The Logistics Lifeline | May 2024

Welcome to May’s edition of the Logistics Lifeline. We created this newsletter for companies and individuals that want to keep up with the fast pace of an ever-changing market.

Below you will find a monthly recap of the supply chain topics we’re watching, including essential aspects of drayage, container management, distribution and fulfillment, network transportation, technology, and what it takes to join the team at ITS.

Meme of the month:

Get up to speed with rail ramp and port conditions with April’s US Port/Rail Index

May’s US Port/Rail Freight Index continues to follow East Coast drayage capacity and terminal operations as demand shifts to absorb Baltimore cargo. We’re also closely following the potential Canadian rail strike, which could put stress on the West Coast region as shippers divert containers to avoid disruptions. This month’s index also takes a look at export operations for each region Get more in-depth with May's index.

Announcing Our New Transportation Center in Fort Worth, TX; Immediate Hiring

We are thrilled to announce that we’re opening a new Transportation Center in the heart of Fort Worth's Cultural District, set to go live in Q3 2024! 🚛✨ This marks a significant milestone for ITS as we continue to grow despite challenging industry conditions. ITS Logistics President Manny McElroy will be heading up the new center in Fort Worth. Check out the full press release here.

ITS is immediately hiring to fill positions at the new location. Learn more and apply here.

Freight Fraud Is a Main Concern for Shippers; Reaches Bold New Levels

"It's tough to reason with someone bold enough to answer your phone call in the middle of stealing your freight," wrote ITS Logistics President Manny McElroy in his recent article about freight fraud.

Freight fraud and theft is a main concern for shippers in 2024. According to data from CargoNet at Versik, 2023 Q4 incidents of freight theft increased a whopping 71.6% compared to the year before.

Learn more about the current state of freight fraud and hear from CargoNet Vice President of Operations Keith Lewis, and Highway Chief Commercial Officer Michael Caney in McElroy's article. Read more.

Case Study – Making All Roads Lead to Shanghai

Back in 2019, the #1 US electric vehicle manufacturer tasked us with orchestrating shipments from over 50 vendors across North America via rail, expedited truckload, and drayage—all destined to fuel production schedules in their new Shanghai manufacturing venture. Everything was going according to plan until the pandemic hit; then it became an opportunity to shine. Facing historically high port congestion, tariffs, and an absolute monster of a pandemic, our team overperformed and flawlessly moved 1200 containers on time and cost effectively. Read the case study.

Case Study - Molten Salt, Super Sacks, and the Worlds Largest Solar Thermal Project

Transporting hazardous molten salt in super sacks in bulk that need to be delivered on time, in an exact order, and on a tight schedule with millions at stake due to delays and safety concerns is exactly the type of project we thrive on! Learn how our team played an integral part in the three year construction of the world's largest solar thermal project—110-megawatt and 1.1 gigawatt-hours of energy storage, 17,179 heliostats (mirrors) on 1,600 acres. Read the case study.

Case Study - No Dock, No Paved Roads, No Problem

We love a challenge. And when an internationally-based, renewable-energy company came to us needing to import 1,500 ocean containers from all over the globe and transport them along freshly cut roads to a remote jobsite in central Nevada, our team couldn't wait to get started. Did we mention that containers needed to be delivered every 1.5 hours, seven days a week, 24 hours a day? Read the case study.