State of Logistics: Buffeted by Crosswinds

Photo: Penske Logistics

The latest annual State of Logistics Report paints the industry not quite as storm-tossed, but as “buffeted by crosswinds as the pace of change accelerates,” according to the study's five authors, who are consultants with A.T. Kearney. Reflecting that reality, the report is titled “Accelerating into Uncertainty.”

Released this week by the Council of Supply Chain Management and again presented by Penske Logistics, the 46-page report “contains the statistics and industry insights that will not only help our members do their jobs better, but also better prepare them for the business demands ahead, in a very dynamic marketplace," according to Rick Blasgen, president and CEO of CSCMP.

The report features a “focused narrative” on the economic environment impacting logistics; insights from interviews with industry leaders, including shippers, carriers, and analysts; a spotlight on relevant trends; and a strategic “point of view” on the state of the industry.

"We believe readers will be interested in this year's report for the retrospective view on 2016 market dynamics," said Sean Monahan, A.T Kearney partner and report co-author. He added that the study also lays out a “forward-looking view on considerations for the coming 18 months and beyond."

This year's report shows the first decline in United States Business Logistics Costs (USBLC) since 2009—with that coming even as the surge in e-commerce sector drove up demand for parcel delivery services.

"Even in this current uneven economy, we are seeing upticks in demand for outsourced logistics services," pointed out Althen, president of Penske Logistics president.

Key findings of the report include:

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Cruise Control on Steriods

Tesla's autonomous vehicle control system warned Joshua Brown 7 times to take over control of the car before his fatal crash last year. Photo: NTSB/Florida Highway Patrol

Believe it or not, I've never seen the Harry Potter movies. But they must be pretty good, considering that Joshua Brown, the victim of last year's famed “Tesla Crash” was allegedly watching one of the films right up to the point when his car rear-ended a tractor trailer last year, killing him.

As you've surely heard by now, new details about that crash have emerged, including the well-publicized fact that Tesla's autonomous system warned Brown seven different times that he needed to assume control of the car, and that he manually bumped his speed up just two minutes before the crash occurred.

I'm not familiar with the Tesla autonomous driving system, although I have spent a limited amount of time behind the wheel of Freightliner's Inspiration truck while it was in self-driving mode. And I can attest that programming the truck to slow down and eventually pull off the road in the event road conditions aren't absolutely perfect for autonomous vehicle control is one of the system's core attributes. In fact, the Daimler Highway Pilot system is so safety-conscious, it will pull the truck off the highway if any number of critical information inputs aren't being met; anything from faded lane markings to a spotty GPS signal is enough to make Highway Pilot punt and hand control back over to one of us human beings or simply pull off the road if – I dunno – the wizard is about to zap a dragon with his magic wand, or something.

If you're lucky as a writer, you might get to invent a bunch of new words (like that show-off, Shakespeare) or, more likely ...Read the rest of this story

J.J. Keller Self-Certifies Mobile ELD Solution

Photo: J.J. Keller & Associates

J.J. Keller & Associations has announced that its Mobile ELog solution has been self-certified and added to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's ELD registry.

The company's Mobile ELog solution for Android devices and the Compliance Tablet were both included on the FMCSA registry.

According to the ELD mandate, any electronic logging device placed into service as of Dec. 18, 2017 must be self-certified and registered with FMCSA. The self-certification process confirms that the ELD solution is able to accurately capture and store a driver's hours of service and make this information usable to enforcement personnel during roadside inspections and audits.

J.J. Keller's Encompass Fleet Management System with ELogs offers over-the-air updates to ensure compliance with regulatory changes. The system is compatible with all vehicle classes and many smart devices and includes multiple hours of service rule sets. J.J. Keller offers customers options from only ELogs to full performance management.

“The J. J. Keller ELog System delivers a compliant solution that meets FMCSA's technical requirements while offering the operational flexibility to help carriers maximize driver hours in compliance with complex Hours of Service regulations,” said Rustin Keller, executive vice president and chief operating officer for J. J. Keller & Associates. “We are particularly excited that we are able to self-certify our existing hardware and thrilled to tell customers that no hardware upgrade is necessary to meet the ELD mandate.”

Related: ELD Certification - What Does it Really Mean?

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Quality Parts Center Joins HDA Truck Pride

Quality Parts Center of Gary, Ind., has joined HDA Truck Pride's network of independent parts and service providers.

Quality Parts Center was founded in 1995 as a commercial vehicle body shop and has expanded its offerings to include parts inventory. Today, the company has a 6,000 square-foot parts store and a 15,000 square foot shop for servicing large truck and bus fleets.

The business is headed by Dave Roti, who has served the local area with a heavy-duty body shop since the mid-1990s, and Noah Osborn, who has years of local OE experience.

“We're delighted to add Quality Parts Center to our membership roster,” said Tom Tecklenburg, chief commercial officer of HDA Truck Pride. “By joining the HDA Truck Pride ranks, they will have access to our national brands, training, and telematics, along with regional and national fleet programs. We look forward to growing along with this fine operation.”

Related: STS Truck Services Wins HDA Service Award

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Seven fleets commit to ‘Run on Less’

Seven fleets have agreed to have one of their trucks and drivers participate in Run on Less, a cross-country roadshow planned for later this year to showcase advancements in fuel efficiency.

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