The Logistics of Logistics

How to Grow a Trucking Company with Brian Fielkow Brian Fielkow and Joe Lynch discuss how to grow a trucking company. Brian is the CEO of Houston-based Jetco Delivery and EVP of Montreal- based The GTI Group. About Brian Fielkow In his dual role as CEO of Houston-based Jetco Delivery and EVP of Montreal- based The GTI Group, Brian leverages his 25+ years' experience of leading, growing and transforming multimillion dollar organizations organically and via mergers and acquisitions. The companies' operations include intermodal, flatbed/heavy haul, van, and freight brokerage. As Jetco CEO over the past 14 years, Brian developed the company into one of the Gulf Coast's premier trucking and logistics providers. Under his leadership, Jetco built a premium service model that differentiated the company in a price-driven industry. Brian has maintained focus on people, fleet, technology and innovation to provide an excellent client experience. About Jetco Delivery Since 1976, Jetco has partnered with sophisticated shippers and intermediaries to meet their trucking and freight brokerage needs throughout the Gulf Coast. Through its family of companies, Jetco provides intermodal, open deck, heavy haul, dry van, asset-backed freight brokerage, and warehousing services. Headquartered in Houston, Jetco maintains an office in Dallas and terminals in La Porte, Freeport, San Antonio and Dallas. Jetco is a part of The GTI Group, a Canadian-based specialized transport company providing integrated logistics and transportation services, including asset-based trucking, freight brokerage, air and ocean services, and warehousing and storage. Key Takeaways: How to Grow a Trucking Company with Brian Fielkow Brian Fielkow is the CEO of Houston-based Jetco Delivery and EVP of Montreal- based The GTI Group. Brian bought Jetco and grew the company ten-fold before selling it to The GTI Group. In the podcast interview, Brian explained that there are many challenges in the trucking business including: the boom and bust cycle which makes investment difficult, hiring and retaining the wrong people, safety problems, high insurance costs, working with the wrong shippers and carriers, and over-reliance on transactional business. When Brian took over at Jetco, he worked hard to win the respect of the employees. From the beginning Brian wanted to build a winning culture and business processes that ensured success. To grow the company, Brian focuses on 1.) People 2.) Fleet and 3.) Technology. Jetco / GTI operates a fleet of 100+ trucks and 250+ trailers. Headquartered in Houston, Jetco maintains an office in Dallas and terminals in La Porte, Freeport, San Antonio and Dallas. Jetco is a part of The GTI Group, a Canadian-based company providing over-the-road transportation, freight brokerage, ocean and air logistics, and warehousing services throughout North America and across the globe. Learn More About How to Grow a Trucking Company Brian Fielkow LinkedIn Brian Fielkow website Jetco Delivery The GTI Group The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

Overcoming Last Mile Challenges with Israel Duanis Israel Duanis and Joe Lynch discuss overcoming last mile challenges. Israel is the Vice President of the Logistics and Last Mile Delivery Platforms at Via, where he oversees all facets of Via's logistics-related business. About Israel Duanis Israel Duanis is the Vice President of the Logistics and Last Mile Delivery Platforms at Via, the leader in TransitTech, where he oversees all facets of Via's logistics-related business. Via's logistics and last mile delivery team provides solutions that improve the efficiency, sustainability, and scale of current logistics operations for retailers, operators, and government entities -- in addition to helping these partners expand to new offerings for the emerging home delivery sector. Prior to Via, Israel was the CEO and co-founder of Fleetonomy, an intelligent logistics and fleet management software company that was acquired by Via in 2020. Israel received his B.Sc. in Physics, Math and Computer Science from The Hebrew University and his M.S in System Engineering from The Technion. He is based in Tel Aviv, Israel, where he lives with his family. About Via Via Logistics provides end-to-end technology that will enable operators, retailers, government entities and more to serve more customers with fewer vehicle miles traveled. With 150+ partnerships around the globe, Via's advanced delivery platform can do what no other platform can: manage deliveries seamlessly, allowing partners to have full control and visibility into its operations while keeping customer satisfaction and environmental sustainability top of mind. Key Takeaways: Overcoming Last Mile Challenges Israel Duanis is the VP of Logistics and Delivery Platforms at Via, which provides an advanced delivery platform that enables retailers and carriers to manage last mile deliveries seamlessly, with full control and visibility into its operations. Via's platform enables their customers (retailers, last mile carriers, etc.) to deliver a world class delivery experience, while minimizing environmental impact. As consumers increasingly choose to have their purchases delivered to their homes, retailers and ecommerce companies are faced with a decision – use delivery services like DoorDash, Instacart, and Shipt to manage the delivery or manage the delivery internally. It is not an easy choice. If the retailer decides to partner with a delivery service they risk losing some control over the transaction. For example, if a person buying groceries online chooses to process the transaction via Shipt, the consumer is using the Shipt app, and interacting with Shipt people. The grocer loses a valuable interaction with the customer and may even lose customer data. On the other hand, if the retailer decides to manage deliveries internally, they are faced with starting and managing a delivery business that requires advanced routing technology to run effectively and efficiently. Via is the answer for many retailers because they provide a white-label routing technology solution that enables retailers to run their own delivery network. Partnering with Via also means retailers can focus on their core business rather than trying ramp up a freight tech development group. Via also provides a world-class routing technology solution for last-mile delivery services. To succeed in the last-mile delivery business, carriers must be effective (deliver on-time) and efficient (using the fewest resources especially time and fuel). Via's routing solutions are used all over the world and enable companies large and small to deliver efficient and scalable last-mile deliveries. Learn More About Overcoming Last Mile Challenges Israel Duanis LinkedIn Via The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

Michael Darden and Joe Lynch discuss killing ghost loads and phantom data. Michael is the CEO of DFM Data Corp, a utility company designed to be a tool between digital partners moving freight in the USA and Canada. About Michael Darden Michael is from New York and moved to Atlanta Georgia in 1985. He is married, with 3 children. Michael has been fascinated with the coordination and movement of goods for 40 years. He worked for Coca-Cola, culminating as Operations Manager for the Coke Olympic Warehouse operation at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He then led Power2Ship as it pioneered digital freight matching in the trucking industry in the early 2000s. Arranging for the right human resources, at the right place, with the right equipment, at the right time, takes historic knowledge, precision in planning and communication, and precise execution. Michael has focused his career on the collection and utilization of actionable data to make informed process improvement decisions. About DFM Data Corp DFM Data Corp. Inc. was formed in 2019 to help the fragmented North American ground transportation industry embrace digital technology … AKA the "FreightTech Revolution". The company has engaged with governance leaders to establish a business model for collaboration in the digital freight industry, the linchpin to unlock this valuable data. Recognizing that the fragmentation is caused by existing industry systems that date back 100 years, DFM Data has put forth a new type of 'for profit' entity to serve this exact need. Participation is power. Our technology solution introduces the ability to network all of the different systems with different jargon, and standardize to a communication bridge that uses virtual computing to move the data through the network, without disclosing the sensitive customer data. Key Takeaways: Killing Ghost Loads and Phantom Data Michael Darden is the Founder and CEO of DFM Data, where he and his team help accelerate adoption of digital freight services by shippers, carriers and brokers. DFM has a solution that will kill ghost loads and phantom data, which in turn will improve the customer experience and performance of digital fright matching services (DFMs). Today, shippers, carriers, and brokers waste a lot of time because the data, that is the foundation of the digital freight business is flawed. Old, dirty, data obscures market signals and leads to a lot of bad decisions, customer dissatisfaction, and additional cost for the entire industry. The heart of the problem is that there is no unique identifier for loads. Example: A shipper or broker posts a load on multiple load boards and then the load is covered by a carrier. The load is removed from one of the load boards, but not necessarily all the load boards. In this example, the covered load is now a ghost load, yet dozens of companies don't know it yet. The same problem exists with capacity. As a result of ghost loads and phantom data, supply and demand signals confuses rather than enlighten the shippers, carriers, and brokers. DFM Data is a neutral utility that functions as the data clearinghouse for the 200+ US-based digital freight matching service providers (DFMs). Their distributed data platform facilitates anonymized data-sharing by DFMs. This essential interconnectivity between DFMs allows the automated removal of duplicated load and capacity postings (aka "Phantom Data") from multiple DFM marketplaces, platforms and load boards—and ultimately, the entire US truckload spot market. Learn More About Killing Ghost Loads and Phantom Data Michael Darden LinkedIn DFM Data Corp The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

Why XPO is Spinning Off GXO with Mark Manduca Mark Manduca and Joe Lynch discuss why XPO is spinning off GXO. Mark is the Chief Investment Officer of XPO which is leader in logistics, brokerage and LTL. About Mark Manduca Mark Manduca currently serves as the Chief Investment Officer of XPO's global logistics segment. His career as a top-ranked analyst spans senior positions with leading investment banks, including Citigroup in London, where he served as managing director in equity research and led transport research activities. Earlier, he spent eight years with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he led the business services, leisure and transport research teams. Prior to XPO, Manduca consistently led the top-ranked European transport research teams for close to a decade, as determined by Institutional Investor. In 2020, he received the most votes individually across all sectors and regions in the European Institutional Investor survey and was named the No. 1 European transport research analyst for the eighth consecutive year. About XPO Logistics XPO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: XPO) provides cutting-edge supply chain solutions to the most successful companies in the world, with two business segments: transportation and logistics. The company helps more than 50,000 customers manage their supply chains most efficiently, using a network of 1,621 locations in 30 countries and approximately 140,000 team members, including 108,000 employees and 32,000 temporary workers. The company's corporate headquarters are in Greenwich, Conn., USA. About the GXO spin-off XPO intends to spin off its logistics segment on August 2, 2021 as GXO Logistics, creating two, pure-play industry powerhouses. The separation would create independent public companies with distinct investment identities and service offerings in vast addressable markets. GXO would be the largest pure-play contract logistics company in the world, and XPO would be a leading provider of transportation services, primarily less-than-truckload transportation and truck brokerage. Key Takeaways: Why XPO is Spinning Off GXO In the podcast interview, GXO's Chief Investment Officer, Mark Manduca explains why XPO is spinning off GXO. XPO Logistics is an American transportation and contract logistics company that manages supply chains for 50,000 customers worldwide, including 69 of the Fortune 100. It operates in 30 countries, with approximately 100,000 employees. XPO Logistics, Inc. was the 7th best-performing stock of the last decade on the Fortune 500, with its share price rising more than 1,000% from the time its CEO, Brad Jacobs, took control. XPO's corporate headquarters are in Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S. Its regional headquarters for the European markets are in Lyon, France. XPO is spinning off GXO on August 2nd thus creating two pure-play industry powerhouses. The separation would create two independent public companies with distinct investment identities and service offerings in vast addressable markets. GXO would be the second largest contract logistics company in the world, and XPO would be a leading provider of transportation services, primarily less-than-truckload transportation, and truck brokerage. Learn More About Why XPO is Spinning Off GXO Mark Manduca GXO XPO The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

Worst Case Scenarios for Freight Brokers with Lisa Bruno Lisa Bruno and Joe Lynch talk about the worst case scenarios for freight brokers. Lisa is an Industry Consultant at CarrierDirect which is a consulting firm supporting the transportation and industry, logistics, warehousing, supply chain and also provide technology support. About Lisa Bruno Lisa Bruno brings 15+ years of transportation logistics experience to the podcast. She started her career at Strive Logistics in 2005 and, being the 12th employee, saw an opportunity to make an impact at a young company. She started on the customer operations and account management side of the business running point on PepsiCo's Quaker Oats account among others. 2012 started her Director-level experience wearing many hats to help propel Strive to success: contributed in developing Strive's proprietary TMS, led training efforts of new hires and the latest TMS functionality and later in her career was in more of a "fixer" role working with stakeholders to solve process & operational bottlenecks. Once Strive was acquired by Redwood Logistics in 2019, Lisa played an integral role in getting Redwood's customer-facing department up to speed on Strive's TMS. She earned her PMP certification in 2020 and most recently joined the CarrierDirect team as an Industry Consultant. About Carrier Direct CarrierDirect is a management consulting and technology development firm focused on transportation, logistics, and supply chain. They are on a mission to help supply chains, transportation, and logistics companies overcome obstacles toward progress and growth, so we can contribute to a more efficient world together. CarrierDirect a team of people absorbed in all things transportation, logistics, and supply chain, motivated by opportunities to help carriers, freight brokers, shippers, and tech vendors do great things. They are passionate about problem solving, not afraid of a challenge, and always ready to go the extra mile. CarrierDirect offers Management Consulting: assessment & benchmarking, capacity strategy, compensation, recruiting, onboarding, training, development, workflows, processes, supply chain resiliency, transportation & distribution strategy, sales & operational planning. They also have Technology Strategy: With a true technology strategy, you can have laser focus on your objectives, agility to solve your most important problems first, and then scale as needed. CarrierDirect also provides Software Development: We develop TMS and other applications that provide the efficiency, workflow, data, and visibility you need. Key Takeaways: Worst Case Scenarios for Freight Brokers In the podcast interview, Lisa Bruno and Joe Lynch discuss some of the worst-case scenarios for freight brokers. In general, freight brokerages and 3PLs tend to be reactive rather than proactive. The industry should learn from the pandemic to plan for the worst-case scenario before it happens. Scenario #1 – Lose a significant customer scenario because of strategic decision by the customer (no fault of the broker/3PL). Scenario #2 – Lose a significant customer due to poor service or bad relationship management. Scenario #3 – Lose a key member of your team, especially if that person is influential within the company and with customers. Scenario #3 – You have a surge in customer demand. Too much business! This is the best worst-case scenario; however, it is still a big challenge to manage. Lots of good companies have struggled or even gone out of business due to unmanageable growth. Lisa and the team at CarrierDirect work with freight brokers and 3PLs to stress-test their businesses, so when misfortune strikes, there is a plan. If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. Learn More About Worst Case Scenarios for Freight Brokers Lisa Bruno LinkedIn CarrierDirect Risk Management and Stress Testing CarrierDirect Risk Management Ebook Free Preliminary Consultation with a CarrierDirect Expert The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

Successful Bulk Food Transport with Chris Fish Chris Fish and Joe Lynch discuss bulk food transport. Chris is the Senior Vice President of Dedicated Contract Transportation by Ruan Transportation which provides Dedicated Contract Transportation, Managed Transportation, and Value-added Warehousing. About Chris Fish Chris Fish was appointed Senior Vice President of Dedicated Contract Transportation in 2017. He joined Ruan Transportation Management Systems in 1998 and has served in various progressive roles of leadership over his tenure. Fish has been in the transportation industry for the last 30 years, serving on various transportation committees during that time. Chris is a native of Chicago, IL, and attended Saint Ambrose University in Davenport, IA. Chris and his spouse Christine are active in the community; most recently, Chris served as the chairperson of Ruan's record breaking 2020 United Way of Central Iowa campaign. About Ruan Transportation Founded in 1932, Ruan is a family-owned transportation company providing Dedicated Contract Transportation, Managed Transportation, Value-added Warehousing, and Brokerage Support Services. With 90 years of transportation and logistics experience, Ruan is one of the top 10 privately owned transportation service companies in the country. The company operates from 300 locations nationwide and employs over 5,500 team members. Key Takeaways: Successful Bulk Food Transport In his role as Senior Vice President of Dedicated Contract Transportation at Ruan, Chris and his team help food producers transport bulk shipments. In the podcast interview, Chris explains that there is a higher bar for bulk food transport. Because the risk of contamination (intentional and unintentional) is very high, there is a lot of regulatory compliance for both producers and carriers. Bulk food carriers like Ruan must meet a higher standard in areas like driver training, licensing, weighing & sampling, and food safety. While there are plenty of small carriers that succeed in the space, big carriers who have the resources (people, tractors, tankers, ability to invest) are usually a better fit in the bulk food transportation business. The pandemic highlighted some of the real challenges faced by both milk producers and their supply chain partners. Overnight, milk producers were forced to drastically redirect their product to alternative channels. Milk cows never stop producing the product so the milk is either sold or it is wasted. Large carriers like Ruan who have a large fleet, visibility, and the ability to reallocate resources to key customers made all the difference for milk producers in their time of crisis. When selecting a bulk food transportation partner carrier, Chris suggests that food producers look for the following 5 attributes in a carrier: A large pool of drivers who have experience in bulk transport, low turnover, proper training, and certifications. Owns assets including tractors, trailers, terminals - especially valuable during times when capacity is a problem. The right culture – one that values ownership, employee engagement, safety, customer relationships, accountability, integrity, operational excellence, sustainability, etc. An exceptional logistics / back office that can plan, execute, and manage every risk and every continency. Cutting edge technology in their trucks, terminals, and offices. Learn More About Successful Bulk Food Transport Chris Fish LinkedIn Ruan Transportation The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

The New Retail Paradigm with Ali Raza Ali Raza and Joe Lynch talk about the new retail paradigm. Ali is a theory of constraints (TOC) practitioner who founded a company to help supply chains to improve throughput. About Ali Raza Ali Raza is the Founder and CEO of Throughput, Inc., an AI-Powered software to help companies run leaner, faster, smoother, and safer operations out of the box. Ali comes from a deep academic and real-world industrial operations in process simulations and operations management. He has managed onshore/offshore/war zone logistics as well as batch, continuous, and discrete manufacturing setups. At Schlumberger, he became one of the youngest Geomarket Production Services, pioneering 3 projects and serving 50+ industrial clients. His production teams were responsible for billions of dollars of hydrocarbon output to the global economy. Ali joined his first tech startup while still an undergraduate student at the University of Pennsylvania. Since then, he has been eliminating one global bottleneck after another, with his current focus on optimizing supply chains that extend to Mars. About ThroughPut, Inc. ThroughPut Inc. is the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Supply Chain pioneer that enables companies to optimize their Operations by leveraging their existing Data Systems to increase Output, Quality and Profitability across their entire enterprise. ThroughPut's AI software, ELI, includes the only Bottleneck Management System (BMS) that utilizes existing enterprise data systems, such as ERP, MES, IMS, TMS, WMS, PLC, EAM, POS, CRM, SCADA, Historian, and other data systems, to solve for the $25 Trillion of annual Waste across global supply chains already today. Such constraints to the $90 Trillion global Economy could otherwise be dedicated to more productive, useful and sustainable purposes for the benefit of all stakeholders and communities. ThroughPut's AI software is designed by Fortune 500 Supply Chain & Logistics leaders, Silicon Valley AI and Analytics pioneers, and top global Operations Experts in the areas of the Theory of Constraints, Lean Manufacturing, Supply Chain Automation, Total Quality Management, and over four-dozen other leading best practices now digitized as part of the ELI software, with hundreds of years of hands-on experience in the space. Key Takeaways: The New Retail Paradigm Ali Raza is the Founder and CEO of Throughput, where he and his team help companies realize greater output and free cash flow. In the podcast interview, Ali describes the challenges that are making retail success even more difficult than in the past. Prior to COVID, consumers buying behavior was changing. Increasingly, consumer demand was moving from traditional retail to ecommerce. The pandemic greatly accelerated the trend to online sales, which means retailers must manage consumer demand through additional channels. Because of the unprecedented events related to COVID, retailers and consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers are in a VUCA environment. VUCA stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. In addition, on-time and in-full (OTIF) key performance indicators are changing the way that retailers evaluate their CPG partners. Some large retailers are even reducing their SKU counts and number of CPG suppliers based on OTIF performance. These challenges make traditional sales and operations planning almost impossible. With Throughput, retailers and CPGs have a tool that will enable them to better predict demand and then reorient their supply chains accordingly. Throughput provides retailers and CPGs artificial intelligence (AI) powered supply chain intelligence that will help them gain end to end visibility and make better decisions. In today's competitive retail environment, the difference between failure and success will come down to who makes better decisions related to sales and operations planning. Learn More About The New Retail Paradigm Ali Raza ThroughPut Inc Throughput Economics: Making Good Management Decisions Putting Supply Chains on Autopilot with Ali Raza The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

Cutting Out the Middleman with Mike Nervick Mike Nervick and Joe Lynch discuss Cutting out the middleman. Mike is the CEO of Sleek Technologies which is impacting the transportation industry by providing smart solutions that simplify logistics. About Mike Nervick Michael Nervick is a transportation and logistics professional with 20+ years experience. He learned the business as a successful carrier sales rep at American Backhaulers (ABH), later acquired by C.H. Robinson. In 2003, Mike founded his own successful freight brokerage, Advantage Freight Network (AFN), growing it to over $170M. Mike then founded Sleek Fleet in 2017, which is now Sleek Technologies. As a broker insider, Mike saw first-hand how antiquated the freight procurement process was for manufacturers, retailers and distributors. Therefore, Sleek Technologies developed technology, powered by AI, to optimize the freight procurement process resulting in truckload savings, industry-best OTD, and actionable rate data for large shippers. About Sleek Technologies Sleek Technologies is a leading freight procurement innovator that delivers technology that disrupts freight brokerage by advancing the shipper/carrier relationship increasing efficiency & profitability for both. Key Takeaways: Cutting Out the Middleman Mike Nervick is the CEO and Founder of Sleek Technologies, a tech-enabled software that enables shippers and carriers to work together without a middleman (brokers, 3PLs, etc.). When shippers connect directly to carriers using Sleek Technology, they gain open direct access to 75K+ compliant, out-of-network, asset-based carriers. Going directly to the carriers also help shippers save an average of 12% on their freight spend. Also, when shippers engage directly with the carriers using Sleek they gain access to their shipping data and insights into the freight market that they might not get if they had a broker. Shippers who cut out the broker/3PL also gain carrier relationships that can lead to reduced costs and higher service performance. Lastly, shippers who cut out the middleman and engage directly with the carriers gain additional insights and control over their shipping. Learn More About Cutting Out the Middleman Mike Nervick LinkedIn Sleek Technologies Sleek Technologies Twitter The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

What Will Tomorrow's Freight Broker Do with Ben Buchanan Ben Buchanan and Joe Lynch talk about what tomorrow's freight broker will do. Ben is VP of Account Management at Loadsmart, which is transforming the future of freight, they leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning and strategic partnerships to automate how freight is priced, booked and shipped. About Ben Buchanan Ben Buchanan is VP of Account Management at Loadsmart, leading a team of account managers and sales representatives focused on growing relationships with enterprise and small/medium enterprise shippers by providing additional value to address their unique challenges. Ben has a decade of experience in freight brokerage across various leadership roles, building best-in-class teams for high growth and scalability while delivering for the customer. He earned his logistics stripes at GlobalTranz, learning the business and riding the fast growth wave to impactful leadership positions, and under Buchanan's leadership at Loadsmart the account sales team has grown in headcount by 860% and in revenue by 578% (1H YoY 2020 - 2021). Ben holds a BA in Political Science from Arizona State University and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the American Charter School Foundation. Prior to GlobalTranz he worked as an educator and high school basketball coach. About Loadsmart Transforming the future of freight, Loadsmart leverages artificial intelligence, machine learning and strategic partnerships to automate how freight is priced, booked and shipped. Pairing advanced technologies with deep-seated industry expertise, Loadsmart fuels growth, simplifies operational complexity and bolsters efficiency for carriers and shippers alike. Key Takeaways: What Will Tomorrow's Freight Broker Do Ben Buchanan is the Vice President of Account Management at Loadsmart, a digital freight brokerage that leverages cutting-edge technology and strategic partnerships to help shippers and carriers move more with less. The freight brokerage space is rapidly transforming as digital freight brokerage companies like Loadsmart deploy technology to automate processes, reduce cost per load, and deliver a superior customer experience. In the interview, Ben describes 5 things that freight brokers will be expected to do in the very near future. Of course, some of the industry leaders like Loadsmart are delivering these innovations today. Instantaneous freight quotes created by a dynamic pricing tool that delivers the right price with guaranteed capacity. No more back and forth emails and phone calls haggling over pricing. Dynamic pricing powered by artificial intelligence provides an instant rate that reflects the most updated market intelligence. Mode optimization automatically included in each quote. Mode optimization has traditionally been promised, but not delivered because the analysis was completed by people who didn't have the data or tools. Now, mode options with instantly bookable rates across modes including rail, LTL, PTL, and FTL, enable shippers to optimize shipments based on sustainability, cost, and expediency. Data insights that enable shippers to learn from not just their own data and insights — but from each other. To achieve best in class performance, shippers need to be able to compare their KPIs to their industry peers. Additionally, brokers must be able to analyze shipment data and provide actionable data insights that drive operational improvement across the entire shipping function. Rate transparency that empowers the shipper to know exactly what they are paying for. As digital freight brokers automate and streamline the shipping process that was traditionally managed manually, the value added has changed. In the new model, freight brokers won't be rewarded financially for getting a big spread (cost of truck vs price to shipper). Instead, new pricing models and incentives have evolved that align the shipper and broker. Shift to digital means that freight brokers will need to find new ways to add value to both shippers and carriers. To deliver a superior customer experience, freight brokerages will need to provide the best of tech and the best of people. Learn More about What Will Tomorrow's Freight Broker Do Ben Buchanan LinkedIn Loadsmart The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

The Voice of 3rd Party Logistics with Anne Reinke Anne Reinke and Joe Lynch talk about the voice of 3rd party logistics. Anne Reinke joined TIA from the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT), where she served both as the Deputy Assistant Secretary-Congressional Affair and DAS-Intergovernmental Affairs from 2019 to 2020. About Anne Reinke Anne Reinke joined TIA from the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT), where she served both as the Deputy Assistant Secretary-Congressional Affairs DAS-Intergovernmental Affairs from April 2019 to October 2020. Prior to her time at US DOT, Anne spent 16 years in the Washington, DC office of CSX Corporation ultimately serving as the Vice President- Government Affairs, overseeing the Federal, State Government and Community Affairs Departments. Before joining CSX, she worked at the Association of American Railroads and High Speed Ground Transportation Association. Anne is a Washington, DC native, and graduated from the National Cathedral School. She received a B.A. from Rice University in Houston, TX and a J.D. from the Wake Forest University School of Law in Winston-Salem, NC. She and her husband, Brett, have two sons, and reside in Alexandria, VA. About TIA Since 1978, TIA has been recognized as the trusted voice of the third-party logistics industry. Through TIA, members are able to establish and protect, ethical, profitable, and growing businesses in service to their customers. TIA will continue to be the leading provider of resources, education, information, advocacy, and connections to advance professional standards, business practices, and the overall image and credibility of the profession and its ultimate contribution to society. TIA will continue to be the trusted voice for third-party logistics companies, recognizing the diverse needs of our members while speaking with one voice to shippers, carriers, government officials, and international organizations. Key Takeaways: The Voice of 3rd Party Logistics Anne Reinke is the President & CEO at Transportation Intermediaries Association, which is the voice of 3rd party logistics. In the interview, Anne explains the value that TIA provides for small, medium, and large logistics companies. TIA also is great organization for companies that sell goods and services to 3PLs and brokers. For smaller 3PLs and brokers, TIA provides training and guidance that will enable them to build a sustainable business and scale their growth. Programs like the New Broker Success Package give participants to instruction and coaching from the top coaches and consultants in the industry. For midsize 3PLs and brokers, TIA provides services like TIA Watchdog (carrier issues database that enables brokers to make better carrier decisions) and the TIA Bond Program, which is well known and respected across the industry. For larger 3PLs and brokers, TIA provides advocacy and a voice in Washington. TIA is well known and respected by lawmakers and industry leaders. TIA provides ongoing events, educational programs, and networking opportunities that benefits all their members regardless of their size. Learn More About The Voice of 3rd Party Logistics TIA Anne Reinke LinkedIn The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube