Shipping experts are encouraging consumers to start their holiday shopping early this year as supply chain issues may have deliveries backed out until 2022. Here’s why…
It’s no surprise that the COVID outbreak did a number on the US supply chain, as staff shortages led to a decreased turnout of manufactured products, as well as materials from their suppliers who are also struggling to keep up with demand.
Trucking companies continue to struggle with a shortage of drivers with 6% of its workforce being lost from last year’s shutdowns. Add to that those companies that went out of business and trucking schools being temporarily closed, prolonging new drivers from coming onboard as older truckers continue to retire. While this led to a shortage of thousands of truck drivers, another 54,000 drivers were removed due to new drug testing regulations. (1) The shortage is expected to continue well into next year.
Cargo ships and containers are backing up as well with thousands of containers waiting to load on railroads which are also backlogged. In fact, the LA and Long Beach ports reported a record 89 cargo ships waiting to be unloaded last Thursday, as shipping prices to move a cargo container across the Pacific Ocean increased almost $3,000 YOY. (2)
This all translates to greater delays getting products to shelves and nearly double the cost of goods for consumers, as many distributors are being forced to cancel/delay shipments due to understaffing. (1)
With a June estimate of 10.5%-13.5% retail sales growth, according to the National Retail Federation, consumers are encouraged to shop now or they may be waiting to give that Christmas present until February.
Need help getting your products to market fast? Road Scholar Transport can help. We offer:
Expedited Service
Road Scholar offers 24-hour expedited and same day service throughout our core service areas for those time-critical situations.
Weekend Delivery Service
Has your cargo ever sat due to a long holiday weekend? Have you ever called a carrier to pick up an urgent load on a Friday only to have it docked until Monday? It is statistically proven that cargo at rest is cargo at risk with the greatest number of cargo thefts occurring on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Unlike many of our regional competitors who will not pick up protect from freezing shipments on a Friday because they do not want to be responsible for protecting it throughout the weekend, we have a protect from freezing policy that allows us to pick up and deliver five days a week. We at Road Scholar think that a competent supplier should be able to provide 100% protect coverage and not the conventional 80% (Mon-Thur.). Road Scholar Transport offers weekend delivery service for our customers, getting their product delivered quickly and reducing cargo theft.
No Transfers
We cut back on the handling of your products by offering dock-to-dock service with NO transfers. You can be assured that everything picking up on our equipment, delivers on our equipment.
Qualified Drivers
We hire only the most professional and experienced drivers who are subject to background checks and safety tests well beyond the industry standard. Each of our drivers are uniformed and constantly trained on the latest cargo transport threats. We also undergo ten year criminal history background check of drivers and fingerprinting for Federal Security Threat Assessment.
Sanitary Equipment
While wooden pallets serve as a means of cross-contamination, being very porous, and therefore, absorbing and maintaining fluids that can breed bacteria as well as contain splinters and nails from the wood that can puncture products, wooden floor trailers similarly pose a concern. We take extra precaution to ensure that your cargo is being transported in a clean environment, providing aluminum floor trailers and conducting regular sweeps, preventing cross-contamination and creating a more sanitary environment.
Knowledgeable Dispatch Team
Freight can easily be damaged by unplanned routes that send trucks into areas not suitable for its size equipment. Our around the clock dispatch and operations team carefully plans all routes, including secure route geofencing around Road Scholar facilities and customer facilities (upon request).
Security
Cargo theft costs the trucking and shipping industry nearly $30 billion a year. Road Scholar implements only the toughest security features to our fleet, protecting your products from being damaged and tampered with. Road Scholar Transport’s Self-Created “Pentagon Distribution Model” provides 100% accountable secure transport by focusing on technology, visibility, protocols, equipment, and audit trailers. Security features include:
*Real-time satellite tracking right down to the breadcrumbs.
*Drivers, trailers, and power units are all equipped with redundant GPS tracking.
*Electronic door monitoring.
*Navalock (Bolt cutter, sledgehammer, and chisel proof. U.S. Customs and test labs have certified the Navalock against every possible in-transit threat of surreptitious removal or entry)
*Secure route optimization to avoid high risk areas.
*Proof-of- Delivery with Route Verification.
These are just some of the reasons that we NEVER suffered a full truckload loss.
Temperature Protect
*State-of-the-art reefers and power units that won’t break down, implemented with StarTrak telematic solutions to provide GPS tracking and real-time monitoring of reefer status including operating state, temperatures, alarms, battery condition, door events, and two-way control functionality to turn the reefer on/off and change reefer temperature set-point.
*We DO NOT blanket wrap. Our reefers are imbedded with technology that tracks the temperature within and alerts our team in the event that the temperature goes out of range so that we can rectify the situation prior to the product losing its integrity.
*Audit trail of the trailer temperature throughout the entire transportation process available upon request, giving you and your customer piece of mind that your products maintained the proper quality and security from point A to point B.
*Before a single tender is accepted our reefer fleet has already been validated with 24 hour thermal mapping certified by 3rd party Sensitech.
*Our customer service team verifies customer requirements. Maintenance is notified to begin preparing equipment.
*Drivers must do a 2nd test of the reefer, verify the temperature via in cab technology on pickup, and report temperature back to operations after first 30 minutes.
*Telematics feeds back continuous temperature readings. Alerts are generated and are handled immediately, even a remote temp reset.
It is important to know that your freight is being transported by a reputable carrier and qualified drivers who are background checked and properly trained, like Road Scholar Transport. Whether it is pharmaceutical transport, hazmat/chemical shipping, temperature controlled, or high risk products, we have the technology and security you need to protect your products during transport. Contact us today for a rate quote.
