As you look to grow with your shipper customers, the last thing you want to do is tell that customer, “Sorry, we can’t support that type of move.”

WHAT ONGOING EDUCATION IS AVAILABLE TO ME?

People that are successful in any business typically have a thirst for knowledge. It’s not just about learning something new, it’s also about refining and sharpening the saw on things they have known for years. Does the company you’re looking to partner with offer education and training sessions to assist in that endeavor?

And if so, are they just focused on mode education? Or operational or technical education? What about things that are not directly tied to the day-to-day but are important – like succession planning? Find out how the company you consider partnering with will support your Freight Agency and you as a person.

HOW INVOLVED WILL I NEED TO BE IN NON-REVENUE GENERATING ACTIVITIES?

The sale does not end when the shipment delivers. That sale needs to continue all the way through the administrative support side of the freight transaction. But how much of your time will that gobble up?

If the partner company you’re considering indicates they will do those things on your behalf, what are their processes for those support measures? It’s great when they help get a carrier set up, but at the speed at which the freight industry moves, you know how valuable minutes are, let alone hours of waiting.

And not just normal processes, but not every shipping customer or freight move fits neatly in a box. So how will those needs be met when exceptions occur? Let’s face it, giving a partner company a percentage of the gross margin, you make on a shipment should absolutely come with a clear picture of how they will support your Freight Agency, your shipping customers, and those relationship carriers you have worked hard with to gain their trust.

Ask those tough questions about what happens when this occurs or how quickly a dispute or special need be managed. Remember, the company you partner with needs to be an extension of you and the freight agency you have created.

CHOOSE TRINITY LOGISTICS FOR YOUR FREIGHT AGENCY

We realize you have a choice in who you’d like as your freight agency’s partner. However, Trinity Logistics can help your business grow and remain successful regardless of your freight agency size.

Trinity Logistics has over 30 years of experience aiding in the success of our Authorized Freight Agent offices, as well as offering many extras for our Authorized Agent network. So, if you’re looking for a long-term partnership that is supportive of your growth and offers you continued education to stay competitive, we’re more than happy to get connected.

If you’d like to talk more about how Trinity can support your journey in growing a successful business, feel free to contact our Agent Team by phone at 800-846-3400 x 1908 or click the button below.

Hello there. I’m Holly, Trinity’s friendly neighborhood freight Agent Recruiter. 

Every day I have the privilege of working with our Authorized Agents as well as finding new freight agent businesses to welcome into the Trinity family. This has given me a bird’s eye view of what it takes to run a successful freight agent business. And I can tell you, IT’S HARD!!! It’s a grind. It’s a hustle. It requires a BIG dose of grit and determination. But it’s in our blood! We thrive on the fast pace, the opportunity for unlimited income, and the flexibility of running our own show. 

With all that being said, I’m extremely proud of the tools, resources, and personalized support Trinity provides to our Authorized Agents daily. While I could go into all the things we can do to help support your freight agent business, today, I’ll settle for the opportunity to introduce you to four unique resources we provide our Authorized Agent network to make their days easier and their businesses more profitable. 

SAVE TIME WITH RFPs

Do you find Requests For Proposals (RFPs) an annoying time suck? Not anymore! At Trinity, we take care of the heavy lifting for you. 

Trinity’s Authorized Agents have full access to our in-house Pricing Team for RFPs both large and small. Our Team works hard to combine data from many market sources plus our extensive internal lane history to compare a total of nine data points. That’s some impressive wizardry, I tell you! This will not only save you time from figuring out the right pricing but also give you confidence that the pricing details you share with your customer are spot on. 

And that’s not all! We also provide you with real-time market-specific rates focused on your customer’s needs. This way, you can be as hands-on or hands-off in the process as you choose. 

AND DON’T WORRY ABOUT CAPACITY

You’ve just saved time on the pricing aspect of your RFP. It’s complete, and you’ve won your lanes, but what happens next? 

You get on the phone with your relationship carriers for their rates and volume commitments. In an ideal world, the rates are great and there’s plenty of capacity. Awesome! Time to get back to helping your customers and growing your freight agent business. 

But how often does that really happen? Often, your relationship carriers don’t run those new lanes, don’t have the capacity to commit, or ask for rates above the market. So, what do you do then? Most likely, head on to those dreaded load boards. 

Here comes Trinity to save the day. Our Authorized Agents have full access to our Carrier Procurement and Development Team. This Team of Trinity experts will take the data from your RFP, find you capacity using our proprietary lane matching technology and then get rate agreements in place for COMMITTED capacity to service your customer’s needs. 

So, if you often work with RFPs for your customers, go ahead and press the easy button with Trinity!

WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER

Are you looking for a deeper dive to uncover your most profitable freight?  We’re here to help you with that! By using your load history, our Pricing Team will provide you with a Network Analysis to give valuable insight into your most profitable lanes. With this data in mind, you’ll be able to focus your sales efforts on the markets that produce the highest margin to help you reach your freight agent business goals. We’ll help you work smarter, not harder! 

EASILY DIVERSIFY YOUR FREIGHT AGENT BUSINESS

One more thought for the day; let’s say you specialize in full truckload freight. In fact, you’re such an expert that you can almost move it with your eyes closed.

But in this constantly evolving freight market, your customers ask you for help with all kinds of other weird stuff like less-than-truckload (LTL), intermodal, drayage, ocean or air, expedited freight, technology solutions, warehousing, e-commerce…maybe even a total outsource!

With you being a full truckload shipping expert, this may sound intimidating! And the last thing you want to do is send them somewhere else and risk that “other guy” poaching your freight.

There’s no longer a need to worry! Trinity Logistics has you covered. We offer full operations teams for our Authorized Agents to handle ALL other modes besides full truckload. Pair that with our parent company, Burris Logistics, and their opportunities, and it’s simple. You bring the opportunity, and we do the rest. All you need to do is sit back and collect the extra margin for your growing freight agent business.

Additionally, we provide you with monthly mode training classes so you can learn and be confident in what you are selling. There’s no need to be the subject matter expert on all modes when you have Trinity Team Members to support you and your freight agent business. 

JOIN THE TRINITY FAMILY AND BEGIN GROWING YOUR FREIGHT AGENT BUSINESS

Trinity Logistics has over 30 years of experience aiding in the success of our freight agent businesses, with many of our newer businesses seeing a 50 percent increase over a two-year period from joining. Consider joining our Authorized Agent Network today so you can gain more time to focus on your customers, generate more revenue, and we’ll focus on everything else. 

To learn more about our Authorized Agent program and all the ways we can save you time and help you build a successful freight agent business, feel free to contact our Agent Team phone at 800-846-3400 x 1908 or click the button below! 

With cold chain logistics, every product that you deal with has very specific temperature requirements that you need to adhere to. These products are ending up on tables across the entire country, so you want to make your product arrives precisely the way it needs to be so it’s safe for human consumption. Because of this, cold chain logistics can be challenging to manage, and finding reliable providers can be frustrating. There are many moving parts of the cold chain that can be hard to follow and track. It would undoubtedly be helpful to find one provider that could offer you end-to-end cold chain management, from production to delivery. And that’s what we’re here to talk about today. Burris Logistics and Trinity Logistics working together could be the solutions you’ve been looking for to simplify your cold chain management. Keep reading to find out how we work better together to serve your complete cold chain.

BURRIS LOGISTICS CAPABILITIES

Let’s start with Burris Logistics. What do they offer that can enable cold chain shippers and their businesses to thrive in the face of its complexities?

Quick Background

Burris Logistics has been around for 96 years. The company started as a produce hauler from southern Delmarva to Philadelphia. They quickly grew and expanded into the frozen food business and found their purpose as a driven food logistics provider. Today, they own 14 cold storage sites up and down the east coast and out into Midwest. Burris Logistics currently has a family of brands including Burris PRW Plus, Honor Foods, and Trinity Logistics.

TRINITY LOGISTICS CAPABILITIES

Quick Background

Trinity Logistics has been around for over 40 years. The company was started by the Banning family in Cambridge, Maryland. Throughout the years, the company grew and expanded as a non-asset-based third-party logistics company (3PL) and was acquired by Burris in 2019. The two companies saw similarities in company culture and future goals, deciding to unite for greater opportunities and offer more supply chain solutions for our customers.

Burris + Trinity = Better TogetherURRIS

What’s great for Trinity being part of the Burris Logistics family of brands is being able to offer more help to Burris customers. Trinity’s support helps Burris better assist some of the existing freight business they have for customers either coming back into their buildings or going to other places.

The addition of Trinity also offers Burris customers a wider variety of options in modes and technology, or even help outside of the cold chain. Trinity is very experienced in heavy haul moves or more complicated hazardous moves for the chemical industry. So, no matter the size of your company or freight, we have a solution for you. But, we’re here to talk about the cold chain, so let’s focus on refrigerated and frozen freight.

HOW WE CAN SERVE YOUR COLD CHAIN BETTER TOGETHER

Experience in Cold Chain

For many reasons, Burris Logistics and Trinity work well together for cold chain shippers. First off is our combined years of experience. There are certain things in cold chain you can only learn from the experience of working with temperature-controlled shipments. For example, things like picking and loading fresh produce, understanding what those temperatures are and what they need to be for storage and transit, and keeping track of those temperatures. Or understanding how to move ice cream from the West Coast and knowing that you can’t go over the mountains; that you must travel around them so as not to cause shrinkage. By having years of experience and understanding of those complex situations and small details that make or break a cold chain shipment, you can trust your temperature-controlled freight is handled safely and correctly with Burris and Trinity.

Technology

Between both Burris and Trinity, we have incredible logistics technology available, but what differentiates us from others is that we keep in mind that logistics is still a “people” business. Technology will always be a tool for our Teams to use and bring logistics solutions to other people who need them. Therefore, we try to stay away from technology just for technology’s sake and make sure what we use and offer is always a valuable solution.

Communication

Because of our years of experience, we are well-versed and experienced in many different situations. We know when and how to pivot quickly and keep business moving forward. When issues arise, we work until they are resolved and keep open communication every step of the way. Having a solid relationship with experts like Burris and Trinity will prove to be your largest asset no matter what supply chain bottlenecks you may face

Flexible, Customized Solutions

Because our two businesses offer many options while keeping business People-Centric, it means you can find a solution that’s customized for your growing business and needs and your solution can be flexible. We know the cold chain and solutions aren’t static, they are ever-changing, so you need a provider that can keep up. By working with Burris and Trinity, you’ll never have to worry about changing up your logistics plan as we’re readily equipped to accommodate any changes you may need. In addition, we can help you stay flexible as one sole provider instead of working with several.

Visibility and End-to-End Cold Chain Management

As the cold chain sector continues to grow, there’s been a growing demand for efficiency and visibility throughout the supply chain. Companies don’t like to be left in the dark when it comes to the logistics of their temperature-controlled freight. Working with Burris and Trinity can not only give you a wide range of technology to gain visibility and provide you with all the logistics services you may need, thus making your cold chain efficient and transparent. We’ll provide you with dedicated, knowledgeable experts, increased productivity and workflows, and reduced complexity by working with Burris Logistics and their family of brands instead of several different providers.

HAVE YOUR COLD CHAIN LOGISTICS TAKEN CARE OF, END-TO-END

Between Trinity and Burris, we have a substantial Team with a lot of experience in cold chain and knowledge about its potential pitfalls. As a result, we’ve created processes and different services so that we get it right the first time, every time we handle a cold chain shipment.

You can find value in our combined companies’ sizes and services offered. Cold chain logistics can be complicated and trying to do it all alone can be frustrating. That’s why we’re here to help you simplify it. You can count on Burris Logistics and Trinity to serve and support your cold chain all the way from production to delivery, and every step between.

Whether you’re a large corporation coordinating dozens to hundreds of shipments a day, or a small family-owned business shopping for the best way to ship your product monthly, a third-party logistics (3PL) company like Trinity Logistics can help you find your best logistics solution. While our most popular service is coordinating truckload shipping, there are several logistics solutions to suit businesses with shipments of all shapes, sizes, methods, and budgets.

What Services Does Trinity Offer?

As a 3PL, we have a network of more than 70,000 authorized carriers to coordinate freight services for our customers. We can arrange:

• Truckload
• Less-than-truckload (LTL)
• Warehousing
• Managed Services
• Intermodal(rail)
• Drayage
• Expedited
• International
• Other non-standard freight: airport recovery, liftgate services, oversized and over-dimensional, specialty transportation equipment, etc.

Find the Logistics Solution You Need

TRUCKLOAD

Access our network of 70,000 authorized carriers for your dry, temperature-controlled, hazmat, or flatbed shipping needs.We arrange the transport of your freight and track it from origin to delivery.

LTL

Can’t fill a truck? We can help optimize your smaller-scale shipments. Live track your freight delivery time so you can manage your inventory with our free LTL software. Additionally, consider using LTL CSP or customer specific pricing. CSP can offer you savings on LTL freight costs, reduce dock congestion, and have you be less impacted by annual carrier general rate increases.

WAREHOUSING

Whether you’re securing seasonal warehousing, overflow storage, or planning an entire distribution network, we can help. We’ll select the best warehouse space for your needs and negotiate the most competitive pricing for your project. We can also find warehouse space or cross-dock space in an emergency situation, in any state or city.

MANAGED SERVICES

Gain control and visibility to your supply chain, reduce costs, improve performance, and increase efficiencies with our Managed Transportation technology solutions, or TMS.

INTERMODAL

If your shipments need to travel more than 750 miles, Intermodal shipping (via rail) is a cost- and environmentally-friendly alternative to truckload shipping. This mode offers reliable and consistent capacity due to less competition and is nearly as fast as shipping truckload. If you’re looking to reduce transportation spend by saving on fuel and reducing your carbon footprint, intermodal may be a good option to consider.

DRAYAGE

If you import or export freight using U.S. ports, we now offer a full array of drayage services. With drayage, your freight can be delivered from the port right to your door, or from your door right to the port, saving you money in the process. Our dedicated and knowledgeable team can coordinate pickup and/or delivery on a tight turnaround, for port cut or to get your freight out before the Last Free Day and can help you avoid unnecessary fees.

EXPEDITED

If you need your shipment moved faster than standard LTL transit times allow, we offer expedited shipping options for shipments between one and twelve pallets that weigh under 10,000 pounds. We can schedule for delivery on a tight turnaround, such as for trade shows or short appointment windows, utilize carriers with right-sized vehicles including cargo vans, sprinters, and straight trucks, and arrange for door-to-door transport of your freight via air, when expedited OTR isn’t fast enough.

INTERNATIONAL

Through our relationships with freight forwarders, we can help arrange shipment of your air and ocean dry freight shipments. We can help by having a communication intermediary between you and freight forwarders, assisting with customs clearing, providing access to U.S. customs-bonded storage, and offering additional cargo insurance.

Have other shipping needs that don’t necessarily fall under one of these categories?

We are more than happy to help. If you need heavy haul, liftgate services, specialty transportation equipment, or something else, our dedicated team of logistics professionals is waiting to help find a logistics solution for you.

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