UPS Braces for Biggest Return Day of the Year

Photo: UPS

With the holiday season now finished, UPS is bracing for National Returns Day on Jan. 5, when return packages sent back to retailers are projected to hit their peak.

The first week of January is typically the busiest week for return packages and UPS is projecting that number to hit 5.8 million packages this year, peaking on Thursday, Jan. 5 with a staggering 1.3 million returns alone.

The projection for this year is up from 5 million packages in the first week of 2016 and 1 million packages on National Returns Day.

Retailers have improved the returns experience in the past five years according to UPS, with consumers reporting fewer issues paying for returns shipping, paying restocking fees and receiving credits or refunds.

UPS recently formed an alliance with Optoro, a technology company that helps retailers and manufacturers manage, process, and sell returned and excess inventory. Together, the companies offer a simpler reverse logistics solution that combines UPS's operational and logistics experience with Optoro's software platform that maximizes recovery value and reduces environmental waste.

“UPS helps retailers provide shoppers with a satisfying returns experience while managing rising returns volume and the complexities of providing a seamless omnichannel shopping experience,” said Teresa Finley, chief marketing officer for UPS. “While returns can't be eliminated, an easy to use returns experience should be one of several retail strategies to enhance customer loyalty and manage the cost of returns processing.”

Related: UPS Goes Green With Workhorse

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Analysis: Lessons From Interesting Times in the Spot Market

Source: DAT Solutions 2016

Traditionally, transportation and logistics managers start planning in earnest for the coming “bid season” with a look back at the previous year for indicators about where demand and capacity might be heading in the future.

Well, consider that tradition officially “bucked.”

First, bid season is getting harder to define. Requests for proposals (RFPs) can – and do – come down at any time. Second, transportation managers are scratching their heads over whether there's anything they can learn from the last 12 months, a truly unusual year for spot truckload freight volume and rates.

During the first half of 2016, the amount of available freight seemed to be in a state of constant transition, with an economy stalled between growing and shrinking. Then something unusual happened.

In July, when freight volume typically begins a gradual decline, activity never really tapered off. In fact, the number of available van and refrigerated loads on the spot market surged. Van freight volume increased 17% while reefers gained 5.2% compared to July 2015, according to DAT Solutions, which operates the DAT network of load boards. It continued moving higher each month with year-over-year of 51% and 44%, respectively, in October.

Why? In hindsight, there were several factors.

First, freight volume on the spot market was so low to start the year that big 3PLs and freight brokers were able to easily undercut the rates of contract carriers. As contract carriers lost market share to 3PLs, that freight shifted onto load boards.

Second, a number of disruptive events in the second half of the year caused spikes of demand in certain markets. The bankruptcy of Hanjin Shipping in August sent ripples from the West Coast through the supply chain and increased amounts of inventory transfers throughout the fall. Bad weather, particularly flooding in Louisiana and the Carolinas, generated demand for ...Read the rest of this story

BNSF, J.B. Hunt Head to Arbitration

Bestpass Hit $450 Million in Toll Volume Last Year

Photo: Bestpass

Bestpass scored a company milestone last year by surpassing $450 million dollars in total toll volume and processing more than $1.2 million in tolls per day.

Bestpass provides single-source payment and toll management services to commercial fleets. The operation had a big year in 2016, expanding its toll coverage to include Oklahoma to complete a national tolling solution. Also, the company added over 1,000 new accounts and more than 100,000 new active transponders.

"Everything that we've accomplished this year shows the value of our toll management service and our solid position as the toll experts for commercial fleets," said John Andrews, president and CEO of Bestpass. "We are incredibly proud of what we've done, and we are excited to build upon this momentum to continue to grow the company next year while still providing top-notch service to our customers."

Bestpass now has 50 employees and more than 2,700 customers in the U.S. and Canada with more than 295,000 active transponders.

Founded in 2001 by the Trucking Association of New York, Bestpass offers streamlined tolling services that include toll discounting, consolidated billing, violation processing and a single device for toll and weigh-station bypass.

Related: Toll Bridge Offers New Routing Option for Truckers Crossing Ohio River

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Bendix Launches Online Trucking Industry Resource

Screenshot via Knowledge-Dock.com

Bendix has launched a new center of commercial vehicle information at its website safertrucks.com, centered around a new multimedia center called the Knowledge Dock.

The Knowledge Dock aims to help trucking professionals stay connected to the industry by providing updates on devlopements in truck operation, maintenance and safety. It also examines trucking trends and technology developments. It contains a growing list of videos, blog posts, podcasts and white papers from Bendix's team of industry experts and features Bendix Tech Tips and video-based Tech Talks.

The Knowledge Dock provides insight, expertise, and perspectives for fleet leadership, owner-operators, drivers, technicians, regulators, engineers, and business leads to help with day-to-day operations as well as long range planning.

There is bumper-to-bumper information on medium- and heavy-duty vehicles including, active and supportive safety technologies, energy management solutions, wheel end components and systems, and air brake charging and control systems.

“We take our commitment to education and post-sales support seriously. That's one reason we developed this outlet,” said Barbara Gould, Bendix director of corporate communications. “Knowledge Dock on safertrucks.com provides a fresh voice and an easy way for people to stay connected to their industry, from the technical to the topical. Plus, by making the material available 24/7/365, we ensure our industry partners can access it on their own terms, when and where they need it.”

The Knowledge Dock also complements Bendix's training programs, including the in-person Bendix Brake Training School as well as the online training portal brake-school.com. Bendix's safertrucks.com also features details about the complete suite of Bendix safety solutions.

“We have a passion for safety and we believe that ongoing training is one of the keys to getting there,” Gould said. “Whether it's a fleet executive seeking insight about current or pending technologies, a technician performing maintenance in the shop, or a driver doing a ...Read the rest of this story

NFI Acquires Canadian 3PL Dominion Warehousing & Distribution

Supply-chain service provider NFI has acquired Canadian third-party logistics company Dominion Warehousing & Distribution to expand its service offering in that country, the company announced.

The buy will increase NFI's Canadian-based revenue to over $125 million and will continue the expansion of its Canadian services, which include freight brokerage, global freight forwarding, asset-based transportation, and value added warehousing and distribution.

“We are excited for Dominion to join NFI and continue our growth in the Canadian market, which is core to our overall strategy,” said Sid Brown, NFI CEO. “We will add new, blue-chip customers to our portfolio and at the same time provide our existing customers additional warehousing capacity in these markets.”

Dominion Warehousing's acquisition will increase NFI's warehousing space by around 2 million square feet with physical locations in Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver, increasing the company's footprint to over 31 million square feet total.

“Dominion provides a great opportunity for NFI to enter into new industries like specialty paints and chemicals and expand existing ones,” said Kevin Patterson, NFI president of distribution. “The acquisition increases our footprint and also expands our capabilities in these sectors.”

Related: Innovation In The Details

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Ridewell Updates Self-Steer Suspension for I-Beam Axle Integration

Ridewell Suspensions has updated the RSS-236 self-steer auxiliary truck suspension for I-beam axle integration.

First released in 1997, the RSS-236 suspension has been updated for lighter weight and lower maintenance. The parallelogram design allows customers to integrate an I-beam axle into the suspension.

The RSS-2361000 offers an adjustable frame width and low maintenance polyurethane bushings. An integrated air tank kit is also available for the suspension.

The RSS-2361000 suspension is designed for single wheel application - no duals. The suspension is rated for a 13,500-pound capacity; however, the tire and wheel combination used may dictate the suspension's gross axle weight rating.

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