Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

This is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week in the United States. In this episode, guest Randy Guillot, chairman of ATA (American Trucking Associations) shares about the vital role truck drivers play in keeping goods moving during trying times. Everyone knows that e-commerce shopping continues to surge, but now we have the numbers to prove just how much growth this sector has experienced with...

In this episode, guest Chris Wolfe, CEO of PowerFleet, discusses how we have seen new sustainability initiatives during the pandemic that have created efficiencies and may become standards in a post-pandemic world. We also discuss how executives are reassessing their risk mitigation strategies in light of a pandemic that no one was prepared to meet. How good was their planning, and what should the...

In this episode, guest Brian Thompson, the chief commercial officer at SMC³, discusses what the transportation markets may look like through the end of the year, and in particular how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the LTL (less-than-truckload) segment. Capacity for both trucking and air freight remains very tight as we navigate the pandemic. How long will it be before we see more capacity ent...

In this episode, guest Phil Evers, a logistics professor at the University of Maryland, shares why the United States Postal Service is facing financial difficulties and what can be done to fix it. How might this affect the agency's parcel services? We also talk about how supply chains will be affected by Hurricane Laura. Some changes in anticipated landfall and other disruptions are expected...

In this episode, guest Patrick Penfield, an assistant professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University's Whitman School of Management, discusses how Amazon will be moving into vacant mall spaces to create mini distribution centers. We also examine a growing trend of some shippers moving away from the major parcel carriers and toward smaller, regional carriers. And despite high unempl...

In this episode, guest Dr. Tom Goldsby of the University of Tennessee discusses why we still have so much trouble equipping our essential healthcare workers and others with the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need to assure their safety during the pandemic. New trucking numbers are in for the June and July time periods. Has trucking turned the corner after several very difficult months? A...

In this episode, guest Zac Rogers of Colorado State University shares about the Logistics Managers' Index (LMI). He discusses how this measurement tool is a snapshot of the current state of the logistics industry and how supply chain professionals should apply its monthly findings. We also look at how several new collaborations between lift truck companies and robotics firms may spur the deve...

In this episode, Dana Stiffler of Gartner discusses new research that the organization has conducted on women in supply chain executive positions. Are they making gains? And what can supply chain companies do to enhance diversity in their C-Suites? Consumers have come to love curbside pickup during the pandemic, but it puts a strain on operations for retailers. What can retailers do to ease the bu...

Bill Van Amburg, the executive vice president of CALSTART, a national transportation accelerator organization, discusses the recent memorandum of understanding agreement from 15 U.S. states and the District of Columbia to advance zero-emission vehicle technology on our nation's roads. We also look at the growing number of retailers either running fulfillment out of the back room of their stor...

In this episode, guest Michael Zimmerman discusses what the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals’ annual “State of Logistics Report” reveals how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the logistics industry. Zimmerman, a partner at Kearney, was the lead author of the report and heads up the consulting company’s Analytics Practice for the Americas Region. Many of America's ports end...

In this episode, Rob McKeel, CEO of Fortna, discusses how retailers and other distributors are adjusting to the new normal during the midst of the pandemic. He addresses how network and facility design may change, how retailers must adapt, and what technologies will be key going forward. We also look at how freight companies are adjusting their business strategies to cope with changing business re...

In this episode, David Henry, the regional manager for Mexico at transportation broker and logistics provider GlobalTranz, talks about the impact of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that went into effect July 1. Based in Monterrey, Mexico, he has his pulse on what the new agreement means for cross-border transactions and what shippers should know. We also look at our annual class...

In this episode, we talk to Ken Raycroft of Briggs Equipment in Dallas, Texas. He shares how he is working with customers on sanitation best practices with a program from Hyster-Yale that assures lift truck equipment is safe between shifts and multiple users. Our news team discusses how many manufacturers are moving their sourcing and production from China, looking for more resiliency and to avoid...

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Terry Esper, associate professor of logistics at The Ohio State University, who talks about the problems that Black drivers face when making deliveries. Our news team discusses the upcoming United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade agreement that goes into effect July 1 and replaces NAFTA. We also look at some major recent investments that have been made i...

In this episode, we talk to Brian Feehan, President of the Industrial Truck Association, who shares about National Forklift Safety Day, a virtual event held this past Tuesday to promote a culture of safety around forklift operations. Our news team discusses how logistics workers have honored the memory of George Floyd while bringing attention to racism and police violence. We also look at how the...

In this episode, we talk to Mike Griswold of Gartner about the recently released list of companies with top supply chains and what goes into making those rankings. Our news team discusses this month's Logistics Managers Index numbers and how it reflects the current state of the supply chain. We look at Amazon's latest additions to its air fleet and what it means to competitors. And we sh...

In this episode, we talk to Martin McVicar of Combilift to see how his manufacturing operations have been adjusted in light of social distancing and proactive safety measures during the Covid-19 pandemic. He also discusses meeting with customers at a time when face-to-face meetings are not possible, and how his company developed a ventilator splitter device to help the medical community deal with...

With National Forklift Safety Day coming up on June 9, DC VELOCITY Contributing Editor Toby Gooley joins us to discuss her recent article on how companies can create a culture of safety around the use of forklifts. We also discuss the bumpy road of new truck and trailer sales and how Purdue University and Microsoft are teaming up to monitor the nation's food supply chain. Articles and resourc...

In this episode, we talk to Jim Berlin of Logistics+, a third-party logistics provider, who shares how his company has operated during the Covid-19 pandemic, providing distributors and first responders with badly needed PPE equipment. We also discuss how drones are helping in the fight against Covid-19 by providing tracing and delivery, and we talk about how retailers are turning their outlets int...

In this episode, we talk to Jayson Lusk, distinguished professor and head of the Agricultural Economics department at Purdue University. He explains why farmers are throwing away food even as we see shortages at the grocery store and discusses other issues affecting the food supply chain. We also discuss the latest Logistics Manager's Index, which measures logistics-industry business activity...

In this episode, we preview some of the stories in our May issue, including:  An interview with Sheetal Shah, senior vice president of product and operations at Impossible Foods Our 17th annual salary survey New developments in picking technology A shift toward private fleets and dedicated carriage National Forklift Safety Day: June 9 A look at women's increasing visibility in top-level suppl...

Kathy Fulton, executive director of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), fills us in on how logistics and supply chain companies are helping out during the Covid-19 crisis. She also talks about resources available to logistics businesses to help deal with issues caused by the coronavirus. Also:  The virus' impact on suppliers worldwide  Digital freight-matching platforms launch special...

Robert McKeel, the new CEO of automation, engineering services, and software company Fortna, talks about how customers' priorities are shifting during the Covid-19 crisis, and which changes he thinks will stay around after the pandemic ends.  Also:  An update on demand for cold storage, which has been accelerated by the coronavirus. A roundup of logistics companies' efforts to help out d...

In this episode, we discuss the challenges of helping employees feel safe coming to work during the coronavirus crisis; Covid-19 deaths in the logistics industry; new companies that are emerging to serve the at-home workforce; how the virus is affecting cargo volumes; and Covid-19 resources for supply chain professionals. Stories and resources mentioned in this episode "Logistics firms face u...

April 2020 will mark the launch of “Logistics Matters,” a new weekly podcast from the editors of DC VELOCITY magazine, the trusted source for news about distribution centers and the supply chain. Each episode will feature DC VELOCITY reporters discussing top stories and developing trends for the week. The podcast will be quick-hitting, fun, and informative. Links About  DC VELOCITY Subscribe to  D...