Have you ever wondered what a freight broker is, what they do, and why they exist?

To put it in simple terms, freight brokers are simply matchmakers. They are the middleman between the shipper (the maker or owner of the product) and the trucking company that moves the freight.

Freight brokers perform a valuable service for both ends of the spectrum, however, they do not function as an actual motor carrier. Instead, they arrange for the transport of goods.

Freight broker activities are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) which defines a broker as “a person who, for compensation, arranges, or offers to arrange, the transportation of property by an authorized motor carrier”.  -49 C.F.R. Part 371

Brokerages

Freight brokerages provide assistance to motor carriers by filling their trucks and providing assistance along the route to help the truck driver deliver the order on time.

Not every motor carrier has a private sales force working to secure loads for their fleet and needs help accessing a network of shippers quickly to keep them rolling. Freight brokers also provide great financial service to truckers, providing fuel advances to help with cash flow and offering quick payment plans. Oftentimes, the carrier is paid before the freight broker collects payment from the shipper! Bottom line, a freight broker exists to help the motor carriers relocate their equipment to a better freight market, or in many cases, back to their home base.

Many companies find the services provided by freight brokers to be an important link in their supply chain. The importance of a freight broker is easy to understand; the freight broker makes sure that the shipments are arranged to deliver on time at a fair price with reputable providers. Without freight brokers, shippers would encounter an enormous investment of time and money trying to find the right motor carrier to transport their products, tracking the shipment, and auditing freight bills.

Frustrated with your shipment tracking? Check out Trinity’s Customer Portal and see how easy it is to track your shipments, view and pay your invoices online, and request freight quotes.

Discover Trinity Logistics AS YOUR FREIGHT BROKER PARTNER

Trinity Logistics, ranked by Transport Topics as one of the Top Freight Brokerages for the 20th consecutive year, moves an average of over 40,000 loads per month. With that amount of volume, we carry significant buying power and relationships with our carrier network. That translates into savings on each shipment that many shippers may not be able to obtain based on their volume alone.

Trinity Logistics saves shippers and motor carriers a great deal of time playing matchmaker. Our goal is not only to deliver your product on time but also to deliver time itself so that you can perform at your best without having to become experts in matching loads to trucks or vice versa.

There are several shipping options available for your freight. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine which mode of transportation will suit your needs best. One mode to consider for your freight is intermodal shipping. 

If this mode has been one you’ve been interested in learning more about, we’re here to help. First, we’ll walk you through what intermodal shipping is, when you should consider this mode, its benefits, and how intermodal rates work, so you can be on your way to transporting your freight in a new way! 

What is Intermodal Shipping? 

Intermodal shipping is the use of two or more modes to get the product from shipper to receiver. This could include any combination of ocean, air, rail, or truck transportation. However, in North America, intermodal often refers to the combination of using trucks and rail to move freight in shipping containers. 

Drayage

Another good term to know when talking about intermodal shipping is drayage. Drayage describes the trucking service from an ocean port or rail ramp. Drayage carriers are power only, meaning they only supply the truck or power unit. They pick up and drop off any equipment (the container and chassis) owned by the railroad, an intermodal provider, or ocean freight liners. Most often, drayage carriers will complete multiple loads in a day respective to their region.

When Should I Consider Intermodal Shipping?

Almost anything that can ship via truckload can be shipped intermodal. Here are some qualifiers on whether your shipments make sense to ship intermodal:

· You are looking to reduce shipping costs.

· You want to reduce risk during travel and have less handling of your product.

· You want your company to be more environmentally considerate with your shipping.

· You have long-distance shipments, over 750 miles.

· You have a lot of freight to move and a flexible delivery timeline.

· You have frequent shipments going to the same locations in similar quantities.

If any of the above qualifiers sound like you and your freight shipments, read on to learn about some of the benefits of switching up to intermodal shipping for your transportation.

Benefits of Intermodal Shipping

Moves a Lot of Product

A single train can move a load size equal to 280 truckloads. Essentially, you have an entire fleet at your disposal. As a result, high-volume shipments meet maximum efficiency when shipping intermodal. This can save you time and money by reducing fuel and labor costs. 

Quick(er) Shipping

Most people wouldn’t imagine intermodal shipping being quick enough. Not too long ago, a coast-to-coast shipment would take about two weeks. Now, it only takes about seven to 10 days, depending on the lane. If your delivery date is more flexible and not immediate, intermodal can make sense for your shipments. Additionally, intermodal sees fewer disruptions, making it more reliable than truckload. Intermodal does not have to worry about traffic patterns, weigh stations, checkpoints, or other issues compared to trucking.

Stay Green

Intermodal is more fuel-efficient than trucking since more products can be moved almost 500 miles on a single gallon of diesel fuel. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), replacing Over-The-Road shipments exceeding 1,000 miles with intermodal shipping reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 65 percent. Additionally, better fuel efficiency means savings on shipping costs.

Reduced Risk

When choosing to ship intermodal, shippers have far less exposure to roadway collisions, which means less chance of damage to your product. The risk of damage is also lowered because freight is loaded onto containers and not directly handled when changing between truck and rail. In addition, theft concerns are reduced as railyards are constantly monitored and no one can go in or out without documentation.

Understanding Intermodal Rates

Intermodal shipping rates have three basic parts: an origin drayage rate, a rail linehaul, and a destination drayage rate. However, door-to-door rates are typically an all-in rate comprised of those three components.

Drayage Rates

Drayage carriers offer consistent rates since they start and/or end every load at a consistent location, the intermodal rail ramp. Like truckload, drayage rates are a flat rate plus a fuel surcharge. Drayage carriers often provide a point-to-point pricing matrix including pick-up and delivery rates from every intermodal ramp to dozens of destinations within their region. Unlike truckload spot rates, drayage rates are much less volatile because drayage carriers often update their pricing matrix once a year, unlike the spot market which fluctuates daily. 

It’s important to note that when using drayage as a stand-alone service, you see other surcharges such as chassis fees or charges for port congestion or wait time at the rail or port.

Rail Rates

There are seven Class I railroads in North America:

• Union Pacific (Western U.S)
• BNSF (Western U.S)
• CSX (Eastern U.S)
• Norfolk Southern (Eastern U.S.)
• Canadian Pacific (Canada and Northern U.S.)
• Canadian National (Canada and Northern U.S.)
• Kansas City Southern (South Central U.S. and Mexico)

Your intermodal marketing company (IMC) will get pricing matrixes from these railroads, which include rates from their intermodal ramps to other ramps. Rail rates are a flat fee plus a fuel surcharge. 

Important to note: Shippers cannot access intermodal rates directly from the railroads. You MUST work with an intermodal marketing company or third-party logistics company (3PL), like Trinity.

Don’t Forget About Accessorials

Because intermodal shipping depends on efficiency, accessorials are much more common than shipping truckload. Since intermodal shipping is very predictable and competitive, intermodal providers present shippers with the most efficient pricing, expecting to be compensated for any accessorials should they occur. 

Because of this, ensure you understand your provider’s accessorial policy and find out how those fees are factored into their rates. Even still, there’s no need to fear intermodal shipping because of the accessorial fees. In the long-term, intermodal shipping, even with accessorials, makes the overall cost savings of the mode worth it. 

Trinity Can Help With Your Intermodal Shipping

If you’re seeking to increase efficiencies in your supply chain logistics and transportation, intermodal is one mode to highly consider. The idea of using intermodal shipping over truckload can be intimidating, but choosing an experienced and knowledgeable provider, such as Trinity Logistics, can make the change an easy one. 

When one hears “supply chain,” typically they first think of the physical components; the raw materials needed by a specific time for manufacturers or finished products to retail stores. The digital parts of supply chains work in a similar fashion. Cyber supply chains focus on keeping the physical aspects of business moving using applications, information systems, or digital vendors. And so, cyber supply chain risk management is crucial for business continuity.

Without addressing cyber supply chain risk management in an intentional and thoughtful manner, the industry will continue to remain susceptible to further disruption. Publicized breaches are the tip of the cyber-impact iceberg. Attacks occur with such frequency, and via many attack vectors, that a breach is occurring or imminent in any network or system.

According to the annual X-Force Threat Intelligence Index, manufacturing and other suppliers suffered nearly a quarter of the cyber attacks in 2021. Amidst the disruption faced by the pandemic, these attacks only further distressed supply chains. However, with a cyber supply chain risk management plan in place, companies can focus on reducing the frequency and impact of such events.

WHAT IS CYBER SUPPLY CHAIN RISK MANAGEMENT (C-SCRM)?

Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management (C-SCRM) is the process of ensuring the integrity of your supply chain’s supporting systems and data. This includes identifying, assessing, and mitigating the risk associated with the interconnected nature of information technology and service supply chains. Since cyber supply chain risk can be compromised at any point where technology is leveraged, C-SCRM applies to both hardware and software and covers the entire life cycle of those systems.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

C-SCRM is Not Just an IT Problem

Cyber security for businesses isn’t quite that separate from physical security. The digital aspects of supply chains touch all parts of an organization, so C-SCRM should too. Cyber security risks can come from many different places such as physical sabotage or most commonly, human error via social engineering. Don’t make the mistake of thinking C-SCRM is the sole responsibility of the IT department. Whether physical or digital, security is part of everyone’s job.

Know Your Risks and Threats

If you don’t know your cyber security risks, it’s hard to have planned countermeasures for cyber threats. First, make a list of key scenarios that might endanger your cyber supply chain. Some common risks are integration loss, phishing attempts, malware, and hacking. Once you’ve created a complete list of risks, work through the most likely and highest impact scenarios first. Then, create plans to prevent and mitigate risk should a successful breach take place.

Assume a Breach Will Happen

We all like to think a breach will never happen, but these days it’s not if but when. Assuming a breach will happen allows you to better assess the impact of one on your system. Once you understand how affected you could be, you’ll better understand how to mitigate the effect of one.

Track the Links in Your Supply Chain

Working with third parties removes some of the control you have for cyber supply chain risk management. And static monitoring isn’t enough to keep your data and networks in your supply chain safe. Static monitoring gives you a one-time snapshot of their controls, but what about tomorrow or next week? Cyber supply chains aren’t static, so your monitoring shouldn’t be either. Many organizations assume they’re secure once they’ve implemented a cyber supply chain risk management framework, but it doesn’t stop there. Continued tracking is the most efficient way to ensure your data is always protected.

WHAT COMPANIES SHOULD FOCUS ON TO REDUCE CYBER ATTACKS

Network and System Hygiene

Cyber supply chain risk management starts with the management of the components making up the networks and systems of each link in the chain. Much of what supply chains need is straightforward hygiene. This includes updating older components, ensuring patching is consistent and comprehensive, and tighter controls on the use of open-source software to understand and mitigate any potential vulnerabilities.

What is the magical tool needed to affect this, you ask? It’s time. IT departments need enough staff to allow for time spent in this area. Many companies have grown to have some degree of heterogeneous systems and networks in place. Additionally, there’s been a recent move to remote and hybrid work styles. These recent changes have caused IT departments to need more team members to strengthen cyber security.

Monthly manual work is needed to ensure updates are completed and patches are deployed. Making it easier to perform this work involves homogenizing the environment. It’s an investment that can lead to improved cyber security for an organization.

Securely Transform

Digital transformation has been a staple in the changing work environment over the last two years. But those changes are a breeding ground for potential vulnerabilities.

Every digital transformation is a security event. This includes events like moving processes to the cloud or leveraging automation. Understanding the changes introduced in any digital environment is critical to defending your digital borders and reducing the blast radius if a successful breach occurs.

Ensuring the understanding of how new technologies connect to systems, how users interact, and how data flows is key to reducing the impact of the inevitable cyber-attack.

Beyond Logs

Logging security and other events are table stakes these days. But it’s only useful if observation and understanding are applied to those logs.

Based on the number of systems and infrastructure in use today at even a smaller organization, the manual survey of logs can no longer count as observation. This is due to the number of differences between various software and hardware providers.

Having a solution or partner in place to intake and analyze logs is more critical now than it ever has been.

The second need is the ability to understand it all. The trick is that it’s not about understanding one individual log. It’s about understanding them both alone and as they relate to one another. Again, this greater depth of understanding is where a solution or partner comes into play. Understanding allows for the identification of any anomalies so you can act upon them quickly and decisively.

CYBERSECURITY IS A PEOPLE, PROCESS, AND TECHNOLOGY PROBLEM

These cybersecurity steps are critical to keeping your data safe and establishing your business as a reliable supply chain partner. Successful attacks will continue to occur, but if you have the right team, solutions, and partners, your business can be more secure among cyber supply chain risks.

Cybersecurity is a people, process, and technology problem, so make sure to ally yourself with some of the good guys, like Trinity Logistics. We work with all our partners to understand and address potential supply chain risks, providing you with the technology and data you need while maintaining optimal cyber security. Our Technology Team is knowledgeable and experienced in cyber supply chain risk management, consistently working to keep our and your data secure. 

If you’re a large-scale manufacturer, getting liquid freight transported in bulk is a non-negotiable complexity. Bulk transportation, especially liquid freight, has its challenges and may seem daunting. But, with the right information and provider, it doesn’t have to be. So, whether you’re new to bulk transportation for your liquid freight or a seasoned vet, this article breaks it all down so you can safely and efficiently have your liquid bulk product transported.

What Is A Bulk Product?

What Kinds Of Bulk Liquid Products Are There?

What Is Bulk Transportation For Liquid Freight?

Complexities Of Bulk Transportation For Liquid Freight

What Can Go Wrong With Shipping Bulk Liquid Freight?

What Kind Of Equipment Is Needed For Bulk Liquid Transportation?

How Do You Transport Bulk Liquids?

Bulk Transportation: Liquid Freight Regulations

WHAT IS A BULK PRODUCT?

Before we dive into bulk liquid freight, let’s go over what bulk products are. The term “bulk” is used in transportation to describe goods that are not in containers and loose, transported in mass quantities or volumes. Bulk products are usually packed in one large container to be moved, such as a tanker trailer. Bulk products are often not intended for general consumers but are useful to manufacturers. Examples of bulk products are raw materials, ingredients for food manufacturing, materials for landscaping, gravel, dried beans, oil, or grains.

Another term to be aware of when working with bulk products is “break bulk”. Breakbulk is when a bulk shipment is broken down into smaller containers. This is important to know because bulk shipments are handled as loose goods whereas breakbulk shipments are loaded individually in some sort of container. Therefore, when you have a product to ship, it’s very important to properly communicate whether your shipment is bulk or breakbulk.

WHAT KINDS OF BULK LIQUID PRODUCTS ARE THERE?

There are many sorts of liquid products that ship via bulk transportation. These types of liquids are often used in manufacturing, food processing, agriculture, and more. Some examples of bulk liquid freight are:

• Vegetable oil
• Alcohol
• Milk
• Juice
• Syrup
• Sugar alcohols
• Vinegar
• Essential oils
• Mineral oils
• Artificial colors or dyes
• Chemicals
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Sulphuric acid
  • Nitric acid
  • Mining chemicals
  • Solvents
  • resins
• All types of water

WHAT IS BULK TRANSPORTATION FOR LIQUID FREIGHT?

Bulk transportation for liquid freight involves using a tanker trailer instead of smaller drums or tanks. Bulk liquid transportation usually refers to the act of moving liquid freight by truck over long distances.

COMPLEXITIES OF BULK TRANSPORTATION FOR LIQUID FREIGHT

Bulk liquid freight, especially when it’s hazardous, can carry more risk than other types of freight. For example, an accident involving a tanker truck can cause the shutdown of roadways, manufacturing production lines, and ultimately, the loss of raw material needed for many products.

The first complexity of bulk liquid freight is the way it’s packaged and stored. Unlike other freight, it’s not packaged in totes or smaller containers. Instead, bulk liquid freight is stored and transported in large containers and tankers, and because of their liquid state, they can slosh around and spill.

Since bulk liquid freight shipments transport differently than dry van shipments, you’ll find complexity in its logistics like:

Longer Lead Times

Tanker transportation is considered more of a specialty compared to dry vans, so you’ll notice fewer tankers available. This can make finding an available tanker longer to find.

Higher Rates

Being a specialty type of transportation, it’s easy to see why rates will be higher for this type of shipping. First, carriers pay more for this kind of special equipment. On average a tanker trailer can cost $100,000 to $125,000 compared to the cost of a dry van around $35,000 to $40,000.

Also, your shipping costs will include deadhead miles every time as each delivery requires a trip to wash the tanker. And unlike other types of transportation, you’ll have the same rate regardless of how full the tanker trailer is since different liquid freight cannot be combined for motor carriers to create a “full tank load” shipment.

Different Driver Requirments

No matter the product, tanker drivers are required to have a tanker endorsement, and if the liquid freight is hazardous, they’ll also be required to have a hazmat certification as well.

More Insurance

Carriers hauling hazardous liquid freight in bulk must carry a minimum of $5 million in liability insurance.

WHAT CAN GO WRONG WITH SHIPPING BULK LIQUID FREIGHT?

A lot can go wrong when shipping bulk liquids, so working with an experienced provider is very important. Drivers must be extra careful when pulling a bulk tanker trailer of liquid freight. Just as you must be careful when carrying a glass of water, liquid freight in a bulk tanker sloshes around with movement. If a driver brakes too hard or turns too fast, the weight of the liquid freight can surge to one side and topple the trailer. And if the freight is hazardous, then massive environmental damage can also happen.

Outside of concerns about a toppled trailer, drivers must be mindful of other issues. For example, what happens when you shake or stir liquid? It agitates and causes foam. This also happens with liquid freight during bulk transport. While foam can be annoying when later unloading the trailer, at worst, too much aeration can ruin a shipment depending on the kind of liquid.

Another thing that can go wrong when transporting liquid freight is contamination. Therefore, tank washing is a requirement for every shipment. If a tank isn’t properly cleaned before the next shipment is loaded, residue from the previous shipment can contaminate it.

Lastly, leaky tanks are another serious issue with bulk liquid shipping. If a leak goes unnoticed, even a small one, a significant amount of product can be lost during transport.

WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED FOR BULK LIQUID TRANSPORTATION?

Bulk liquid freight cannot be transported without the proper equipment. Most often, a bulk tanker trailer is needed to haul liquid freight. A bulk tanker is a large, cylindrical metal tank pulled by a standard freight truck.

But there are several different kinds of tankers that can be used for the bulk transportation of liquid freight. For example, there are tankers designed to keep a product’s temperature regulated or tankers with hoppers on the bottom to make unloading easier. In addition, some tankers include pressurized tanks or acid-resistant tanks. Which type of tanker you’ll need is determined by the liquid freight you need to transport.

Some questions to ask yourself, or that your provider may ask of you, to determine what kind of equipment is needed are:

• What bulk liquid do you intend to transport?
• Is the freight hazmat?
• Is the freight temperature sensitive?
• What volume are you transporting?
• From what kind of container(s) will you be loading it?
• Can the loading facility accept a center or rear unload trailer?
• Does the tanker truck need special connectors?
• Is a pump or compressor required for unloading?
• Can the customer accept air compressor offload?
• At what pressure can the tanker unload?
• Does the product need a rubber-lined trailer?
• Are there any prior content restrictions we need to be aware of?
• Will you need a dropped trailer?
• Do you need any extra hoses for loading or unloading?
• What are the pre and post-wash requirements?
  

Types of Tanker Trailers for Liquid Freight

Tanker trailers can be categorized into two categories, depending on the content they transport or their structures.

Tankers by Structure

General Purpose Tanker

These tankers are used to transport bulk liquid freight that doesn’t require special care or procedures. They are usually made of steel.

General Purpose w/ Heat Coils

These tankers are the same except for the addition of heat coils to help raise or maintain the temperature of the product.

Pneumatic Tanker

These tankers have a series of hoppers on their underbellies to help with unloading. Although pneumatic tank trailers are mostly used to transport dry bulk freight. They are also effective for liquid bulk.

Vacuum Tanker

This is simply a tanker with a pump to help load bulk liquid from underground or any other location into the tank. These tankers are most used to transport septage, industrial liquids, sewage, or animal waste.

Rubber Lined Tanker

These tankers are commonly used to transport corrosive chemicals.

Aluminum Tanker

These lightweight tankers can carry more volumes before reaching their weight limit and have lower operating costs. They are typically used to transport petroleum and petrochemicals.

Compartmentalized Tanker

These tankers have compartments built into them that allow tanker carriers to ship different chemicals.

Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic Tanker

These tankers are most used for food-grade bulk liquids, corrosive chemicals, and other hazardous liquid freight.

ISO Tankers

These tankers are built according to the standards of the International Standard Organization (ISO) for the shipping of most bulk liquid freight.

Tankers by Liquid Content

Fuel/Petroleum

These carry gasoline, fuel, oil, or propane. Most often these tankers are required to carry a hazmat certification, also making this a more dangerous job.

Food Grade

These tankers carry liquid freight like water, milk, or juice. These tankers can be equipped with heating or cooling systems for temperature control.

Chemical/Acid

These are used to transport many types of industrial chemicals. Some are designed to carry corrosive chemicals.

But Wait, There’s More…

Before we move on to the next section, two things you might want to know about are baffles and tanker weight limits.

Baffles

What are baffles? Remember when we spoke on liquid agitation earlier? That’s where baffles come in. Most tankers have baffles on the inside to help reduce the movement of the liquid. They act as different chambers to help divide the liquid up into smaller compartments, so the entire weight of the liquid is prevented from surging up against the side of the tank.

Tanker Weight Limits

Tankers are not limited by the amount of liquid they can contain, but by their weight. The U.S. Department of Transportation mandates that the maximum weight limit for trucks on public roads cannot exceed 80,000 pounds. So, if the liquid you need to transport is dense, like syrup or paint, you might not be able to fill an entire tanker truck. This is essential to keep in mind when arranging your bulk liquid shipments.

HOW DO YOU TRANSPORT BULK LIQUIDS?

Now that we know what kinds of equipment are used in transporting bulk liquid freight, let’s talk loading and unloading. These proper handling procedures ensure your liquid freight is transported safely.

Loading and Unloading

Before loading, the carrier must have the tanker cleaned so that it is without any residue or odor. The only time a tank washing may not be required is if the tanker is transporting the exact type of chemical it most recently unloaded.

They must also thoroughly inspect that nothing is out of place and there are no leaks. If there is any concern, the entire tank can be filled with water to test for leaks. Not only is a leaking tank inconvenient and expensive, but it’s also illegal.

There are two major methods for loading and unloading liquid freight from a bulk tanker: compressors and pumps. Pumps suck the liquid out of the tank while air compressors rely on pressure to force liquid out. It’s important to know that you cannot use air compressors for any flammable liquids as static electricity could build up and cause a spark.

Fun fact: When you unload a tanker of liquid freight using a pump, you must vent it by opening the hatch on top. The trailer can implode if this step is missed, just like your pressurized cooker at home. However, if you’re unloading with a compressor, make sure the hatch is closed.

When a bulk liquid shipment arrives for unloading, the receiver should always first take a sample to confirm the right product was delivered and in good condition.

Hazardous Labeling

Regulations mandate that any trailer transporting hazardous materials must be labeled. This helps anyone recognize the kind of content the trailer is carrying so they know what precautions are required.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT?

It’s important to know your and other parties’ responsibilities to ensure a safely transported bulk liquid shipment.

Shipper Responsibilities

• Have knowledge of the properties of the liquid product you’re shipping
• Communication that information with the provider, along with any needed equipment or certifications
• Know which regulations apply
• Give the driver any placards, seals, or other items required
• Give the drive all paperwork for the shipment
• Provide personnel to load the tanker

Receiver Responsibilities

• Before unloading, verify that you’re receiving the correct commodity and in good condition
• Make sure there’s enough room for the delivered product
• Provide a clean and safe environment for unloading
• Assign someone to check unloading

Carrier Responsibilities

• Provide a clean tanker
• Have appropriate insurance
• Provide a driver who is well-trained and has all necessary licenses, certifications, or permits
• Provide any safety equipment required by the shipper to ensure safe loading
• Provide proper driver safety equipment, such as personal protection equipment (PPE), if the shipment is hazardous

BULK TRANSPORTATION: LIQUID FREIGHT REGULATIONS

Depending on what kind of liquid freight you’re transporting in bulk, regulations can vary. For instance, if you’re shipping liquid intended for human consumption, you’ll need to abide by any regulations set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), like the Food and Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

If you’re shipping hazardous liquid freight, you’ll need to abide by any hazmat regulations.

Regardless of the kind of liquid freight you’re transporting, you’ll need to make sure the provider you work with has a tanker endorsement.

Everyone dreams about what they want to be as a kid when they grow up. Whether it’s a doctor, a famous athlete, or even an astronaut, it’s safe to say we all dream about what our future holds. But one area people often turn a blind eye to is the logistics sector. When people hear, logistics, they often only thinks of truck drivers, dismissing a logistics career as a potential path. In reality, truck drivers are only one role in this industry. 

The logistics field is one of the most important in the world. Everything depends on how the logistics sector is running during that period. Logistics is how the new iPhone gets to stores, food on the shelves and at restaurants, or amazon orders from the warehouse to your front doorstep. To say that logistics is critical to our everyday lives is an understatement. 

Career Pathways

There are many options for a logistics career outside of driving a truck. While truck drivers are an integral role in the field, the logistics sector has many more career paths available. 

Sales

There are several different departments that play their part in logistics with one of them being sales. Logistics companies need salespeople to attract, gain, and retain new business for continued growth. Salespeople are those individuals who current and potential customers interact with first, so it’s important for these people to be driven, and hardworking, but also have the soft skills to win over new customers. 

Independent Freight Agents

Perhaps you want more flexibility in your logistics career. If you’re the type of person to enjoy running their own business, then a career as an independent freight agent could be for you. Independent freight agents work with third-party logistics companies (3PL), like Trinity, to work their own book of business while having back-end support available. 

Dispatching

Working with carrier companies is very important aspect of logistics. Being able to recruit and grow carrier relationships is important to the success of a business. Jobs within this area often help with getting carriers to their preferred lanes while negotiating rates on those shipments. 

But Wait, There’s More…

You may not know this but there’s more to logistics than just arranging freight shipments. There are many administrative support roles available in a logistics career. These can include finance, marketing, human resources, technology, education, customer service, and more. If you’re not a sales-driven individual, then these opportunities may make more sense to you. 

What Benefits Can a Logistics Career Offer You?

Untapped Incentives

One huge benefit is the control an individual has when working within this sector, especially in many sales-driven roles.  The untapped incentive opportunities are up to the individual to reach. It’s about the drive, pace and execution in the role to increase earnings through incentive programs and help the whole Team win in the market.

Career Growth

Career growth is another benefit to this industry’s potential. No matter which role you start at, you have many opportunities to grow your skills, your knowledge, or even change up your path while remaining in the logistics field.

A Logistics Career is for Everyone

Many careers have specific job requirements on education level, such as requiring a bachelor’s degree or more. But, the logistics field is one for everyone. Many can start at entry level and grow as much as they want along with making a great living too. 

Stability

A logistics career is a stable one because the logistics industry is going nowhere. Logistics is one the fastest growing industries and currently employs 1.7 million people, which is only 5 percent of the workforce. Job opportunities are rising as this industry becomes more important for society and looks to improve with technology. With this stability, you’ll never have to worry about not having a job or not having the opportunity for career growth.

Never Be Bored

The supply chain is a swinging pendulum of change and always has different challenges waiting for everyone. We’ve seen this from the covid-19 pandemic, the labor shortages, product shortages, port congestion within the United States, and now Chinese ports being shut down as well. The logistics sector causes everyone to navigate these challenges and think creatively to get to the final destination, thus, you’ll never have a boring day at work! You’ll never have your head down falling asleep or be stuck doing the same thing repeatedly. Because you must adapt daily, you stay on your feet and await the next challenge to avoid. 

Work With New Technologies

Because the logistics sector is one that is growing, that means innovation through technology as well. Whether it’s a payment system, booking loads, Customer Relationship Management Systems (CRMS), or new customer and carrier portals, it gives you the opportunity to learn new, innovative systems that will enhance your soft skills as well. This is far from stopping either, as the industry is always looking to find ways to easily streamline customers and create data systems that are user friendly and easy to use as well.

Fulfilling Work

Working in logistics takes a lot of responsibility. Don’t feel too overwhelmed though as high responsibility means high reward. No matter the role you choose, you’ll feel a sense of pride in seeing products you worked with on shelves, in stores, or knowing you helped assist in a FEMA shipment, helping those who faced a natural disaster. This all comes in addition to the satisfaction you’ll receive from those parties you helped. 

Flexibility

Logistics is for everyone, meaning you’re not tied to one area of the United States or world. Every company whether big, small, domestic, or international uses logistics to get products from point A to B. You can move almost anywhere and be able to work remotely or for a logistics company in that area. Even the type of workplaces can differ as well. You could be working in a warehouse, factory floor, an open office area, or even from the comfort of your home. The possibilities are endless when it comes to the kind of place and location you could work from in logistics. 

The Next Generation

Because the logistics industry is growing, there is major concern about recruiting. Many in the logistics industry are focused on expanding people’s interest into this sector, especially for the younger generations. More colleges offer logistics and supply chain classes and degrees, more logistics businesses are using social media applications like Instagram and TikTok, and new programs like the U21 Truck Driver Apprenticeship program are making huge steps forward in showcasing a logistics career as a good path. 

Clearer Than Ever

One factor that spiked this industry’s popularity and knowledge was the covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic started the drastic market changes that we’re still experiencing today since everyone started online shopping more due to the social distancing that was put in place.

From there we’ve continued to see supply chains making headlines due to, delivery times being delayed, product shortages, increased prices, delays, and congestion at the ports, and more. 

Now that everyone has seen experience the supply chain affecting them personally, people are more aware of logistics and have a better understanding of how society needs it to run efficiently.

Interested in a Logistics Career?

If you’re looking for a career in logistics at a growing company, Trinity Logistics could be for you. We’re a third-party logistics company (3PL), offering People-Centric Freight Solutions®. Our mission is to deliver creative logistics solutions through a dynamic mix of human ingenuity and innovative technology, enriching the lives of those we serve. To accomplish this, we start by enriching the lives of our Team Members. 

We offer an ideal work environment with a causal dress code and an emphasis on Team Member appreciation. Our job opportunities offer you the job stability and more.  

If you want to learn more about Trinity’s culture and job opportunities, click below to start your logistics career.

By: Turner Lee

Managing transportation costs is a top challenge for shippers, while another challenge that goes in hand is sourcing consistent and reliable capacity. Here enters the contract and spot markets. Which one is best? Which has better shipping freight rates?

Some believe the spot market is the way for shippers to save money and stay on top of capacity, while others think it’s contract. Choosing to use spot rates versus contract rates can be one of the biggest decisions for a logistics manager. Understanding their differences and when is best to use them will help give your business success. So, let’s dive into each of these markets so you can better determine your business’s strategy.

WHAT ARE SPOT RATES? WHAT IS THE SPOT MARKET?

Spot freight rates are short-term transactional quotes for moving freight. These shipping freight rates are the price a transportation provider offers a shipper for a one-time quote to move their product from origin to destination. They reflect the real-time balance of supply and demand in logistics and the truckload market.

The quote is based on the value of the equipment needed at the moment of settlement. What determines the value of that equipment? Well, whether there is an excess or shortage of that exact equipment in the market and the lane at that time. Because market conditions directly affect spot rates, they are dynamic and can change day to day, even hour to hour. This is because the freight market can be more complex than simple supply and demand.

Thus, an increase in supply will lower spot rate prices if not accompanied by increased demand. And an increase in demand will raise spot rate prices unless accompanied by increased supply.

How to Track Rates in the Spot Market

You can keep track of the spot market through several industry websites and freight load boards to give you an inclination of what’s happening in the spot market. Some resources we like to follow are DAT and FREIGHTWAVES. 

We even push out a monthly update to keep you in the loop of rates and other happenings in logistics. You can find our latest Freight Market Update on our YouTube channel.

It’s crucial to stay on top of the spot market should you find the need to use it. Even if you decide to use contract freight, it’s good to keep a pulse on it as contract rates are affected by the spot market. The higher spot rates are, the higher contract rates are too.

Who is the Spot Market Best for?

Many carriers, shippers, and third-party logistics (3PL) companies turn to the spot market for competitive rates. No matter how big or small, every shipper will move some of their freight on the spot market at some point. The spot market is great for when you might have a one-off shipment outside your usual shipping lanes. It’s good for shippers who don’t have enough regular volume for contracts or those who need more capacity than they contracted out. Or even those specialty shipments or non-standard load requirements.

Spot Market Pros/Cons

HOW TO GET YOUR BEST SHIPPING FREIGHT RATE ON THE SPOT MARKET

Provide Accurate, Detailed Shipment Information

Though you can get a spot quote with as little as the origin and destination zip codes, pick-up date, and equipment type, it’s best to have ALL shipment information ready. Excluding any critical information may have you unexpectedly paying for it later. The more precise information you have, the more accurate your spot rate quote will be, so you won’t have any surprise added charges.

Information you should have for your best quote:

• Origin city or zip code

• Destination city or zip code

• If your shipment requires EXACT pick-up and delivery appointments, make sure to communicate your appointments times

• Pickup date

• Equipment type (i.e., dry van, refrigerated, flatbed, RGN, etc.)

• Commodity type

• Product weight

• Any special requirements or non-standard requirements

• Examples of special/non-standard requirements are live load or unload, “no-touch” by the driver, drop trailer, hazardous materials, multi-stop, driver assist, floor-loaded, more than two hours of loading/unloading, and equipment age restrictions.

Provide Ample Lead Time

Shippers will request spot quotes anywhere from a week in advance to the day of. Most will request them one to two business days before their shipping date. The more time you can give before your shipping date, the better, as spot rates tend to increase as the pickup date approaches.

Giving yourself a few extra days to secure pricing and capacity will usually work in your favor and lead to less expensive freight rates. This is because there will be more carriers available versus trying to find one on your shipment day.

Don’t Wait Too Long to Confirm a Good Spot Rate Quote

Spot market rates are volatile and quickly change over short periods of time. Therefore, the quote you received yesterday may be different today. So, when you find a rate that works for your shipment, don’t wait to confirm it. Instead, lock it in ASAP for confirmed pricing and capacity. Once agreed on a rate, a reliable provider will rarely change it UNLESS an important piece of information about your shipment changes.

Set Appointments During Regular Business Hours

There is usually more capacity available during regular business hours. As incredibly hard-working as they are, drivers still like to be home on holidays, weekends, or nights when possible.

If your appointments need to be precise, make sure to include that information in your quote request so your quote can be accurate. But, if you can be flexible with your times, setting appointment windows instead of strict appointment times can open you up to more capacity. For example, drivers have to manage their strict Hours of Service so a flexible appointment window can help them better plan their day.

Spot Market Technology

Many providers offer digital freight platforms and give you access to free instant freight quotes. This can be a great way to stay on top of current pricing without sending a lot of emails to different providers. Good freight providers will have logistics experts on call should you have questions or need more help. But having the ability to get quotes on demand can add time back into your day.

Be Mindful of Carrier Selection

While cost is important when choosing your transportation provider, make sure you consider several other factors into consideration. You should consider their experience, efficiency, and service. While a cheap quote is great, it can sometimes result in a missed pick-up, hidden accessorial, or even a damaged product. All this could end up costing your business more.

When shopping the spot market, shop around and get quotes from a few different providers. Once you have a few quotes, evaluate the rates while considering your shipment requirements and ask yourself a few questions about your potential provider:

• Will this provider meet my service requirements?
• Are they easy to do business with?
• Can I use their tech tools to operate more efficiently?
• If something goes wrong, can I trust them to fix it?

WHAT ARE CONTRACT RATES? WHAT IS THE CONTRACT MARKET?

A contract rate is a rate quoted by a transportation provider to a shipper for a set lane and its freight characteristics over a set period of time. Contract rates can also be known as primary rates, bid rates, committed or dedicated rates. In short, they are a long-term, stable pricing agreement between shippers and transportation providers.

The contract market is highly dependent on the spot market. Typically, the three to six months of spot market activity leading up to an RFP will influence contract rates.

Contract agreements are great for both shippers and transportation providers as the shipper gains committed capacity while the transportation provider gains fixed rates and dedicated freight volume. Everybody wins.

How Contract Agreements are Set

Contracted agreements or Requests For Proposals (RFP) can be set as mini bids (monthly), quarterly, bi-annually, or annually. However, since the contract market and its rates are based on the fluctuating spot market, it’s rare to see a contracted agreement set for more than a year to stay in tune with the market.

Contract agreements are set during the bidding process, aka the RFP. The shipper will take the RFP and send it to a network of transportation providers and those providers will reply with their quotes. At the end of the bid process, the shipper will award lanes to specific providers based on their rate, service, capacity, and any other considerations.

CONTRACT RATE PROS/cons

HOW TO GET YOUR BEST SHIPPING FREIGHT RATE ON THE CONTRACT MARKET

Any shipper has the opportunity to host a bid. There’s no set minimum shipment requirement. So, no matter how large or small you are, you can take advantage of an RFP.

Just like getting quotes for the spot market, the contract market requires detailed information to get your best rates. The more information you can tell your potential providers, the more reliable rates and capacity you’ll be able to get offered. Information that should be included in your bid:

• Commodity type(s)

• Weight per load

• Cargo value

• Estimated shipping volume for each lane

• Time frame of RFP contract

• Origin and destination zip for each lane

• Shipment frequency for each lane

• Any performance requirements

• Any special load requirements/accessorials

• Fuel surcharges

• Keep in mind that fuel surcharges account for around 30 percent of a carrier’s operating expenses, and as we all know, fuel costs can fluctuate dramatically.

• It’s important to establish your own fuel surcharge matrix for each potential diesel price and communicate that with your providers before conducting a bid. This will help you get consistent and accurate rates.

What Happens When a Contract is Broken?

Sometimes, contracts will get broken. For both shippers and carriers, breaking a contract may result in fines. Most likely when a carrier breaks a contract, they will end up with a dissatisfied customer and disqualification from future bid opportunities. While shippers will face a damaged carrier relationship, less reliable capacity, and most likely, higher rates on the next bid.

Technology Needed for RFPs

While the practice of RFPs sounds great, what’s the catch? For an RFP to work effectively, shippers need to be organized in their execution and collection of information. No matter your size, every shipper needs a way to track and store their supply chain data and procurement information. It helps to have one central location to keep all your freight volumes, provider names, and awarded lanes.

Some smaller shippers will use tools like Microsoft Excel, Google Docs, or even their providers’ technology platforms to manage their RFP data.

But if you’re a larger shipper, those tools can be overkill. Instead, 90 percent of shippers use digital platforms, often transportation management systems (TMS) to manage their procurement information. A TMS can help take the complexity out of RFPs and take your process from a few hours to a few minutes. It allows you to enter your contract information quickly, select the transportation providers you want quotes from, and click send. It will also help you have one location to easily view bids and communication around your loads, keeping you from overwhelming clutter.

Regardless of which workflow you decide for your business, it’s crucial to have a well-documented record on hand to easily reference.

WHAT’S BEST FOR ME?

Usually, no shipper runs all their freight through the contract market alone. As there are positives to each market and it can be hard to predict all volume, most shippers work to have a strategic blend of both spot and contract rates. What works best for your business will depend on the current state of the freight market, your freight, and your provider relationships.

Some questions to ask yourself when determining what market will work best for you are:

• Are my freight lanes affected by peak capacity demands during the year?
  • If you answered yes, the contract market, especially during those times of tight capacity, may be best for you.

• Am I willing to take on the risk of price fluctuations?
  • If you answered yes, you might want to look at the spot market first.

• Does the contract price include a capacity guarantee throughout the year, without a general rate increase (GRI)?
  • If you answered yes, the contract market may be best for you.

If you have determined that your volume is sporadic and not consistent, the spot market may be best for you, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t work with a carrier contractually. You can still build an approved carrier list with strong relationships even if you have to use the spot market on every shipment.

If you decide contracted freight is best for your company, keep an eye on spot market indexes and position your RFP bidding based on the freight cycle when possible. By moving your RFPs to when the market is at its lowest levels, you’ll gain your best rates.

Some shippers budget for 70 percent contracted and 30 percent spot or 50-50. No matter your balance, the freight market is always changing and so should your strategy. Keep a pulse on the market and your business needs so you can always find what’s best for your company.

NEED HELP WITH YOUR STRATEGY FOR COMPETITIVE SHIPPING FREIGHT RATES?

A shipper’s decision in balancing the use of contract versus spot rates can be difficult. Finding a good strategy for competitive shipping freight rates can be a lot of trial and error.

If you’re having challenges deciding when to use each market, Trinity Logistics can help. We have the technology and expertise you need to simplify your logistics management and offer support. Our Team Member experts are here to help you with your logistics strategy, including offering Quarterly Business Reviews and Freight Market Updates, so you can keep a pulse on industry trends and your company’s growth.

If you’ve seen any of the news headlines throughout 2021, you’ve seen how supply chains continually face ongoing stress and disruption from the contiued covid-19 pandemic, labor and product shortages, port congestion, and more. However, even during stressful times such as these, many of our Independent Freight Agent offices have continued to excel. How did our Independent Freight Agent offices continue to thrive in such difficult times? At Trinity, we make sure to work together and support. In 2022, Trinity is giving out more awards, prizes, and trips than ever before. 

Celebrating Our Platinum Agents

Trinity’s Agents can achieve the distinction of being recognized as a Platinum Agent, but what does this mean? A Platinum Agent title is earned by Trinity’s Authorized Agents who are excelling in the field. It is the highest recognition an Authorized Agent with Trinity can achieve, based on revenue and load count totals. Each year we recognize these Platinum Agents, giving them the royal treatment for their hard work. 

Celebrating Agent Office Achievements

Every year our Agent Support Team sends out awards and recognition plaques to the Authorized Agents who had an amazing growth year – and they sent out more boxes than ever this year! With the support of a broker, like Trinity Logistics, Independent Freight Agents can focus on what they do best – move freight. In addition, because our elite Agent Support team takes care of the back-end support, Authorized Agent offices in our network can focus on growing their business. And in 2021, they did just that! We were even able to recognize our Agents’ contribution to a huge company milestone, with a car giveaway. Check out Kelly’s surprise when we showed up at his door to tell him he won the drawing.

Here are some of the highlights our Agents accomplished this year:

• A record number of Authorized Agents reached Platinum status – the highest level of achievement for an Independent Freight Agent at Trinity, which rewards volume and growth.
• 70 percent of Authorized Agent Offices in Trinity’s network reached $1 million, or more, in sales – with many reaching multi-million-dollar levels.

Independent Agent Awards and Perks

Trinity offers the best support possible for Independent Freight Agent Offices that are growing but also some awards and recognition as well. Our Agents are like family to us, and we love to celebrate them when they reach their goals. Listed below are some of the rewards we offer to our Authorized Agents: 

• Plaques and trophies
• Company branded apparel – who doesn’t love a good jacket or hat?
• Trips – our Platinum Agencies receive full travel accommodations, including flights and hotel accommodations for the owner and a guest to our annual Agent conference. In 2022, we’re going to New Orleans! 
• Gifts – we recently sent out a gift to every single Agency owner and their Team Members to celebrate such a fantastic year. We also send gifts every year to our Authorized Freight Agent offices.
• Appreciation – each year, Trinity sets aside a day called “Agent Appreciation Day” – with celebrations including gifts, lunches, videos, and recognition. We honor our Authorized Freight Agents every day, but we take this one special day to play it up big. 

Supporting Independent Freight Agent Offices

While all these gifts and perks are great benefits to being part of Trinity’s Authorized Freight Agent network, that’s not all we offer. Trinity has over 30 years of experience aiding the success of our Authorized Freight Agent offices, and offer many extras for our Authorized Agent network. Hear from Chris Bergman, one of Trinity’s Authorized Agents, about his success story and how Trinity has helped him get to where he is today.

We realize you have a choice in who you’d like to partner with in your business. However, if what you’re looking for is a long-term partnership that is supportive of your growth, offers you continued education to remain 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 you. 

If you want to learn more about our Freight Agent Program, click the button below! 

By: Jennifer Hoffman

Trinity Logistics is proud to announce its earned spot on Transport Topics’ 2022 Top Freight Brokerage Firms List for a 20^th consecutive year. Trinity earned spot 22 on this list of 100 top freight brokerages. Companies are ranked based on gross revenue, so it means a lot to Team Trinity to see such a high ranking, showcasing the impact we’ve been able to make on the lives of customers and carriers within supply chains. 

“This ranking continues to show Trinity’s strength and determination on serving our shipper and carrier customers with our customized logistics solutions,” says Sarah Ruffcorn, President of Trinity Logistics. “Team Trinity works hard to continue to grow and strengthen our shipper and carrier relationships, to simplify logistics, and ultimately, to provide an excellent Trinity experience. Earning this recognition continues to show we are rising to the ongoing supply chain challenges, and are serving our customers well. Thank you, Transport Topics, for the recognition. We’re honored to have made it another year on the list – #22!”  

It’s easy to see why Trinity continues to earn recognition such as this based on the feedback we hear from our relationships.

“As a carrier, it’s always a pleasure working with Trinity Logistics. The loads are as described, the broker that I work with is responsive, and payment for our services is on time. Thanks, guys!” – H.F. Williams Transport, LLC

“Working with Trinity has been very great so far. We have been working on moving some oversize loads and the patience and professionalism along with providing all information and answering millions of my emails is just amazing. No doubt in my mind that we will continue working together in the future as well.” – Sekula LLC

Trinity’s parent company, Burris Logistics, has ranked number 15 on Transport Topics’ Top 100 Logistics Companies List and number 5 on their Top Refrigerated Warehousing List. 

To see the complete list, visit Transport Topics.  

About Trinity Logistics

Trinity Logistics is a Burris Logistics Company, offering People-Centric Freight Solutions®. Our mission is to deliver creative logistics solutions through a mix of human ingenuity and innovative technology, enriching the lives of those we serve.   

For the past 40 years, we’ve been arranging freight for businesses of all sizes in truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), warehousing, intermodal, drayage, expedited, international, and technology solutions.  

We are currently recognized in the Top 20 freight brokerages on Transport Topics’ Top 100 Freight Brokerage List, an Inbound Logistics top 100 3PL, and a Certified Great Place to Work ®.  

It’s produce season. That time of the year when produce shipments are at their peak and so are produce shipment rejections. According to DAT, up to 12 percent of shipments are rejected or delayed. Produce shipments are most often rejected because of the complexities of fresh food logistics. Because of their perishability, they are more likely to experience damage in transit due to improper handling, temperature variances, or delays. 

A produce shipment rejection can cause lost time, added fuel and shipping costs, wasted product, and sometimes even a strained relationship with your customer. In addition, these rejections can cause a domino effect of added issues, costs, paperwork, and make everyone’s day longer than it needs to be. Yet, with attention to detail, planning, and effective communication, you can prevent produce shipment rejections and manage your costs. Here’s some advice on preventing shipment refusal during produce season.

REASONS TO REJECT PRODUCE

With fresh produce being on average, 90 percent water, it’s a volatile product to ship. It can develop issues at any stage, during growth, harvest, storage, packing, or shipping. This makes the logistics of shipping produce that much more complicated. As a result, there can be many more reasons for produce shipment rejections to happen. So, what are some reasons for a produce shipment rejection?

Paperwork Errors/Wrong Product

The Bill of Lading (BOL) must match the shipment delivered. When the receiver checks the BOL to verify the purchase order (PO) number, skid, case count, and weight of the freight delivered, and it doesn’t line up, then the shipment may be rejected. This could happen for several reasons. For example, the product could be what they asked for but the wrong amount, or the product could be completely different. However, any discrepancy between what they ordered and what arrived will mean a rejected shipment.

*Important to note: A produce shipment should not be rejected if there is less than 50 percent of the product short or damaged.*

Pallet Configuration

Some customers require that the product arrives according to their specific guidelines for packaging. If their requested guidelines are not followed, or anything shifted, fell, or ripped while in transit, then they may refuse the shipment.

Improper Temperature Range

Maintaining integrity and freshness is serious when it comes to a perishable product like produce. If your produce shipment falls out of its needed temperature range, even by one degree, the receiver may reject your shipment. Unlike other types of freight, the chance for spoilage with produce is too high, so a receiver won’t often take on the liability with any temperature variances.

Delivered Late

Often, retail and grocery distributing centers operate on tight schedules, so a delay could impact their other appointments. Unfortunately, this means they rarely make exceptions when it comes to late shipments and your produce will be rejected.

Equipment Issues

The trailer could have been unable to keep the temperature in the range needed for your produce shipment or perhaps the trailer was not washed thoroughly before loading. Maybe the carrier showed up with a van and you needed a refrigerated trailer. There are several issues in which the trailer your shipment is delivered in can have the receiver refusing your product.

Reasonable Time to Reject

One important thing to know about produce shipment rejections is that there is a reasonable time for the receiver to reject the shipment. When shipping by truck, the receiver must not exceed eight hours to inspect and reject. When shipping by rail, the receiver must not exceed 24 hours to inspect and reject.

AS A SHIPPER, WHAT TO DO WHEN PRODUCE IS REFUSED

Many issues associated with rejected produce shipments can often be resolved quickly with extra communication and planning.

You’ll first need to figure out why the receiver rejected your produce shipment, so start with asking your receiver that. Ask for pictures showing any damage and a copy of the BOL. Next, ask for the report by the USDA inspector or another qualified individual, as it’s required for the receiver to have the shipment inspected, note any issues, and detail what the cause of damage was. Additionally, ask your carrier for a reefer unit download or a temperature recorder download so you can see if there were any temperature fluctuations during transit.

If you’re considering filing a cargo claim, you must know that cargo claims for produce will only be paid for proven physical damage.

Now, if a produce shipment is rejected and not unloaded, there are a couple of options for you to try to recoup the loss. You can reroute the shipment to a different facility that will accept it, donate the shipment, or have the carrier dispose of it. Regardless of which option you choose, you are responsible for handling where the shipment will go next.

What are any secondary markets the produce can go to if messed up? What’s the disposition? You’ll be the best resource for the area’s market. Be familiar with your shipping lanes and the secondary markets within your location to best salvage the produce if refused.

Secondary Facility

As long as your produce is still safe for consumption and solely rejected for the way it looks, you might be able to sell the shipment to a secondary facility. For example, a sauce maker or a french fry company might be willing to buy a shipment of tomatoes or potatoes that are still edible but visually unappealing.

Donation

It can be possible to reuse a rejected produce shipment through local donation, though there are still high standards for products if donated. Any food and beverage products donated must be safe enough to consume. Donations can be optimal as your produce can still be used, and you can receive tax credits for your donation.

Disposal

If your produce shipment is rejected due to a temperature violation or clear spoilage during transit, disposal may be your solution. When your produce is determined to be unsalvageable, it may be best to dispose of it. Although the other two options are better for the environment and your bottom line, it’s sometimes a necessary evil to dispose of the product. While recycling and reusing are ideal, they may not be workable due to compliance and safety standards. One of the benefits of disposal is that scheduling disposals are often quicker than scheduling to another facility.

Maintaining a Good Customer Relationship

Shipment rejections can stress even the best relationships. It’s best to keep in mind that you are in it for the long haul and produce shipment rejections that can happen even to the best of shippers due to its complexity.

It’s best to acknowledge the rejection, replace the product as soon as possible, and find the source of the issue to help reduce the chance of another produce rejection happening anytime soon. Take ownership of the problem and control of your shipment so you can manage your money from the salvage. Taking control over the disposition will help you maximize your return, reduce claimed damages, and reduce your risk of customer relationship loss.

While these are all great solutions for handling produce shipment rejections, it’s ideal to prevent them in the first place. For companies looking to focus on their bottom line, it’s important to know all necessary prevention measures for produce shipment rejections and plan for when they do happen.

PRODUCE SHIPMENT REJECTION PREVENTION

Paperwork and Communication

The first step to preventing produce shipment rejections is to have your paperwork and communication in order. Your agreement must be clear on the condition of the produce your buyer will receive. Being able to present your buyer with evidence that your produce is safe and of the quality you stated it’s in before transit will prevent most cases of rejection.

Communication with your buyer and your logistics team on how your produce is being handled before loading, during loading, and during transit must be done effectively and properly. This is especially crucial because of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Be sure to provide photos, diagrams, or any other examples of proper pallet configuration to your warehouse and trucking partners. This kind of communication will help them pack and load your freight correctly from the start.

Carrier Selection

Produce shipments, especially during produce season, often pay a lot. This means you’ll have a lot of carriers bidding to haul for you. Therefore, quality carrier selection and additional insurance requirements, like reefer breakdown, are crucial aspects to prevent rejected produce shipments.

Make sure you confirm with your motor carrier that they are both authorized and experienced to haul your produce.

Additionally, make sure they understand all your shipments requirements, including FSMA. For example, do they need washout receipts? Do they have a good quality truck, updated trailer, or a quality reefer? Do they have or need temperature-monitoring devices or other technology to ensure the temperature is controlled and the cold chain uninterrupted? Can they pull a reefer download if required?

By finding a quality carrier and building a strong relationship with them, you’ll gain a dependable carrier to use regularly. This can help you reduce any transportation-related issues that could later result in a shipment rejection.

Loading

Don’t Overstack

When it comes to produce season, the number one cause of claims that we see comes from over-stacking your boxes or bins of produce when loading them onto the trailer. An example of this would be triple or quadruple stacking your boxes when they need to be double-stacked. While this depends on each shipping location, not all may be aware that each box has a maximum capacity it can withstand and not damage your produce. You need to know the weight-bearing amount of your boxes so you can place no more than that. When you over-stack, it’s will increase the risk of your produce getting squished and damaged. Certain produce can be very fragile, like berries, tomatoes, asparagus, or bananas. They tend to bruise easily, so single-stacking boxes are even more ideal for them.

No Hot Loads

Industry experts say that as much as 32 percent of all cargo is loaded at the wrong temperature.

This is often due to poor loading practices, like loading from a hot field. When it comes to produce, loading from a hot field is a HUGE NO. This causes the driver to start traveling with your produce at the wrong temperature, which puts compliance and financial pressure on carriers, as the load is at a high risk of spoiling. Your produce should be safely brought down to its required transit temperature before loading to prevent any spoilage.

Have the Proper Equipment

While this may seem silly, it still needs to be said: If a motor carrier shows up with a dry van and your produce requires a refrigerated trailer, DO NOT LOAD. While losing some time or causing a bit of a delay is not ideal, it’s better to have the proper trailer needed to keep your risk of shipment rejection from spoilage or damage low. Additionally, make sure your carrier’s refrigerated temperature monitoring system has the proper temperature, date, and time set. If there is a rejection due to temperature variance and the date and time are wrong, you’ll take the blame due to current regulations.

When it comes to your motor carrier and loading, it’s also ideal to allow them to inspect and pulp your product before loading. They have the right to do so, and the opportunity can give your carrier the confidence to haul your product safely. It also helps build a strong and loyal relationship, while helping you gain more insight that your product is okay before it’s in transit.

Keep Clean of Debris

Another way to help prevent produce rejections is to have a shipping platform that can be cleaned without leaving any splinters or debris in vehicles. Food-grade plastic pallets are ideal for solving many hygiene issues while helping reduce product damage during transport. Unlike wooden pallets, they don’t splinter or leave behind debris, and their nonabsorbent surface can be easily cleaned and dried.

Transit and Delivery

As mentioned during loading, make sure you have a way to track temperatures throughout the shipment and be able to receive notifications in real time. By getting early warning signs of issues, temperature variations can be quickly detected and dealt with right away instead of learning about them later at delivery.

Additionally, make sure you have a qualified inspector on-site at delivery. This will help should the receiver decide to reject your produce shipment to determine if your product is salvageable for you to recoup costs.

Before transit, it’s best that you set up the potential for rework facilities to accept your produce should the receiver refuse it. Talk to nearby receiving facilities to establish accounts, processes, and pricing ahead of time. This way, if there has been some visual damage or slight shifting, it can quickly reroute to the other location and be reworked, being proactive rather than reactive. This is especially important when it comes to produce since time is of the essence.

HAVING HELP

Produce shipment rejections can be complex and confusing at times. This is where working with a third-party logistics company (3PL), like Trinity, can come in handy. We have Teams to help you with the prevention of rejections as well as when one does happen.

Carrier Compliance

Our Carrier Compliance Team is here to vet our carrier network and make sure they have what you need to get your shipment delivered safely. Not only do we have a rigorous vetting process, but depending on your shipment requirements, we’ll make checks for extra insurance needs like reefer breakdown and make sure they are FSMA compliant. 

Claims

No matter how prepared one can be, unexpected things can still happen. Shipments may get refused and so that’s why we have a Claims Team here ready to assist you. It can be a real lifesaver to have a Team of certified professionals to help take the stress out of the claims process. Should it be needed, our Claims Team will help you start the process, be there to track progress, and assist until a resolution is met between all involved parties.

DON’T GO THROUGH PRODUCE SEASON ALONE

With proper prevention, compliance, and planning, produce shipment rejections can become less of a thorn in your side during produce season. Even still, they can and will happen at times. Make sure you’re ready and have the support you need by working with an experienced provider such as Trinity.

You’ll have the advantage of working with and trusting our risk departments, who work hard to help mitigate any risk to your shipments. In addition, you can trust that each of our carrier relationships is properly vetted for things like reefer breakdown coverage. Should you need it, you’ll have a whole Claims Team ready to help you sort through any unexpected shipment issues.

Gain the support you need to navigate the complexity of produce season with less stress.

Trinity Logistics is proud to recognize Hayley Dobson as one of the Women in Trucking Association’s (WIT) “Top Women to Watch in Transportation.” Dobson holds the title of Group Vice President at Trinity and has been with the company for 18 years. 

Each year, WIT’s editorial staff for Redefining the Road magazine recognizes these individuals for their career accomplishments over the past 12 to 18 months, and their efforts to promote gender diversity. 

“Despite the many challenges the last few years have brought, Hayley has responded with ingenuity, courage, and determination,” said Trinity’s President, Sarah Ruffcorn. “We are thrilled Hayley has been included in WIT’s 2022 Top Women to Watch.”  

Throughout her years at Trinity, Dobson has risen through the ranks, beginning as a dispatcher, and now serving as the Group Vice President, overseeing all of Trinity’s Regional Service Centers. Her strategic thinking and continuous review of processes have helped to ensure Trinity provides the best service to carriers, shippers, and Team Members.  

Additionally, Dobson uses her own experience and skillset to ensure other women have access to both leadership training and leadership opportunities within the company and industry. Trinity Logistics is proud to have Dobson as an integral part of its Team and Executive Leadership. 

About the Trinity Logistics  
  
Trinity Logistics is a Burris Logistics Company, offering People-Centric Freight Solutions®. Our mission is to deliver creative logistics solutions through a mix of human ingenuity and innovative technology, enriching the lives of those we serve.   

For the past 40 years, we’ve been arranging freight for businesses of all sizes in truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), warehousing, intermodal, drayage, expedited, international, and technology solutions.  

We are currently recognized in the Top 20 freight brokerages on Transport Topics’ Top 100 Freight Brokerage List, an Inbound Logistics top 100 3PL, and a Certified Great Place to Work ®.