If you’ve ever watched a western that showed the pony express at work, you have a
glimpse at the concept of a modern supply chain solution: relay shipping. Modern
trucking firms are constantly seeking new ways to make their services more efficient
and cost-effective. Relay shipping is often chosen as one of those innovative solutions.
A Win-Win-Win Option
Today’s hours of service rules have created serious limitations on the amount of time
one truck and one driver can be on the road. This requires more time to cover long
distances. Those delays in delivery may not be acceptable for many time-sensitive or
critical shipments.
One popular solution is the use of team drivers to keep a truck on the road without
extended stops. Another option, popular for its affordability and other benefits, is relay
shipping. If your firm faces regular or periodic needs to get your products to customers
with minimum delay, take time to consider what relay shipping can accomplish for you.
The win for you as a shipper comes with a more affordable choice for meeting your
customer needs. One-day delivery is possible without worrying about truck driver
downtime. Also, depending on your relationship with the right transportation partner,
your freight remains secure and monitored at all times.
For that partner, the win comes in the form of more flexibility for drivers and a
reasonable return on the large investment needed to make relay shipping cost-effective
for all. The driver often chooses relay shipping because it lets them be at home most
nights while working as a full-time driver.
How It Works
The basic concept of relay shipping is simple. One driver takes a load partway to a
specific destination. Another driver either comes to that location or is based there, and
then takes the load on the next leg. The first driver then returns with the swapped out or
another load. Some variations may have a driver “swapping” loads several times while
away from a home terminal.
This system works well for companies such as UPS and FedEx with huge
infrastructures. The complexity comes from ensuring all the right support infrastructure
is in place and optimizing how the relays are coordinated. It takes an established
trucking firm to reliably bring these benefits to a smaller shipper.
If you think relay shipping might be for you, make sure your shipper of choice can
handle your needs smoothly and efficiently. For example, the Road Scholar Transport team has invested a great deal of time and capital in building the most comprehensive
relay structure in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Corridors. This includes carefully
placed terminals that support relay operations.
Of course, dependable drivers are at the heart of any truly professional logistics
solution. The uniformed drivers for Road Scholar show their pride with superb safety
records and take advantage of their top-flight training and safety procedures.
Your chosen relay shipper should also accommodate a choice of options for effecting
the transfer of shipped goods. This includes full dock operations, drop and hook
transfers, and the use of driver slip seat. This investment allows for hassle-free and
secure load transfers. Drivers appreciate how this keeps them out of the loading and
unloading process while you gain added security and speed.
Of course, today’s environment requires a full suite of telematics, full-time monitoring,
and sophisticated telemetrics. This allows shippers to keep their customers informed
and delivers the peace of mind they expect and deserve.
Customized Logistics Plans
The continuing growth in end-customer expectations along with supply chain challenges
make it vital to work with a full-service transportation partner. That includes the
capability, flexibility, and experience to develop a customized solution to your specific
needs. From standard shipments to LTL to relay and expedited shipping options, you
need the ability to respond to the market and your customer needs.
Add relay shipping to the options you can pass on to your customers.
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