Congestion, Skyrocketing Fuel Costs, and a Barrage of New Federal Regulations

摘要

Road and rail transportation is faced with long-term challenges. But creative thinking is helping to keep customers' supply chains running. It's hardly news to anyone involved in international trade today - higher fuel costs are driving up rates for all modes of transportation - and there doesn't appear to be any end in sight. Add to that the worsening congestion on the nation's highways, new federal regulations like the Hours-of-Service (HOS) rules and tougher EPA standards for diesel engines, not to mention trade volumes that are expected to continue growing in the double-digits, and it's not hard to feel a little pessimistic. Yet, even though transportation providers and shippers alike have resigned themselves to the current situation, many have begun rolling up their sleeves and donning their thinking caps to uncover efficiencies and productivity gains, both big and small, to keep supply chains running and businesses competitive.