Erick Calderon

10x ROI achieved by Cofactr on a single electronics bill of materials for a customer. In a recent call with a potential client, we dove into the practical impact of Cofactr for managing the electronics supply chain. By leveraging our platform, we identified a $124 savings per unit vs. their previous procurement strategy, resulting in a remarkable $60K annual savings when applied across their yearly demand. 💰 That isn't just procurement strategy. That includes all the materials purchased, received in our facility, x-ray counted, re-packaged for manufacturing, re-labeled, and shipped to the manufacturing partner ready for the line. That is ONE BILL OF MATERIALS. That is the start of the savings... just. the. start. Improved financial outcomes, time efficiency, reduced supply chain risk, and enhanced manufacturing outcomes. If this resonates, DM me! #SupplyChainManagement #ROI #ElectronicsIndustry

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Logistics visibility has fallen short. Why? According to OpenTrack CEO Kevin Valsi, legacy visibility platforms have “perpetuated known limitations of data providers, or lacked context because not all solutions were built in-house." It's a bold statement to say that something works across all modes and all geographies. That's why OpenTrack has spent more than 7 years mastering data and building a solution that actually works. Read Eric Johnson's latest story on JOC.com to find out how modern solutions are overcoming long-standing challenges in intermodal visibility. https://lnkd.in/gkbzG7NJ

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DOT Blitz is in full swing. For smart freight carriers, every week is DOT Blitz week. Smart carriers can choose to keep operating during the DOT Blitz week, sit out of the market, or choose to reduce operations and time their much-needed vacations while avoiding the inspection hassle. What they don't (and can't afford to) do is ignore their safety & compliance. Safety and inspection violations can be discovered at weigh stations, during minor/major accidents, traffic stops and at random roadside inspections. DOT violations can lead to serious penalties, including hefty fines and even the revocation of operating authority. Low safety ratings can also lead to loss of business. After all, what broker and shipper would think their freight is "safer" with a carrier who could not make their own fleet and drivers "safer" for and in the road? If you are a motor carrier looking for a comprehensive safety & compliance software, check out Miler at https://miler.com. Ask us about how Miler Software promotes a company-wide visibility and engagement for a better safety & compliance KPI, not just for safety managers but also for drivers.

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🚛 **Addressing the Elephant in the Room: The Cash Cows of Driver Recruiting** 🐄 In the world of driver recruiting, we often hear about the so-called #CashCows - those recruitment firms and agencies thriving on a constant churn of drivers. But let's face the truth: their methods are often not just ineffective but sometimes deliberately neglectful when it comes to addressing the real issues of driver turnover and retention. Why does this happen? 🤔 🔹 **Short-term Gains Over Long-term Solutions**: Many of these agencies focus on filling seats quickly rather than ensuring long-term satisfaction and retention of drivers. It's a cycle that benefits their bottom line but does nothing to solve the underlying issues. 🔹 **Lack of Genuine Engagement**: Instead of fostering a supportive and engaging work environment, these recruiters rely on superficial incentives and promises that rarely materialize into real benefits for drivers. 🔹 **Resistance to Change**: There’s a noticeable lack of innovation and adaptation in their approach. Rather than evolving to meet the changing needs of drivers, they stick to outdated practices that no longer serve the industry effectively. It's time to challenge the status quo and demand better. Drivers are the backbone of our logistics network, and they deserve more than being treated as mere numbers. We need to prioritize: ✅ **Effective Communication and Support**: Building real relationships with drivers and understanding their needs. ✅ **Sustainable Incentive Structures**: Offering genuine benefits that contribute to driver satisfaction and retention. ✅ **Innovative Recruitment Strategies**: Embracing new technologies and methodologies to create a more dynamic and driver-friendly recruitment process. Let's push for a future where driver recruitment is about more than just filling vacancies - it’s about creating careers and building a stronger, more reliable workforce. 💪 #DriverRecruiting #Logistics #DriverRetention #Innovation #SustainableRecruiting ---

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Has the e-Commerce tide started to recede? With Covid now gone gone for all YoY figures too - Andy Mulcahy of IMRG confirmed last week that eComm is down -4.7% YoY (even more when inflation is factored in) while overall retail is on an upward curve online is going backwards?! Is that the sense out there for other eComm brands? Is anyone spending less online themselves? #ecommerce #retail

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If pride is getting in the way of your growth you MUST read "5 Ways to Improve Collaboration" https://lnkd.in/eED3qBwp Good Freight is a transformative concept designed to uplift the transportation industry by shining a light on the positive stories of success, from startups to household brands. Logistics is a skill that you must build over time which creates a sense of pride from managing complex tasks, overcoming issues and putting out fires daily. A sense of pride is a must with the nuances of supply chain complexities. The feeling of having everything under control and losing any sense of control causes feelings of shame. Ameriton Freight & Logistics  #freight #supplychain #supplychainmanagement #supplychainsolutions #logisticscompany #logistics #shippers #everythingfreight #smallbusiness #environmentalsustainability #environmentallyfriendly #sustainability #warehousing #drayage #intermodal #oceanfreight #supplychainmanagement #consulting  

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Ever thought about switching your fleet to electric? Here's why it might be easier and cheaper than you expect. In the world of logistics, cutting costs and staying green are more aligned than ever, thanks to some innovative approaches to fleet electrification. Companies like WattEV, Inc. are leading the charge, showing that the shift to electric isn't just possible; it's financially savvy. They're leveraging a mix of state incentives and smart power purchasing strategies to bring costs down to compete with traditional diesel, making the transition more accessible than many had thought. What's particularly exciting about WattEV's approach is their investment in solar-powered charging stations. By integrating renewable energy into their operations, they're reducing reliance on the grid and locking in low energy costs. This isn't just good for the wallet, it's great for the planet. With operations expanding from California into Oregon and Washington, WattEV’s strategy is a glimpse into a future where electric trucks are the norm across the U.S. This shift is underpinned by the potential for significant savings on fuel and maintenance, which can really add up, improving the total cost of ownership figures. But it’s not just about economics. This movement towards electric fleets is also about meeting increasingly strict emissions regulations without sacrificing operational capability. It's about ensuring that businesses can continue to thrive in a world where environmental considerations are front and center. If you're in logistics and wondering when might be the right time to consider electric, the answer might be sooner than you think. The tools and technology for affordable fleet electrification are evolving rapidly, bringing down barriers and debunking myths about cost and convenience. This conversation is bigger than just one company or one industry. It’s about how we, as a society, can tackle some of our biggest challenges through innovation and collaboration. So, let’s keep talking, exploring, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. #ElectricVehicles #Sustainability #FleetManagement

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Headlines about layoffs rightly cause much concern and consternation in the trucking industry (e.g., https://lnkd.in/g9useTDD). However, it is critical to understand that this tells only half the story because a substantial percentage of trucking layoffs occur because a firm loses a key customer account. What that means is that the firm which won the business will often expand (which tends not to be reported). Below I wanted to document just how prevalent such reallocation of jobs is in trucking using population-level data from administrative records for all employer firms in truck transportation via the Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS) program. Data from https://lnkd.in/gVr6BbRW for all carriers. Thoughts: •The chart shows three series. The job creation rate is the jobs added by the subset of carriers that expanded or started operations in year t relative to t-1 divided by the average employment across all carriers in years t and t-1. Analogously, the job destruction rate is defined as the jobs lost due to carriers that downsized or exited in year t relative to t-1 divided by the average employment across all carriers in years t and t-1. The Net Rate of Job Change is the difference between the series and represents the percent change in employment for a given year. Data cover 1978 – 2021, with each data point representing change for that year relative to the prior year (e.g., 1978’s data point compares March 1978 data with March 1977 data). •What I want to emphasize: even when the net rate of job change is relatively low (e.g., 4.3% for March 2019 vs March 2018), this hides that there is a much higher rate of jobs being reallocated across carriers. For example, that 4.3% March 2019 figure hides a 14.9% job creation rate and a 10.6% job destruction rate. •Consequently, what economists call excessive job reallocation in 2019 was 21.2%, which represents the sum of job creation and destruction rates (14.9 + 10.6) less the absolute value of the net change in jobs (4.3), ergo 25.5 – 4.3 = 21.2. That is a lot of reshuffling of jobs across firms. Implication: Trucking jobs are reshuffled across carriers all the time. Focusing only on layoffs misses that firms which win new contracts are likely to expand. #supplychain #supplychainmanagement #freight #trucking #truckload #logistics #transportation

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The Engineer’s Playbook for Enterprise SEO: Six tips for a smooth SEO implementation

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The e-commerce market is projected to reach $6 trillion in global sales this year, driving significant growth. However, retailers are grappling with shipping and fulfillment challenges, as a recent survey found that 42% of retailers take two or more days to process orders, while nearly half of consumers expect their purchases within three days. #ecommerce #retail #onlineshopping #consumers #retailstore #fulfillment Tracy Edwards Steingold, Dean Ernst, Richard Vorisek, Dan Jablons, Edi Arjang

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Register now to save your spot! Can’t make it at the scheduled time? We’ll send you a recording after the live event. https://hubs.ly/Q02zZlJF0 #automation #innovation #supplychain

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So back to the question: "what does the US trucking market look like?" Sources vary on the total for-hire firms - is it 800K, 1.1MM? No one knows for sure - too dynamic to report on for any. But the left end of the distribution is pretty well known via Transport Topics as well as other sources focused on publicly traded companies using Top "x"00 surveys. ATA has always published great intel on the right end of the distribution, most recently 95.7% at 10 or less trucks. I am sure OOIDA could add some color to this as well. Below is an estimation of the density of the US trucking market using fleet size data vs. number of firms. Fleet size on Y-axis, firm count on the X. Carrier types are the callouts based on fleet size. Many say trucking is a unique market, is there any other market in the global economy that is so lopsided on each end? Soybeans? Pork bellies? I don't think so... Somehow it all works in transportation...it's crazy if you stop and really think about it... Given all the hoopla in the tech/logistics market for the last 7 years or so, my biggest takeaway is that when anyone in this industry says they are in trucking and they want to either help you, or just transform the entire industry, the first thing you must know is what side of this curve they are most familiar with. It's not Mars v Venus, it's Mercury v Pluto. Cheers!

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The trucking industry is vital, but its inner workings can be complex. The FleetOwner team wants to change that. We're launching a new Trucking 101 series at FleetOwner.com called Fleets Explained. This series will explain various trucking segments, fleet management, supply chains, how EVs work, regulations, and much more. Whether you're new to the industry or a seasoned pro, we hope this series is a valuable resource for your operations and new team members. What questions do YOU have about trucking and fleet management? What questions do YOU have about trucking fleets? https://lnkd.in/ekGft4Ax #trucking #fleetmanagement #logistics #supplychain

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I’m thrilled to announce that tomorrow marks the kickoff of CartCon 2024, Cart.com's inaugural event! The beautiful setting here is just the beginning of what promises to be an incredible conference. We’re starting strong with a keynote from the legendary Tony Hawk, setting the stage for a series of high-value sessions and networking opportunities. I am particularly excited about is the live recording of the eCom Logistics Podcast where I'll engage in 1:1 conversations with logistics experts - Mo B., President and CFO, Janie and Jack, Michael Mahoney, CEO, Misen & Aaron Wilcox, COO, LUMINESS, happening tomorrow. Come, join the session and learn from their experience on how to grow & excel in logistics. If you're passionate about optimizing supply chains or just want to learn from the best, this is your chance! If you're at CartCon 2024, DM me & let's connect. 📣 Follow along for live updates and insights throughout the conference! P.S. Know a brand or founder that should be here or learn more about CartCon? Tag them in the comments. #cartcon #supplychain #retail #ecomlogisticspodcast

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Visibility is the biggest pain point in the freight industry. Using a mature Tracking and Visibility system can relieve those pain points.

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"DeliveryCircle has used independent contractors since the start, and it's one of the most important features contributing to our ability to provide our best services at the best time possible. Independent contractors and small businesses across the US are the key to providing our operations successful and reliable wherever you are, whenever. We are essentially a private fleet minus the cost. Your customers get real-time visibility, branded text messaging, plus instant proof of delivery. We do all the work to find the best transportation providers and combine them on a single technology platform for the ultimate delivery experience. Our drivers are required to: - Pass a background check - Own/operate 16-26 ft box truck or a cargo van - Have a clean driving record - Highly dependable Interested in learning more about DeliveryCircle? Follow this link > https://ow.ly/MY6B50Rngmp #driving #trucking #DOL #employment #overtime #salary #fulfilment #warehouse #inventory #b2b #Trucking #SafetyFirst #Transportation #employment #fleet #fleetmanagement #publicpolicy #logistics #contractwork #ltl #supplychain #courier

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