Let’s face it – there have been a lot of changes to the transportation and logistics market, especially when it comes to the availability of experienced drivers as well as fluctuating gas prices. With the current shortage of experienced truck drivers standing at approximately 48k, the ATA predicts that there will be a hike in the shortage of these drivers to roughly 239,000 by the year 2025.
These challenges mainly affect the full truckload (FTL) shipping sector mainly because it is a little bit rigid when it comes to handling different kinds of cargo, as compared to less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping. Soon, FTL shippers may find themselves struggling as FTL freight carriers start to become discerning over the cargo that they can or cannot handle.
Besides, the ever-changing gas prices and increasing price tags on crucial devices used in FTL shipping only mean that the carriers will struggle more than ever when it comes to offering affordable rates. In this light, it’s considerably important for shippers and carriers to team up in an effort to make full truckload shipping more efficient.
So, how can shippers and carriers team up to make FTL shipping efficient?
There are quite a number of things that can be done by both shippers and carriers to make FTL shipping more efficient.
What shippers can do to contribute to better efficiency in FTL freight deliveries
For shippers, one of the things to keep in mind is that any kind of delays in packing as well as dumping of full truckload freight can affect a driver’s stringent hours of service regulation. Things such as drivers submitting logbooks rather than punching time clocks can result in the driver’s performance taking a hit.
When this happens, things such as transit time and the overall budget in delivery are affected. To minimize dwell times, shippers can implement the following ideas which will potentially reduce FTL freight rates as well:
Provide clear and exact instructions supported by an accurate map to the intended destination point
Proper and safe packaging including piling or crating of cargo to minimize and even eliminate the chances of damage hence increase the efficiency of the entire shipping process
Having the entire paperwork ready before the arrival of drivers to minimize time inconvenience
Allocating workable loading and unloading time expectations
Using techy tools and software solutions to achieve good performance and increased efficiency
How truckload carriers can contribute to better efficiency in FTL shipping
The effectiveness of a carrier can only contribute so much to the success of the entire FTL shipping process. As with any other kind of collaboration, both parties – in this case, shippers and carriers – have to put in the maximum effort to gain maximum benefit from a process. Here’s how full truckload carriers can ensure effectiveness in the truckload supply chain:
Carriers can use big data to have a clearer picture of the shippers’ pain points. That way, it is possible for suppliers to partner towards options that work as well as ensure a more permanent supply chain presence
Be adaptable to shippers’ needs and use drive downs where applicable for increased efficiency
Taking advantage of face to face communication to increase the probability of coming to a common point
Using reliable and durable communication APIs to facilitate real-time management of shipments
Communicating in a reliable manner with shippers on matters regarding pricing, mapping, tracking, as well as shipping choices
Using automation options where applicable such as the use of automated emails and web interactions to provide shippers will sufficient efficiency metrics
Use of proper methods and tools for planning to ensure that every situation that can lead to inefficiency is handled in the best possible way
Bottom line
Even though there are quite a lot of changes that have a detrimental effect on full truckload shipping, the collaboration of shippers and carriers can go a long way towards creating an effective cushion against these effects. When handled in a creative and collective way, the challenges that affect the transportation and logistics industry, especially the FTL sector can be efficiently handled.

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