Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to commonly asked questions.

What does dedicated contract carrier mean in logistics?

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Dedicated Contract Carriage is a service in which shippers are able to pay a fixed rate per truck and select the duration for which they rent the vehicles (one day, one week, one month), as per their requirements.

What's the difference between regional and dedicated lane drivers?

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Drivers must become accustomed to navigating both narrow country roads and congested urban streets. There is a distinction between regional and dedicated truckers. Regional drivers work within a certain region, like the Northeast or Midwest, while dedicated drivers repeatedly traverse the same particular route.

Is dedicated lane recommended over OTR?

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As a dedicated truck driver, there are definite benefits to enjoy such as a set schedule, job stability, and familiarity with the routes you take. Nonetheless, it is important to acknowledge the downsides as well. You may not experience much variety in the types of goods you transport, navigating through congested city areas might be unavoidable, and your earnings will likely be lower compared to long-haul drivers who have more freedom in their schedules.

What's your payment processing?

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Over the years, our company's logistics services have been for our reputation, dependable and consistent delivery nature. Over the years, our company's logistics services have been for our reputation, dependable and consistent delivery nature.

What are some examples of dedicated lanes?

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A dedicated lane refers to a particular route that a carrier regularly provides services for a specific shipper. For instance, if your company ships products on the same route from Seattle to Dallas on an ongoing basis, that pathway becomes your dedicated lane. These fixed routes align perfectly with the dedicated freight approach, guaranteeing smooth logistics operations.

A dedicated lane refers to a supply channel that a business provides to a sole client, ensuring continuous provision of goods from a vendor at regular periods. As an illustration, a construction firm may collaborate with a nearby pipe or wood provider to obtain routine access to supplies and elements.

What does the last mile problem mean in logistics?

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The final hurdle in the package delivery process is known as the last-mile problem, where customers experience a prolonged waiting period despite the online tracking indicating that the package is "out for delivery." This delay is caused by multiple stops and interruptions during the final leg of the shipping journey.

What are the biggest challenges with last mile deliveries?

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A key issue in last-mile delivery is the lack of clarity into events as deliveries are in progress. While this is a considerable difficulty, there are straightforward solutions. Implementing real-time visibility systems for communication between dispatchers and drivers can provide the transparency required to get past this problem.

What are key factors that make last mile delivery successful?

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Last-mile delivery, the final step of getting goods from distribution centers to the end consumer, is a critical and fiercely competitive part of the supply chain. Success frequently depends on on-time delivery, efficient vehicle routing, lower costs, and high customer satisfaction. Meeting delivery deadlines, fully utilizing delivery vehicles, minimizing operational expenses, and pleasing customers are key elements that decide whether a supply chain thrives or struggles.

What is last mile tracking?

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The concept of a last mile tracking number refers to a distinctive code given to a package or shipment, which serves the purpose of monitoring its progress from the transportation center to its ultimate delivery point. This tracking number is also known as a final mile tracking number or delivery confirmation number.

What are examples of last mile logistics?

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Can you provide an instance of last mile distribution? Last mile distribution initiates from a storage facility or distribution hub. A carrier retrieves a parcel and transports it to the customer, typically right to their front door. Throughout the process, the customer may receive text message notifications regarding the package's whereabouts and estimated time of delivery.

What is on-demand freight?

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On-demand trucking involves sourcing available space for immediate shipments, as opposed to using prearranged agreements. To illustrate, when a customer utilizes a load matching platform to obtain pricing information, it is referred to as on-demand freight.

What is on-demand warehousing?

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On-demand warehousing refers to the capability to utilize warehouse services when needed, without having to make long-term agreements. According to CBRE, on-demand warehousing is an online platform that lets customers access shared warehouse and logistics offerings on a pay-as-you-go plan.

How does on-demand delivery work?

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The On-Demand Delivery feature by an online retail service allows customers to personalize the time and location for dropping off their purchased products. They can tailor the delivery specifics to fit their unique needs. For example, if a customer knows they will not be home, they have the option to get the delivery left with a neighbor.

What is on-demand work in logistics?

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Logistics services that can fulfill customer orders rapidly, such as through same-day, next day or two day delivery, are described as on-demand logistics. This type of logistics aims to get purchases delivered to the customer as quickly as feasible after the order is placed.

What is on-demand work transport examples?

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Transportation from your residence or another convenient pickup point, and transport you to your desired destination. Regardless of the mode - be it a vehicle, boat, or aircraft - you have the option to reserve an on-demand service for your upcoming journey.

What does FTL and LTL mean in logistics?

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LTL, which stands for "less-than-truckload," is employed when a shipment is insufficient to occupy an entire truck, while FTL, short for "full truckload," is utilized when a shipment fills up a truck completely. When it comes to comparing truckload versus less-than-truckload, there are several factors to contemplate beyond the terminology.

What are the challenges of shipping LTL?

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A large portion of problems occurring in less-than-truckload freight shipping are often blamed on the transportation company selected. Recurring situations involving lost cargo, harmed commodities, persistent postponements, unforeseen fees, unclear or ambiguous paperwork or subpar customer support constitute major difficulties.

How many pallets is considered FTL?

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On the contrary, full truckload shipments are typically composed of no less than 12 pallets and up to 30 pallets - 26 pallets being the most prevalent amount. Shipments can also be categorized according to mass. Less than truckload shipments usually weigh between 100 and 10,000 pounds, whereas full truckload shipments frequently amount to over 10,000 pounds, possibly up to 20,000 pounds or beyond.

What is the LTL limit?

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LTL shipping is utilized when freight does not occupy the entire capacity of a truck. As a rule of thumb, LTL transportation is suitable for loads weighing over 150 pounds but under 15,000 pounds, comprising no more than 10 pallets and measuring 12 linear feet or less.

What is the max weight for FTL shipment?

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A shipment going faster than light is limited to 80,000 pounds in weight unless exceptional authorization is granted. If your goods are especially heavy for their volume, you may have unused capacity in the cargo area, but the weight restriction still applies. The typical 53-foot shipping container can hold between 42,000 to 45,000 pounds of freight.

What is parcel delivery in supply chain?

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The process of shipping packages from point A to point B is known as parcel delivery. Typically, when you receive items you bought on the internet in a package at your home, they were sent using parcel delivery services. The ease and practicality of parcel delivery has radically changed how we make purchases and conduct commerce.

How are parcels transported?

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Parcels are small packages, so they are picked up directly from where people leave them and automated machines organize them by where they need to go. After the sorting process, the parcels are put on delivery trucks. From there, they are either taken directly to the recipient's location or transferred to another truck before reaching their final stop.

Can a parcel be tracked?

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You can monitor the progress of all shipments through Parcels Online. Simply enter the distinctive tracking number assigned to your package into the Parcels Online tracking system to pinpoint your item's current whereabouts. Parcels Online offers multiple tiers of shipment monitoring for international destinations and shipments requiring a signature upon delivery.

Who is responsible for stolen packages after delivery?

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The precise accountability for packages that have been taken is rather complex. For the most part, online retailers are liable for shipments until they are left at the spot chosen by the buyer. After the delivery service has verified that the package was delivered, the responsibility for the item shifts to the online shopper who placed the order.

What is the shipping process in logistics?

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The process of getting products from the source to the end customer involves many steps, including preparing the items for shipment, affixing labels, loading them onto vehicles, and transporting them to their concluding destination.

How does port drayage work?

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Drayage refers to the transportation of cargo over short distances. It is typically one leg of a longer journey, such as moving freight from an ocean freighter to a distribution center. Rather than transporting a heavy shipping container straight from the ship to the warehouse, drayage means transferring the freight from the port to either trucks or trains.

How do you charge for drayage loads?

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The base drayage fees for the transport of your container are charged by weight. This means that there is a base fee charge for every 100 pounds of freight. For example, a shipment that weighs 123 pounds will be rounded and charged at 200 pounds. Some carriers have a minimum fee of 200 pounds per shipment.

What's the difference between freight and drayage?

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Drayage, a term closely related to freight, refers to the transport of goods over relatively short distances, typically within the same metropolitan area or port. It involves the movement of freight between a port, rail yard, or other transportation hub to a nearby warehouse, distribution center, or final destination.

What is the difference between drayage and long-haul?

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Drayage is a term related to freight transport that involves moving goods short distances within the same city or port. It refers to hauling freight between a harbor, train depot, or transportation center to a close by warehouse, distribution facility, or end location. Drayage focuses on the short-haul movement of goods rather than long distance freight transport.

How much does a full container load cost?

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The usual cost related to shipping a full container load falls between $2,000 and $3,000.

What's the fulfillment process of ecommerce fulfillment?

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Fulfillment is the process of getting orders to customers. It can involve the related tasks of receiving inventory, storing and packing products, shipping orders, and handling returns, as well as maintaining communication with the customer, along the way.

What's the difference between supply chain and fulfillment?

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The phrase supply chain alludes to the connected network of suppliers, companies, and resources that obtain, manufacture, and transport products from their origin to the final consumer. Order fulfillment is simply one part of the larger supply chain which consists of six fulfillment phases: inventory control, warehouse and storage.

What's the difference between distribution and fulfillment?

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While distribution centers handle large quantities of goods, sending them in bulk to a small number of destinations (mainly companies), fulfillment centers process a high volume of small orders on a daily basis, shipping each one separately to individual recipients.

What's the difference between sortation and fulfillment?

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At fulfillment centers, items are dispatched to sortation centers where employees arrange and dispatch them for shipment via USPS (United States Postal Service). At sortation centers, the process involves sending orders from the primary fulfillment centers and organizing them according to their ultimate delivery location.

Are fulfillment centers same as warehouses?

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Unlike a warehouse that is owned and operated by a company itself, a fulfillment center is typically run by an external logistics company (known as a 3PL) that offers a range of services beyond just storage. These include transportation, cross-docking of inventory, customer service support, and most critically, order processing and shipment. The 3PL manages the entire operation on behalf of the business.

What is transloading in logistics?

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Transloading is the process of transferring goods in transit from one transportation vehicle to another before reaching their final destination. Shipments that travel long distances frequently require the involvement of more than one shipping company or multiple means of transport, or both, in order to complete the journey.

What is the strategy of transloading?

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Companies can lower their shipping expenses through transloading, which involves combining multiple shipments into a single load. This allows them to utilize just one form of transportation for the whole trip. Transloading also enables large shipments to be divided into smaller, more manageable loads that are cheaper and easier to transport. The overall effect is reduced freight costs while still getting goods to their destination.

What is an example of transloading?

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Transloading involves the transfer of goods from one mode of transportation to another. For instance, palletized cargo can be moved from a truck to a larger rail car using a forklift, while heavy products like steel beams can be lifted off a rail car with the help of a crane and placed onto flatbed trucks.

What is the difference between drayage and transloading?

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Drayage takes a shipment that has arrived at a port and transports it to a destination, typically a warehouse near the port. Transloading unloads freight from one mode of transportation and reloads it to another.

Is cross-docking and transloading the same thing?

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Cross-docking refers to the transfer of an unopened pallet or pallets directly from an incoming truck to an outgoing truck. Transloading involves sorting through and reorganizing items onto different pallets.

Does cross-docking require storage?

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Cross-docking is a logistics method that can speed up product delivery and boost supply chain productivity. The approach entails directly moving goods from trucks coming into a distribution center to trucks carrying outbound orders, needing minimal or no product storage in the warehouse.

Is cross-docking the same as transloading?

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Transloading is a specialized process that involves the preparation, storage, and transfer of shipments between various transportation modes using specific facilities. Meanwhile, cross docking refers to the efficient transfer of cargo from inbound trucks to outbound trucks with minimal storage in between, allowing for the quick redirection of shipments.

What is the difference between cross dock and warehouse?

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In contrast to conventional warehousing systems, cross-docking systems prioritize the utilization of advanced technology and efficient business operations to establish a just-in-time (JIT) shipping process, eliminating the need for distributors to maintain product stocks for customer shipments.

What is the cross-docking?

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Cross-docking is a logistics method that seeks to speed up product delivery and boost supply chain productivity. It entails removing goods from incoming transport at a logistics hub and loading them onto outbound transport, needing minimal or no storage time in between. The goal is to transfer shipments directly between inbound and outbound vehicles without the need for warehousing.

What is an example of cross-docking?

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With cross-docking, products are organized and loaded according to customer delivery information before departing from the provider. Large retailers like Wal-Mart get a variety of goods shipped to enormous distribution hubs. The products are then sorted at the hubs based on which particular stores they will go to. This allows for efficient delivery from the supplier directly to the retail location.

What is the process of storage in logistics?

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Storage pertains to the temporary placement of goods. It is among the primary components of logistics, along with transportation and manipulation. Through warehousing, goods are stored for an extended duration, thereby facilitating enhanced utilization of operational assets.

How do warehouses keep track of inventory?

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A barcode system works by attaching labels to each product that contain encoded data about the item, like what it is, where it's stored, and how much it costs. Workers use barcode readers to rapidly scan these labels as inventory enters and leaves the warehouse. This allows the system to automatically keep track of stock levels in real time as items are moved around.

What are the 4 types of inventory?

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Businesses can categorize and monitor their inventory by dividing it into four major groups: unfinished materials, work that is currently being completed, goods available for sale, and completed products. These top-level inventory types allow companies to keep track of their inventory and anticipate future needs.

What is the logistics inventory process?

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Managing inventory is a crucial part of logistics and supply chain operations that helps in planning, coordinating, carrying out, and governing the efficient movement of goods. It is a complex process centered on moving inventory effectively through the supply chain while enhancing customer satisfaction.

What are logistics inventory costs?

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Inventory costs refer to the total expenses incurred in maintaining and overseeing a stock of goods. This includes all outlays connected to purchasing, storing, securing, and spoilage costs.