The growth of e-commerce has led to more international shipping but the current lack of capacity for international shipping in addition to rising rates has companies looking elsewhere for supplies. With disruptions in overseas suppliers, many companies are considering nearshoring to Canada and Mexico. This minimizes risk and the potential for disruptions to the supply […]
With the holiday peak season approaching, and capacity as limited as ever, shippers need to be looking at different ways to ensure their shipments arrive on time. The rapid surge in e-commerce during the pandemic caused retailers to have to restock inventory. Now with many retailers still playing catch up, the current freight market is […]
The shipping industry has been challenged in recent years, both by e-commerce demands and inconsistencies in freight demand. Many companies front-loaded orders in late 2018 to get ahead of the U.S. imposed tariffs on China so, throughout 2019, these businesses were riding their high inventories. This downturn was further exacerbated by ongoing trade tensions between […]
On September 18th, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the “Employees and Independent Contractors” bill into law. This law, also known as Assembly Bill 5 or AB5, will rewrite California’s employment laws to make it harder for employers to classify workers as independent contractors. This is good news for many workers in the gig economy. A […]
The current trucking market may be making some nostalgic for 2018. Last year, shippers had to fight to secure sufficient truck capacity. This year, the tables have turned, and brokers and carriers are the ones calling around to find freight. Long haul trucking spot rates are 20% lower than last year. The Cass Freight Shipments […]
The arrival of Hurricane Dorian is a big signal that it is time to prepare for peak hurricane season. In fact, suppliers should make sure to prepare for a particularly powerful hurricane season this year. NOAA forecasters monitoring atmospheric patterns says that, due to the end of El Niño, conditions are more favorable for above-normal […]
On August 14, the DOT officially announced proposed changes to federal hours of service regulations for truck operators. The rule seeks to enhance safety and give commercial drivers more flexibility in managing their driving time. But amid indicators that indicate a possible freight recession, some are worried about the effect the new rules could have […]
Lately, it seems the shipping industry is staring down an all too familiar problem: the race to the bottom. This means annual RFPs and frequent carrier switching, costing shippers money as they spend time finding and onboarding new carriers. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With a bit of innovation, carriers can find […]
These days, you don’t have to inhale to get a lift from the marijuana industry. With a market cap that is estimated to be as high as $77 billion by 2022, legalized cannabis has the potential to be so lucrative, it’s sometimes called the “green gold rush.” However, like the original gold rushes, investing in […]
For years, the conversation about innovative fulfillment strategies has been driven by a single company: (you guessed it) Amazon. Retailers have often been left playing catch-up to the aggressive, customer-focused fulfillment philosophy pioneered by Jeff Bezos’ Seattle-based Goliath. Recently however, other companies have been exploring creative distribution solutions of their own, and are finding themselves […]