My first transportation job was as a package car driver in Jamestown New York, in what was called the "down town area". UPS delivered 34 states when I started in 1969. You signed a sheet that had your delivery recorded in ink that was a 6 digit number; nothing was given to the customer but the packages. Hard to imagine but at the time UPS actually DID NOT take a yearly rate increase, with no difference in business or residential charges, and oh yes, no fuel charges.

Press hard you are making 7 copies, this on the 7 part bill of lading form that had carbon paper in between the pages. The next part of my career in transportation in the LTL industry pre deregulation...

Here is what I see that will be forced due to cost, fuel and poor transportation infrastructure and the constant government regulations, there are thousands with more to come.
1. Delivery areas will be assigned to sections of the country to force consolidation of shipments, by specific day of the week.
2. All pricing done on Zip plus 4, no zones, just mileage, pay extra for faster, or less for slower.
3. Size will be the key in determining your cost, make it smaller, you pay less.
4. A one price landed cost including all extra charges.
5. A menu that you select only the services you will pay for, weekly updates.
6. No more than $100 for liability or none at all, any requested increase you will pay for on a shipment by shipment basis, past history in claims to determine your cost.
7. ERP and order entry systems will be directly connected to the carrier (Air, TL, LTL, Package, International) and to the end receiving customer to determine:
• Last mile pickup and last mile delivery mileage, to determine fuel cost, delivery vehicles.
• Amount of shipments and size given to carrier and receiving customers prior to tender of shipment to carrier
• Consolidation numbers assigned for line haul equipment
• Bid process for line haul charges and equipment, based on equipment available or empty containers being returned.
• Equipment loaded to allow delivery in route, or head load, loading software to insure max cube.
• Payment into a payment system that pays 2 days after a clear delivery or for better rates paid in advance of the pick-up.


Going to be interesting to see this happen over time, oh one last thing, beam it to me now Scotty. 

Hank Mullen © 5/25/2011 hmullen@transolve.us

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