If there is anything we have all learned together over the last few years, it’s that nothing stays the same. While we have used the phrase “everything changes” as more of a cliché, we’ve all had a front-row seat to just how fast things can change and how important it is to stay prepared with accurate information. However, another thing we’ve learned over the last few years is that sometimes a news source may not be the most reliable.
Let’s face it, not many industries have had the spotlight thrown at them quite like transportation! And with so much information, news, and opinions being thrown at you all the time, it can be hard to know what the actual truth is and what is an exaggerated opinion. From social media, public opinion, company-specific data, and political forums, there’s an unlimited number of news sources available, so finding trusted information is as important as ever.
Tips to Make Sure Your News Source is Trustworthy
You can Google any number of articles to find some tips and tricks to ensure you are reliable, but to keep it simple you can head back to your writing class! Using the standard CRAAP method is probably the best way. Yes, I said CRAAP – don’t you love a good acronym?
Here are some tips to make sure that the information you take in is accurate, truthful, and relevant.
C – Currency
Was it published last week or last year?
R – Relevance
Is this article relevant to what you need? Is this information important?
A – Authority
What is the source of information? Who is the author? Do they have any credentials or experience in the subject matter?
A – Accuracy
Can you validate the accuracy of the information?
P – Purpose
Why was the article written? Was someone trying to argue a point or share information?
Count on Trinity as a Trustworthy News Source for Transportation
We understand that finding the time to vet resources and information fully is just one more thing to add to your already loaded plate. That’s why we have a network of Team Members and external relationships that help us stay up to date on the ever-changing market in which we work.
We work diligently to ensure that any information we pass on to Freight Agents and Team Members within the company has the best information possible, as quickly as possible. We make use of trusted sources such as Freightwaves, Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), and many other relationships throughout the industry.
Ways We Share Trustworthy News With You
Daily News Update
As a Trinity Freight Agent, you’ll receive our Daily News Update email every day. This email hosts four of the top transportation news articles within the past 24 hours. Additionally, we share two news articles outside of the transportation industry, the latest Trinity LinkedIn post for you to share, and a motivational quote.
Weekly Update
Each week, Trinity’s Freight Agents receive a Weekly Update email. This email contains any quick information that may help you, such as information on technology enhancements, important dates to remember, and more.
Monthly Newsletter
The Agent Monthly Newsletter puts you up-front and personal with your Agent Support Team. Members of this Team share information that they think will help a Freight Agents’ business, important updates, Freight Agent office celebrations, and some personal stories to grow our relationships.
Freight Market Update
Each month, Greg Massey pulls freight industry information from FreightWaves’ Sonar Product and writes a summarized article that we call our Freight Market Update. You can find the monthly update on our blog!
Participating in Organizations and Conferences
Many of our Leadership Team Members participate in well-known organizations and conferences to not only help keep all of Trinity updated on what’s going on in the industry but to share our expert experience and knowledge with others. For example, President Sarah Ruffcorn chairs the Women in Logistics Committee with TIA and has participated in their Connecting to Climb Series. Additionally, Chief Financial Officer Doug Potvin recently traveled to Washington D.C. to testify before Congress on supply chain issues and how to build resiliency for the long term.
We’re Here as Your Go-To News Source for Transportation
It’s important to us that the Freight Agents that work with Trinity have the information they need to make important decisions relevant to their business and the current market. If you’ve been looking for a 3PL partner who you can trust to be a reliable news source, get in touch with the Trinity Logistics Agent Support Team so we can discuss your business’s unique needs and inform you of how we can work together to meet them.
I’m interested in a 3PL partner who can keep me informed.This past year was a tough year for the transportation industry. The tariff wars with China and the trade wars raise the risk of an economic recession. An economic recession would cause issues in the industry worldwide. Some researchers believe that all these issues have already led to an industrial recession. An industrial recession is an economic decline in manufacturing. Recently, there have been increases in trucking company bankruptcies, which has lowered capacity across the country. All these issues combined shows evidence that 2020 could start off as a tough year for both shippers and carriers. And it all starts with our politicians and their policies.
Politicians and Their Policies
Politicians and the policies they create dictate the US economy, effecting all industries. This past year the transportation industry saw effects because of the trade and tariff wars induced by the Trump Administration. With the upcoming election, many media outlets have expressed that President Trump will be forced to make deals regarding the tariff issues with China and the restructuring of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to avoid scrutiny. He claims deals with both are close to being ratified, but only time will tell how successful they are.
Climate Change
It is obvious that climate change will be a major debate topic in this election season. The top three Democratic candidates all discussed the need to combat the slowing of greenhouse gas emissions. This is an important issue that needs to be addressed, but it will have some serious effects on the freight industry. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), transportation generates the highest percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. at 29 percent. It is unclear how this will affect the industrial transportation industry.
While on the topic of climate change, it is also notable to point out the amount of natural disasters is on the rise. From 1980 to 2014 there was an average of 5.4 disasters per year. In the last five years that number has jumped up to 13.8 per year. From California wildfires to hurricanes ravishing the East Coast, these disasters stop shipping operations and raise carrier rates by going into extreme weather conditions.
Takeaways from this post:
- There is a lot of uncertainty in the transportation industry with the current issues in the world economy.
- Deals to end the tariffs effecting our industry are close to being made.
- Climate change is a hot topic and changes to transportation could be coming soon.
- Natural disasters are increasing ever year. Staying up-to-date on potential storms can help prepare your business.
It is important to note that politics and the economy have effects on the transportation industry. The industry is ever changing with new regulations, policies, or capacity issues. Which is why it’s important to work with a partner who stays up-to-date and helps educate their customers. Trinity Logistics is a member of many industry associations, including EPA’s SmartWay program, and attends conferences to stay educated on industry trends and changes.