[July 22, 2014]

Transplace Survey Identifies Preferred Shipper Program Best Practices

Transplace, a leading provider of transportation management services and logistics technology, today announced the results of its Preferred Shipper Program Survey conducted to gain insight into best practices for companies to achieve "preferred shipper" status with their carrier partners. The study, which included data from more than 75 transportation carriers, identified key factors in how carriers evaluate shippers and provides valuable insight to help shipper organizations better understand the best practices for becoming a preferred shipper for carriers.

Tweet This: Transplace survey reveals economic factors & driver productivity keys to achieving "preferred shipper" status

"Shippers are looking for ways to improve their transportation operations, and a significant way to do so is by aligning efforts with their carrier partners to improve efficiency and overall benefits to all parties," said Ben Cubitt, senior vice president, consulting & engineering for Transplace. "The survey responses consistently ranked economics and driver productivity as the keys to 'preferred shipper' status."

Observations from the Preferred Shipper Program Survey include:

• Shipper Ratings: Economics remain the most important factor in how carriers evaluate and rate shippers - with nearly all respondents indicating market competitive rates and fair fuel surcharges as "critical" or "important" factors. Payment terms and average length of time until payment was also a key area for many carriers with 63 percent ranking it as a "major factor" and 36 percent considering it "important but not critical." Of the carriers surveyed, 30 day payment terms are considered acceptable by the majority of carriers and paying in less than 30 days would really differentiate a shipper. Volume potential and positive credit rating were also consistently rated as a major factor.
• Driver Productivity: Productivity of the driver is continuing to be a focus for carriers and one of the most critical factors in shipper freight profiles or practices. Of those surveyed, 97 percent considered dwell time as an "important" or "critical" fator in determining the preference status of a shipper. In-transit delays was second with 65 percent considering it a "major" factor and 32 percent considering it "important." The ability to use drop trailers, shipper load count and type of freight were also key factors.
• Driver-Friendly Facilities: Carriers ranked driver-friendly practices highest based on those that enhanced driver productivity, such as onsite parking and available bathrooms for drivers. Regular updates on loading and unloading status and a guard shack for drivers to receive instructions were also high on the list. Break rooms for drivers rounded out the top five.
• Relationship: The scope of the relationship and the level of partnership can also affect the preference status of a shipper. The effort of a shipper to understand a carrier's costs with relationship to equipment and recruiting drivers and willingness to discuss its issues were ranked as the two largest factors in impacting the shipper/carrier relationship. In addition, treating drivers with respect and as a valuable network asset can impact the way the shipper is viewed by an entire carrier organization.

Added Cubitt, "Network efficiency and driver productivity are becoming the foremost concern and focus for many carriers, and they will reward efficient shippers that help keep their trucks and drivers with capacity. However, it's not just about efficient deliveries. Carriers want shippers to be partners at every level and work together to drive productivity and efficiency."

To view the panel discuss "Survey Insights: Becoming the Shipper of Choice for Carriers" from Transplace's 12^th annual Shipper Symposium please click here.

About Transplace

Transplace is a non-asset, North America-based third party logistics (3PL) provider offering manufacturers, retailers, chemical and consumer packaged goods companies the optimal blend of logistics technology and transportation management services. The company's services and capabilities include Transportation Management Services, Intermodal, Brokerage and SaaS (News - Alert) transportation management (TMS) solutions supplemented by supply chain network planning and design, transportation procurement and consulting services. The company is recognized among the elite global 3PLs for its proven ability to deliver both rapid return on investment and consistent value to a customer base that includes many of the largest shippers in the world.

Follow the company on Twitter (News - Alert), Facebook, Logistically Speaking Blog and the Transplace Blog:

http://blog.transplace.com

http://logisticallyspeakingblog.com

http://twitter.com/transplace

http://www.facebook.com/transplace

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