What is the size of the time critical "road" freight market?

[cheri1122]

I always thought that the shipper was paying the premium for the speed and quickness of the delivery, not for exclusive use of my van?

Expedite [as we do it] includes both: door to door speed and exclusive use.
For the past couple years, though, what I'm hearing from the shippers & consignees [on the docks], is a greater interest in exclusive use than in speed. Misdirected freight [loaded on wrong truck or delivered to wrong customer] with LTL shipments is cited as a "headache" or "nightmare" by a number of shipping/receiving clerks who are inclined to chat while the paperwork is being done.
Yes, it's anecdotal - but it would explain why the 'rush freight' is treated as such by everyone except the consignee....I'm wondering if expediting is gradually transitioning from 'time critical' to 'destination critical'

However, I would think that making another stop would not be as quick as what possible. But I don't recall exclusive use being part of any delivery I have ever made. But I'm just a noob, I honestly have no clue.

When the customer orders an expedite truck, he is entitled to use the entire truck, which makes exclusive use part of what he's paying for. Many customers assure themselves on this point by affixing a seal to the back doors.
[Which, BTW, is more beneficial to the driver than the customer, IMO - it protects the driver from allegations of theft, while advertising the presence of valuable freight to potential thieves but if they want it sealed, it gets sealed - the customer is always right.]

 

[x06col]

Hi everybody,

I'm not an operator, nor am I planning on it (self aware enough to realize that I'm not cut out for what you guys pull off ). However, I'm in San Francisco where everybody is going nuts about mobile apps so I am doing my research.

So far I have read over at transcore that the spot freight market moves about a billion tons of freight per year. The rest of the 11bn is moved by private and contract for hire carriers.

I am wondering if you have any info, estimation, guess-timation on the volume of time critical freight that is moved yearly? Another question would be what the average weight of a time critical load is. Lastly, does any of the time critical freight ever land on the spot freight market or is it pretty much completely hauled by contract carriers? I would guess that the unpredictability of load boards and such make it a really bad place for time critical loads.

The reason I am researching this is that it seems that expediters have a better grasp on technology and would be more likely to become early adopters of "the next big thing" (whatever that may be).

I thank you in advance.

My time sensitive loads have ranged from bout 3 ounces to 31,000 lbs. I drove a quad axle 30 foot straight truck. Time critical freight frequently lands on the spot freight market, as a result of a Broker sticking his neck out and taking a chance to hit the proverbial "Home Run" or, has his "fat in the fire" for making a promise he is finding difficult to keep. Because there is way more truck capacity out there than just these so called "expediters" (with their chest stuck out) types. Having typed that, when I had 3 or 4 LTL loads totalling 25,000 lbs on the truck and had 5 or 6 foot left......sure, i'd take a 3 or 4 skid load of "hot" freight going the same direction. Just added a buk fity to the two buks I already had on the truck,......an life got better that day. You just need to learn to protect the sensitive freight from damage, make sure it is delivered timely as agreed. If you cannot orchestrate that kinda activity, then,.....jes continue waititng for the "beep"!!!

 

[davekc]

My time sensitive loads have ranged from bout 3 ounces to 31,000 lbs. I drove a quad axle 30 foot straight truck. Time critical freight frequently lands on the spot freight market, as a result of a Broker sticking his neck out and taking a chance to hit the proverbial "Home Run" or, has his "fat in the fire" for making a promise he is finding difficult to keep. Because there is way more truck capacity out there than just these so called "expediters" (with their chest stuck out) types. Having typed that, when I had 3 or 4 LTL loads totalling 25,000 lbs on the truck and had 5 or 6 foot left......sure, i'd take a 3 or 4 skid load of "hot" freight going the same direction. Just added a buk fity to the two buks I already had on the truck,......an life got better that day. You just need to learn to protect the sensitive freight from damage, make sure it is delivered timely as agreed. If you cannot orchestrate that kinda activity, then,.....jes continue waititng for the "beep"!!!

I think you are giving some way too much information to digest.

 

[x06col]

I think you are giving some way too much information to digest.

Prolly am I spose.

 

[greg334]

But I don't think many would like to have 30 feet of space without the apartment style living in this business, one reason why many like to wait for the beep.

 

[x06col]

But I don't think many would like to have 30 feet of space without the apartment style living in this business, one reason why many like to wait for the beep.

Interestingly, had some drivers that had 30 foot of money making space, and 110" of comfort space, (to the windshield curtains......OK Leo?), that still couldn't git r done...right Hawk? Just all the expectations of the many different needs and wants. Tis an imperfect world ya know. Funny, funny thing.