2015 offers a great opportunity to embrace the technological tools that can help fix the problems we face in local logistics markets, as well as properly position the industry for years to come. Local logistics, (the pick-up and delivery of freight within 150 miles), is an $80 billion business in the U.S. that has not sufficiently embraced available technologies to address challenges.
Containers are sitting offshore waiting to be unloaded, and small carriers, which comprise 85 percent of local capacity are underutilized and inefficient. Companies that embrace new technology platforms such as mobile and SaaS-based platforms, will improve margin, and speed to market, and have a competitive advantage over those that sit idle.
Logistics professionals are always out-of-the-box thinkers looking for ways to improve. Delivering real-time tracking, increasing efficiency and the client experience are all traits that have become the norm and traits now expected of service providers.
Leveraging low-cost tech solutions will be a big differentiator in 2015 and the best way to reach the goals we have collectively set for the coming year.
Brett E. Parker, COO and Co-Founder, Cargomatic