9 of the Most Popular Supply Chain & Logistics Topics of 2013

Fluctuating costs and pending changes in regulation created uncertainty throughout the shipping industry in 2013.

But one thing remained constant: the imperative to find efficiencies and money-saving opportunities throughout the supply chain.

Read on to learn about the most popular topics in 2013.

Popular Resources (papers)

1. Truckload Fuel Surcharges: How They Work and What They Cost. Three factors—the index, the peg, and the escalator—are involved in a fuel surcharge, and shippers have tried to change all three to help save on transportation. In fact, new research shows that changing only one of these factors actually helps meet that desired goal. Shippers downloaded this white paper to gain greater insight. Numerous charts and detailed tables offer easily digestible information on fuel surcharges.

2. Supply Chains: Where to Find the Biggest, Fastest Transportation Savings. Companies that spend over $1 million annually have at least 10 good ways to optimize their shipping. But where should you start? Where can you focus your efforts first to reap the biggest reward for the least amount of work? This white paper offers readers an in-depth look at those options while providing insight into each.

3. Identifying Opportunities with Your Inbound Transportation: Many companies overlook the inefficiencies in their inbound transportation program that waste time and add expense. Here, readers learn how they can identify opportunities for change and see how they can save money on their inbound program.

4. Live Loading: Developing Effective Transportation Strategies. Shippers with large volumes of freight often rely heavily on drop trailer programs. But changing business conditions can be accommodated by adding a live-load component to that strategy. This white paper outlines the effective strategies shippers can use to add flexibility to their logistics operations.

5. Get Ready for a Customs Audit: Why Shipper Audits Are Increasing, and How You Can Prepare. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) has stepped up its enforcement of customs regulatory compliance, causing more companies to face customs audits. In this white paper, shippers learn what increases their risk of an audit and how they can prepare their team should an audit be authorized.

2013’s Most Popular Blogs/Articles

1. How Will the Hours of Service Changes Impact You? The hours of service (HOS) changes announced in 2011 took place July 1. Readers flocked to this May blog to see how those changes would affect their business.

2. Will the U.S. Government Shutdown Impact Transportation? Eyes everywhere were turned to the federal government Sept. 30, and to the potential government shutdown that would put between 800,000 and 2.1 million employees out of work. This blog looked specifically at how the shutdown would affect the shipping industry and what it could mean for companies trying to ship packages across the border, across the ocean, or across town.

3. 10 Routes to Transportation Savings. This infographic, based on the popular white paper, Supply Chains: Where to Find the Biggest, Fastest Transportation Savings, offered readers an interesting visual, outlining the easiest to hardest ways to save money on transportation.

4. Show your Appreciation for Truck Drivers. Truck drivers are an integral part of the American economy, delivering the products Americans use every day. This blog appeared during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (Sept. 15-21) to recognize and salute the 3.5 million truck drivers for the long hours they work and the sacrifices they make to keep the economy going.