Shippers often confuse the terms “logistics management” and “supply chain management”. Each word is used to describe very similar functions and operations in the transportation industry. However, there is a difference between these terms.

Carrier There is an undeniable tightness in the trucking industry’s driver market. Trucking employed more than 7 million people in 2014, 3.4 million of those were drivers. But still, carriers feel the real impact of the unwavering driver shortage. Why is America having a difficult time retaining and attracting truck drivers? Mostly because of strict regulations, relatively low pay and a universal lack of interest in the career. Carriers are working hard to end the problem, changing how they recruit and retain drivers – increasing pay and hiring new driver’s right out of training programs.

Troublesome congestion at West Coast ports in February is still affecting the US economy and expected to cost as much as 7 billion dollars to the retail industry this year. Although this was a major supply chain disruption, it’s not the only costly shipping disruption that has occurred recently.

transportationHere are 5 of the most talked about logistics and transportation news stories from this month, check them out:

SafeTruckingTrucking companies have an undeniable commitment to provide safety and security for their fleet, drivers, and others on the road. Luckily, today’s technology is designed to prevent accidents from happening and to protect all people in case of an accident.

DriversCarriersWith the US economy expanding at an accelerated pace, many organizations are having trouble filling logistics jobs, especially truck driver positions. The issue isn’t new or sudden, but the pressure for trucking companies is rising as an employment peak in trucking is near, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Carriers are short by at least 30,000 drivers and suffer from a low retention rate.

Are you ready to develop a less than truckload (LTL) transportation plan? LTL shipping doesn’t have to be time-consuming or stressful. Whether you plan to ship LTL freight regularly, or if you’ll only ship a few packages a month, you will benefit from these 5 tips which explain how to avoid unnecessary costs, determine price and optimize efficiency.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th. Because these super-storms wreak havoc to the nation’s infrastructure, shippers should prepare for weather-related disruptions. Past hurricanes have opened shipper’s eyes, as disruptions in delivery, tracking and safety have caused significant problems.

Transportation Secretary, Andrew Foxx, told a congressional subcommittee that a proposed rule requiring heavy vehicle speed limiters will be issued no later than this fall. Supporters of the speed limiter rule believe highways will be safer and fuel consumption will be reduced.

shipping mistakesUnanticipated costs and unexpected delays are can negatively impact your supply chain, but there are ways to increase its efficiency. Some of the most common shipping mistakes include not knowing which transport mode to choose, being unclear about government rules, and not understanding different price structures. Avoid these common shipping errors to get your freight to its final destination on time, with fewer expenses.

ShortTerm On April 30th, it was reported that yet another short-term fix to infrastructure will be implemented sometime in May. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is creating a short-term bill worth between $8 – 10 billion, which is expected to last through the end of the year. Ryan is working with Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

ltl-rates-on-the-rise The less-than-truckload (LTL) sector has seen little growth or profit in the last decade. But now, LTL carriers anticipate one of its most profitable years since 2004.

Supply chain disruptions are unpredictable, and often inescapable, but they don’t have to destroy business operations. When supply chain disruptions occur, delays are unknown and there is a loss in time, money and labor.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released a smartphone app that provides safety data on interstate commercial vehicles. The Compliance, Safety, Accountability program app requires no login and reveals carrier safety performance and ratings to the public. This information is available on FMCSA’s website as well.