Echo Supports St. Christopher Trucker Relief Fund in Honor of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week 2022

September 11-17 is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (NTDAW), and we at Echo Global Logistics would like to extend our gratitude to professional truck drivers from across the nation for their hard work and commitment to delivering the goods and resources people need. During this week, Americans in all 50 states will be celebrating the 3.6 million men and women who keep our economy moving… Read more

Positioned to Win: Echo Global Logistics to Sponsor CSCMP EDGE 2022

I’m excited to announce that Echo Global Logistics is sponsoring the upcoming Council of Supply Chain Management (CSCMP) EDGE 2022 Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, from September 18-21.  This year, I’ll be joined by other leaders from Echo to discuss how our technology combined with our logistics experts are helping leading companies address their shipping needs with improved efficiencies… Read more

State of LTL

In the past eight weeks we have been experiencing a slight decrease in domestic truckload rates as capacity loosened somewhat. However, rates and capacity in the LTL industry remain firm and show no signs of weakening. The LTL industry is not as sensitive to short-term capacity changes as the truckload market can be.

As evidence, here are several trends and behaviors that are keeping… Read more

Most Companies Overlook the Savings Opportunities Hidden in Their Inbound Freight

It’s a requirement today that companies constantly improve their supply chain efficiency to remain competitive and protect margins. Unfortunately, it’s common for many shippers to overlook some of the low-hanging fruit within their logistics network that makes accomplishing those goals easier.

Inbound freight represents one such… Read more

Reflections on an Eventful 2021 — And a Look Ahead to 2022

The supply chain typically operates behind the scenes, unnoticed and often taken for granted by people who aren’t directly involved in keeping the flow of materials and goods moving. That all changed in 2020 when the pandemic disrupted supply chains across the globe. The supply chain remained front and center in 2021 as disruptions continued and transportation and logistics… Read more

What’s the Deal with NMFC Codes Today?

Common questions we often hear at Echo Global Logistics when assisting clients with less than truckload (LTL) shipments revolve around evaluating freight class and avoiding reclassification charges and fees. If you’re new to shipping LTL, the class system can be difficult to navigate.

Why Does LTL Use Freight Classes?

The National Motor Freight Traffic… Read more

4 Ways Shippers Can Benefit from a Drop Trailer Program

Recently the term “Shipper of Choice” has been used more frequently within the transportation community. While there are multiple strategies a shipper can deploy to attract carrier partners, one of the most impactful is having an efficient loading and unloading operation.

Drop trailer programs are an effective way to achieve… Read more

How to Protect from Freeze: What You Need to Know

In the face of cold winter weather, shippers must begin to take steps to prevent their cargo from freezing. It’s not just liquids you need to worry about. Even something as hardy as oatmeal is vulnerable in cold temperatures.

While the start of the cold season varies across the country, it typically runs from October to March. Historically, some of the coldest temperatures have… Read more

What Is Partial Truckload and Why Should You Be Shipping It?

If you’re not currently using partial truckload, you may not even know it exists. The mode is vastly underutilized by shippers, but it offers many benefits.

First off, what is it? Partial truckload is that sweet spot between less than truckload (LTL) and full truckload. (It is also called “volume LTL” by some carriers who offer it.) When your shipment is too big for LTL but too small… Read more

Factors That Affect Truckload Shipping Rates

Predicting truckload shipping rates is a tricky business. Over the past several years, rates have fluctuated by over 50%! Factors that drive such wild swings are numerous, but they can be nailed down to a couple fundamental issues: changes in supply and demand and fuel prices.

Let’s start with the obvious. Fuel prices impact truckload rates. As an example, diesel prices that are $3.30… Read more