iTECH: Fundamental Change Comes to Logistics

ngoing capacity constraints among carriers and the prospect of permanently higher shipping costs are forcing logistics managers to re-examine the way freight is moved.

A new age of scarcity, driven by a slowdown in the growth of freight-hauling capacity and rising prices for fuel, equipment and transportation infrastructure, is ushering in a much higher level of collaboration and systems integration between shippers and carriers, industry experts believe.

Some new patterns are already evident. Instead of battling each other with the lowest rate bids, for example, more motor carriers are picking and choosing the freight they want and the lanes they want to operate in.