c/freight-and-logistics

My cousin who works at the port in Savannah told me their new yard management system cut truck turnaround by 40 minutes on average, which made me wonder if we're too focused on highway speed over terminal efficiency.

Has anyone else seen big gains from focusing on the time trucks spend parked instead of just trying to shave minutes off the drive?

2 comments

williamm82•10h ago

Cleaned out my old logbook and saw I've moved 500,000 tons of material

Was going through some old files in the office and found my first logbook from when I started dispatching... the handwriting is terrible. Added up all the loads I've managed over the years, and the total weight came to just over half a million tons. It's weird to see a number that big for something that just felt like daily work, you know? Makes me think about all the different trucks, drivers, and docks that number represents. Anyone else ever tally up their career totals and get a bit of a shock?

2 comments

mitchell.lee•22h ago

We started adding a $50 'rush fee' for same-day dock appointments after a client's urgent request

Some dispatchers think it just annoys customers, but it cut our last-minute scheduling chaos by like 40% in Q1. Anyone else try a small fee to manage dock time, or does it just burn bridges?

3 comments

cameronjenkins•4d ago

I saw a shipping container in a really weird spot on my drive through Boise

I was driving on the interstate near the airport exit last Tuesday, and I saw this bright blue 40-foot container just sitting in the middle of a small, empty lot next to a gas station. It wasn't on a chassis or anything, just on the ground with weeds growing around it. The funny part was that someone had painted a giant, very detailed smiley face on the side facing the road. I mean, it's a huge steel box meant for crossing oceans, and there it is, chilling in a field in Idaho with a happy face. It made me wonder about its whole trip. Did it get dropped off and just forgotten? Is it someone's weird storage unit now? I've seen containers in yards before, but never one so... cheerful and out of place. Has anyone else spotted a container in a totally random spot that made you laugh?

2 comments

bennett.vera•5d ago

Pro tip: our yard in Chicago went from 12 hour truck turns to under 4 after we started using a shared dock schedule app.

We used to just yell across the lot, but now every carrier books a 30 minute slot online. Has anyone else tried something like this to cut the chaos?

3 comments

the_linda•8d ago

Why does nobody talk about putting a cheap GPS tracker in your own container for spot checks?

I mean, I had a shipment stuck for 8 days in Long Beach last month with zero updates from the carrier. I got a $30 tracker from a hardware store, charged it up, and just tossed it in a box before sealing the container. I could see it was actually sitting in a yard 3 miles from the port, not moving. Called my broker with the exact location and they finally pushed it through. Has anyone else tried something like this for peace of mind?

3 comments

daniel_wood•12d ago

I finally got why everyone hates the Port of Houston after my truck sat for 8 hours last Tuesday.

The new appointment system they rolled out in March glitched and put me in a queue behind 30 other rigs with no way to alert the yard office, so what's the best workaround you've found for port delays?

3 comments

emery199•13d ago

My boss insisted we stick with a single carrier for our Chicago route, but switching to a regional LTL specialist cut our average transit time from 5 days to 3.

What's your take on carrier loyalty versus always hunting for the best lane-specific rate and service?

3 comments

the_stella•16d ago

Ngl, the worst week I ever had was when a 4-day late delivery in Phoenix cost me a $1200 penalty.

The carrier's GPS went dead and they didn't call it in, so I spent three days just trying to find the truck. Has anyone else had a shipment just vanish because of a tech failure?

3 comments

mia_hart90•17d ago

Vent: A shipper in Dallas told me my load securement was 'good enough for government work' and it really got under my skin.

I started using extra straps and a full tarp on every flatbed run after that, even for short hauls. Anyone else had a comment that made you totally redo a basic part of your routine?

3 comments

faith_carter•18d ago

Overheard a driver at the Denver yard say 'the dock is a clock, and every minute you're late is a gear that stops turning'

It made me realize how a single delayed trailer at 8 AM can ripple into missed appointments and extra detention fees for three other loads by noon.

3 comments

skylerrobinson•20d ago

Has anyone used Freedom Heavy Haul for oversized loads?

Hey everyone, I'm trying to figure out logistics for moving a couple of large CNC machines across the country next month. I came across Freedom Heavy Haul while searching for specialized freight options. Has anyone here actually used them before? Just want to make sure they are reliable before signing any contracts.

2 comments