Beyond The Road (The Transportation Industry Podcast) – Details, episodes & analysis

Eric, Jason and Ty discuss Q4, the upcoming port strike and what you can expect.

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September is a transitional time: School starts, regular season baseball ends, iced coffees give way to pumpkin spice lattes, and Labor Day marks the unofficial beginning of fall. 

While the trucking industry hustles year-round, some aspects of this business do start to shift  with the falling of the leaves. New fruits and vegetables crop up, construction kicks into a final frenzy before the snow arrives, and retail merchandisers transition from back-to-school items to holiday stock.

So, what should shippers expect in September? A capacity crunch to rival all those autumn leaves underfoot (especially where dry vans and reefer trailers are concerned) and a renewed emphasis on the importance of flexibility.

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December, the final month of 2023, is an interesting time for transportation companies; truck drivers head home for the holidays, freight volumes increase in the retail sector, open-deck shipments slow down and daylight hours shrink.

For shippers, December is the final month to move freight before the brand-new year. That said, with so many changes happening within area trucking markets, it can be difficult to do so.

In this episode of Beyond the Road, you'll hear from ATS Logistics Sales Team Manager, Josh, who will provide an overview of what you can expect to experience in December.

Information covered in this episode:

• Daylight: A Major Factor for OD Freight
• The Impact of Christmas on Freight Capacity
• Open-Deck Capacity in December
• Tips For Shipping Around the Holidays
• Retail Freight Market Update
• 2024 Market Forecast

While you're here, check out some of this related content:

• [Video] 2023 Mid-Year Market Update
• The Trucking Industry in December 2023: What You Should Know
• Shipping Freight Around a Holiday: 3 Critical Planning Tips

Visit the ATS Learning Hub for more tips, tools and industry insights. 

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In our first episode of season two, ATS' Corporate Pricing Manager, Reid joins the podcast to discuss freight pricing.

The past few years have been an interesting time for trucking companies; freight rates surged to all-time highs in 2021, only to fall substantially in late 2022 and into 2023.

Where does a freight rate swing like this come from? And, perhaps more importantly, what can companies like yours do to ensure success as we head into 2024?

In this episode of Beyond the Road, you'll gain Reid's insight into what's been happening in U.S. freight markets over the last three years, why this occurs and what to expect in the year ahead. Is it time to lock in contracts with your carriers? Let's find out.

Topics covered in this article:

• What's Been Happening in the Freight Market in 2023
• Dry Van Pricing in 2023
• Open Deck Pricing in 2023
• Heavy Haul Pricing in 2023
• Contract and Spot Rate Spread
• What Trucking Companies Consider When Quoting Freight
• Will Freight Rates Rebound?
• Current State of Fuel Surcharges
• What will 2024 Look Like For Rates?
• Retail Season Update 2023

Don't Stop Here! Check out some of this related content and information:

• 2023 Transportation Industry Mid-Year Market Update
• Common Transportation Industry Market Cycles: What They Are and What They Mean for You
• Load-to-Truck Ratios: An Overview of How They Impact Your Freight Rates

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Follow the ATS Learning Hub on LinkedIn to get transportation industry insights directly in your social feed.

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November is a busy month in the transportation industry. Trucking companies around the country feel the impact of retail season and the impending holidays in November and December.

As a company with freight to move and a budget to manage, you must understand how November changes things in your neck of the woods and around the nation. Reefer capacity, for example, tends to tighten during Q4, disrupting the companies that use them (particularly in the Northwest). Oversize freight, on the other hand, can be trickier to move as daylight shrinks across North America.

In this episode of Beyond The Road, Josh discusses everything you need to consider when shipping your freight in November, including how rates will change and how you can stay on top of things this year. Hint: try not to ship freight the week of Thanksgiving.

Topics covered in this podcast: 

• Enclosed Trailer Capacity in November
• Open-Deck Capacity in November
• Oversize Travel in Q4 of 2023
• Retail Season 2023: What to Expect
• How Thanksgiving 2023 Will Impact Trucking
• Tips for Finishing 2023 Strong as a Shipper

Related Content and Information: 

• The Trucking Industry in November 2023: What You Should Know
• 2023 Transportation Industry Mid-Year Update
• Retail Peak Season 2023: What to Expect and Planning Tips

Download the 2023 Freight Shipping Calendar (Outlining the Best and Worst Days to Ship this Year)

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Wondering what happens in the transportation industry throughout October? Need some tips to employ to keep your supply chain running smoothly? 

As the first month of Q4, October kickstarts the final stretch of the year. Your company's supply chain needs to finish 2023 stronger than it started. In this episode of Beyond the Road we break down what happens in the oversize, open-deck, reefer and dry van markets in October. Use this information to avoid the common pitfalls companies encounter during the tenth month of the year. 

While you're here, check out some of this related content: 

• October 2023 Trucking Industry Forecast: What You Need to Know
• Retail Peak Season 2023: What to Expect and Planning Tips
• Transportation Industry 2023 Mid-Year Update

Visit the ATS Learning Hub

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September will be an interesting month in the transportation industry as dry van and open-deck capacities shift around our nation. Produce season is essentially finished in the southern U.S., forcing these drivers to evaluate their next move. As a company with freight to ship, make sure to stay on top of your transportation supply chain during the 9th month of the year. 

In this episode of Beyond the Road, you'll get an overview of what trucking will look like this month and Q4. 

Topics covered in this episode: 

• Hurricane Season: How It Impacts Freight Movement
• Dry Van Market Overview
• Open-Deck Market Overview
• U.S. Port Freight
• Labor Day and Holiday Shipping
• Cargo Theft: What's Going On?
• 2023 In Review

Read the Article: The Trucking Industry in September 2023: What to Know

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As May ramps up, the transportation marketplace continues to change. This is seen most prevalently in the southern U.S. where produce markets start to soak up capacity. With this realization, truck drivers from around the nation flock to these areas and the heightened earning potential they offer. 

Construction season also picks up in May, tightening open-deck capacity across the board. This makes providing ample lead time to your carriers more important than ever. 

It's safe to say May will be an interesting month as it always is. In fact, if you don't plan for DOT blitz week, your business could run into some prolonged issues. In this episode of Beyond The Road, Josh discusses everything you need to know about the trucking industry during May, offering some planning tips for companies like yours to use during the final month of spring. 

Topics Covered in this Video:

• Dry Van Market Changes in May
• Open-Deck Market Changes in May
• Overall Cargo Volume Update
• Frost Law Update
• DOT Blitz Week 2023
• Memorial Day: How to Plan for It
• Tips for Logistics Managers

Check out these pieces of related content:

• The Trucking Industry in May 2023: What You Should Know
• DOT  Week 2023: What You Should Know About Blitz Week This May
• What You Need to Know About Seasonal Load Restrictions This Spring

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In April, the trucking industry experiences changes on a massive scale. The regional, area and local demand for transportation capacity shifts across the southern U.S. significantly. Similarly, construction projects and tradeshows soak up a lot of open-deck capacity in many regions.

As the northern U.S. starts thawing out, frost laws are enacted in these areas and many shippers in these areas feel their impact.

In this episode of Beyond The Road, you'll get an overview of what the transportation industry looks like during April and what you can do to keep your shipments running efficiently this month.

Topics covered in this episode:

• The Rise of Produce Season in April
• Freight Movement In and Around California
• Weather's Impact in Spring 2023
• Produce Hotbeds: What Changes
• The Start of Quarter Influx
• Construction Season in April
• Frost Laws
• Planning for Easter

Check out some of this related content:

• The Trucking Industry in April 2023: What You Should Know
• How Location and Time of Year Impact Reefer Shipping
• What You Need to About Frost Laws This Spring
• How Does Freight Seasonality Impact Shipping Cost?

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Logistically speaking, the transportation marketplace undergoes transitions during March that are difficult to ignore. That's why, as your company's logistics expert, it's important to account for things like frost laws, construction season and dry van market shifts.

In this episode of Beyond The Road, we'll give you an overview of what's happening in the dry van, flatbed, oversize and refrigerated transportation markets right now, and how we expect things to change in the future.

Topics Covered in This Episode:

• Overview of March in Transportation
• Open-Deck Freight Adjustments in March
• Dry Van Freight Adjustments in March
• Construction Season in March
• What's Happening With The Dry Van Market?
• Tips for Securing Capacity in March
• An Overview of Frost Laws
• How to Plan for the End of Q1

Read the article outlining, in further detail, what the trucking industry will look like in March 2023: The Trucking Industry in March 2023: What you should know

Learn more about frost laws with these resources:

• What You Need to Know About Seasonal Load Restrictions This Spring
• [Video] What Are Frost Laws?

Visit the ATS Learning Hub

Connect with ATS on. . .
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Check out the. . .
Trucking Industry Channel (YouTube)
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ATS Website
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