I want it now!
In many ways, this might be the mantra of today’s consumer. It is no enough any more that we find the right pair of shoes that we want to wear to a wedding or that we locate the right kind of trade show exhibit display walls. Today’s consumer wants to find a way to get what they want as soon as possible.
Behind the scenes, however, is an entire industry of transportation brokers and logistics experts who work with shipment tracking integration systems to make sure that they can meet the demands of today’s consumers. One layer behind the people who work on the shipping for individual companies are another group of professionals who work on the less than load (LTL) transportation of relatively small freight. The alternatives to LTL shipment carriers are parcel carriers or full truckload carriers. In some ways it is difficult to imagine that these carriers are often handling small packages and freight that are broken down into units less than 150 pounds.
In this time when the economy relies so much on large orders and international shipments it is often easy to forget that there is also an entire market that relies on LTL shipments. From online customer orders for a new indoor outdoor rug for Memorial Weekend to making sure that you have all of the graduation party accessories to help celebrate your daughter’s success, there are many smaller orders from individual customers that play an important role in then nation’s economy.
Consider some of these facts and figures about the transportation industry and the impact that it plays in the nation’s economy:
- 12 million trucks, rail cars, locomotives, and vessels move goods across the world’s transportation network.
- 5.9 million commercial motor vehicle drivers operate in the U.S., according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
- $35 billion is the estimated value of the LTL market.
- 23% of all for-hire freight tonnage can be attributed to retail, according to Satish Jindel, president of SJ Consulting Group.
- Whether it is full truckload, LTL, or parcel, carriers are being forced to adjust to changes in the retail industry. IN fact, U.S. e-commerce revenue is about $423.3 billion and continues to climb.
If you have ever found yourself in a place where you want to get an online purchase immediately, you are contributing to the LTL market.
