www.dcvelocity.com MARCH 2018 DC VELOCITY 41
BY MARK B. SOLOMON, EXECUTIVE EDITOR – NEWS
MOTOR FREIGHT
Transportation Report
THE NUMBERS AND ANECDOTES TELL THE STORY. TRUCKLOAD AND
logistics giant Werner Enterprises Inc. ran on some days in January at 145 percent
of capacity. Celadon Group Inc., another large truckload carrier, had days when it
was turning away 800 to 1,200 loads. Non-contract, or “spot,” rates for refrigerated
truck capacity were quoted as high as $10.38 a mile in January.
Shippers canceled bids midstream because they were put off by the rates they
expected to receive. A sales rep for a large less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier walked
As senior vice president, supply chain and transportation for Transplace, a large
third-party logistics service provider (3PL), Ben Cubitt has seen plenty in his time
negotiating motor carrier contracts. When asked recently how the company was
coping with what some are calling the mother of all capacity-tightening cycles, you
could almost hear Cubitt’s shoulders shrug over the phone.
