Growing up in a rural farming community, we always had many wise and vocal residents. One of those residents once told me, “The more shade a tree produces, the less grass will grow beneath it." Thirty years later, I realize the strength of those words.
The new year is upon us, and as a result of the historic presidential election, a new glimmer of sunlight is shining upon us as well. All of our businesses have been overly shaded by a big government with long roots doing its best to inhibit growth and efficiency. The effects of the Compliance, Safety, Accountability program, Fair Labor Standards Act, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and hours-of-service have prompted our companies to embark on time-consuming and costly ways that we must comply. In addition, the deadlock in Washington has prevented much-needed investment in our infrastructure. Our highways, ports and airports need billions of dollars of improvements. We must see improvement in Washington.
The buzz words of freight “Uberization” continue to be a headline in all the trade publications. This is no surprise to any of the top transportation companies. We all have been investing millions of dollars in technology that can help make the marketplace more efficient. The magic potion, in my opinion, will be the right mix of advanced technology and good old relationships. Some folks tend to forget the human element that is required to move freight; it’s not a standardized commodity.
Other advanced technologies such as fully automatous trucks will continue to draw interest, however, it is all dependent on a strong national transportation infrastructure.
Without a doubt, today’s logistics professionals are both talented problem solvers and technological wizards. That talent, in combination with the possible changes of a new administration, creates an optimistic future of logistics in America, and 2017 could prove to be an exciting year.