F E AT U R E
Wiehoff. “3PLs are utilizing technol-
ogy and multi-platform service offer-
ings to handle an increasingly large
and diverse customer base. The chal-
lenge to asset carriers is to invest in
the technologies to improve efficien-
cies with customers whether they are
direct or via 3PLs. Asset carriers are at
the first mile, last mile and every mile
in between.” the freight’s late, or there’s an acci-
dent or a snowstorm? How does the
app respond to that? While mobile
technologies show great poten-
tial, the freight business is far more
complex than what translates easily
into the Uber model. Right now, I
think the most likely candidates for
the Uberization of trucking are same-
day/local move markets.”
Welch also talked about what he
called the “Uberization of Trucking.”
“Everyone wants to be the Uber of
trucking,” he said. By that he means
finding ways to use applications to
connect shippers with local truckers
to best use mobile communications
in today’s on-demand world. “But it’s
not that easy,” he pointed out. “Freight
is more complex than point-to-point
transportation. As freight moves,
information about it changes. Does
it need a lift gate? Does it need a sig-
nature? Does it need two people to
move it? Is there a dock available
when it arrives? These are the kinds
of knowledge-based decisions that
need to be made all along the way.
And what about contingency plans if Mutually Beneficial Partnerships
Welch concluded his remarks
with a callout to all CLDA members
to reach out to LTL companies:
“CLDA members have the last-mile
resource, experience and expertise.
The LTL industry has the national
freight networks and local facilities,”
he said. “Together we can establish
a partnership based on core com-
petencies. Your members have the
specialized equipment for business
and residential deliveries. You have
the expertise in white glove assem-
bly service and the experience with
the shippers’ delivery and installa-
tion instructions. LTL companies
have vast hub and spoke networks.
19
We have the local and regional phys-
ical presence in the form of facilities
and employees. And we have redun-
dant over-the-road delivery systems
to ensure on-time arrival.
“The purposes of a conference
like the CLDA Annual Meeting are to
learn new ideas, create new partner-
ships and improve business opportu-
nities by the sharing of knowledge.
That’s why I am here,” said Welch.
Responses to the speech were
universally positive. “It was very
informative,” said Nick Osbern, a first-
time attendee from Freightquote.
“When you’re combining LTL and
last-mile, it’s good to hear advice
from the chief [of YRC].”
NOW Courier’s Ryan Schwalbach
agreed: “It was outstanding. It’s
exactly what we need to hear. From
a business standpoint you have to
look beyond the narrow picture on
which your company was founded.
Look at LTLs as an opportunity.”
Customized Logistics and Delivery Association | Fall 2016