What is broker software? With almost 12 million locomotives, ships, trucks, and other vessels moving goods all over the world all the time, broker software is what keeps them organized and on time. If you’re curious about how all this material is transported from day to day, read on for all the facts about LTL shipments, freight management, broker software, and other elements of freight transport.
Who is Transporting all the Freight?
Satish Jindel, the president of SJ Consulting Group, has a lot of facts on where the demand for freight transport is coming from. According to their group, 23% of freight tonnage in the for-hire category is coming from retail demand. The LTL shipment market is particularly in growth and is now estimated to be worth around $35 billion. All carriers, however, from truckload to LTL to parcel, are having to adapt as the retail industry forces carrier changes.
How Much is Being Transported?
In the year 2013, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that almost 15 billion tons of cargo were shipped in America. They estimate that number will grow to nearly 19 billion tons by 2040. The United States has almost six million commercial drivers transporting all these goods, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
How Complicated Is it To Arrange Shipments?
One of the challenges of freight shipment is integrating invoicing, accounting, IFTA filing, maintenance records, load boards, pick-ups and drop-offs, and keeping track of losses and other issues. Good load broker software allows smaller companies to keep track of all these sorts of issues. CargoNet and FreightWatch International report that there were 615 cargo thefts in the first three quarters of 2016 alone, highlighting just one area where broker software is key to keeping track of everything.
How is Most Freight Hauled?
The method depends on distance. If freight needs to go less than 750 miles, trucks are by far the most commonly-chosen carrier. For distances between 750 and 2,000 miles, rail is the dominant transportation mode. As more freight goes by other transport than trucks, trucking carriers have adapted by robustly developing the LTL shipment system, which allows for more full loads to go out over shorter distances. In fact, the average haul length for truck carrier decreased by 4% from 2011 to 2016. Good TMS with load board integrations make LTL shipments faster and easier to arrange, as well as smoother in transport and delivery.
Carrier shipment is essential to the American economy and today’s retail industry in particular. Carrier shipping itself is dependent on the right freight management software to arrange reliable transport of goods within America and beyond.