Xenon FS's Drayage Management Solution Helps Shippers Avoid Penalties And Stay Ahead of Changing Federal Truck Regulations
LONG BEACH, California – November 7, 2013 -- New drayage management technology from Xenon Freight Solutions is helping shippers stay ahead of the curve and avoid potential penalties and costly insurance claims, says Stacy Lange, director of key accounts for Xenon FS.
Lange notes that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) enforces a number of truck safety programs, including the Hours of Service (HOS) rules, the Compliance/Safety/Accountability (CSA) initiative and aspects of MAP21, last year’s highway funding legislation officially titled “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act."
"These initiatives and others are resulting in new regulations and requirements for measuring and monitoring truck operations,” says Lange. "As many of these rules and regulations are still in flux, it is vital to have drayage managers who are knowledgeable, experienced and fully informed. Shippers use Xenon FS because of the protection we provide as a bonded broker and because our drayage expertise enables them to avoid cargo delays, severe financial penalties and legal liability."
Xenon FS's Drayage Management solution includes a network of more than 100 pre-screened and fully compliant trucking vendors as well as an intuitive, online quoting and booking tool that contains more than 3 million rates.
"We closely monitor our vendor partners to ensure that they remain on track with all insurance and compliance requirements," says Lange. "Screening drayage vendors is extremely time consuming and it is critical for shippers to avoid putting their company at risk, which is why our service is so valuable.”
Lange notes that many of Xenon FS’s customers have shared with the company stories and concerns involving instances where freight was damaged, lost or stolen when they used unknown or lesser known drayage providers. “An even worse scenario would be if they selected an under insured provider and there was an accident involving their shipment,” Lange says. “This is not a risk any of us like to think about, but it is a possibility and the damage and penalties could be very costly.”
To provide its customers additional assurance that their company will not be at risk, Xenon FS carries $1 million liability insurance, worker’s compensation coverage, and meets the new FMCSA MAP-21 freight broker requirement of a $75,000 surety bond, says Lange.
Xenon FS’s extensive vendor network services all of the continental U.S. and can be accessed by shippers anywhere in the world via the company’s online quoting and booking tool, which contains more than 3 million rates, Lange adds. "Our goal is to match shippers with the best rate and the best vendor for their drayage needs, so they can book it and forget it."
Customers can easily modify their on-screen selections to instantly compare rates for any combination of origin and destination, Lange explains. While some other vendors offer quote comparisons, usually the options are limited to the three to five locations that are closest geographically. "If your choices are not available, you have to send a request for pricing,” says Lange. “Our system is different in that shippers can easily find the location they need and receive an instant, competitive quote."
In explaining why they launched Xenon FS, the company's founders cite the amount of time logistics companies typically spend managing end-to-end drayage moves and the hidden costs that result. "The man-hours associated with finding the right vendor, verifying compliance, establishing credit, making payments and tracking the shipment often are not evaluated as a part of the drayage cost," says Lange. "By building a solution that connects all parties in a multi-modal move both electronically and operationally, we help companies reduce the time and costs of these tasks by up to 90 percent.”
About Xenon FS
Xenon FS helps logistics companies analyze their true cost of drayage transportation and better manage the crucial first and last mile of cargo moves, significantly reducing time and associated operations costs.
Xenon FS negotiates volume pricing with its vendors and, in turn, offers customers competitive pricing without any transaction or booking fees. Xenon FS offers end-to-end drayage management solutions and its customizable solutions give companies an overarching umbrella under which all drayage can be managed.
Xenon FS is not just software. It is a solution that combines the latest cloud-based technologies and business processes with an extensive network of fully insured, competitively priced vendors supported by a team of industry professionals with decades of experience. It can operate as a standalone service or seamlessly integrate into existing systems.
With its unmatched combination of proprietary technology, extensive partner network, first-hand industry experience, vendor management and customizable solutions, Xenon FS optimizes all aspects of drayage operations for its customers’ supply chains. Moreover, Xenon FS offers a true data integration solution for larger companies with a more complex IT infrastructure.