/ By Zip Xpress / Trucker Homage/ 0 Comments

Training New Truck Drivers

Driving a truck may be one of the most humble careers as well as a highly lucrative one that offers many advantages over more traditional jobs. It requires certain personality traits, as there are long stretches of time where one will be away from home, navigating the expansive highway system and visiting multiple cities in a matter of days. While some people have no desire to take on such a job, there are many others who enjoy the freedom this career offers them. In order for new drivers to enjoy the fruits of this career, each one will need to be properly trained to face the challenges of this new career.

Driving trainers must be patient with their new recruits, as they require a lot of seat time and driving hours before they can tackle the job on their own. This means spending a lot of time together on long-haul jobs and staying attentive even during the most mundane stretches. For new drivers, an unpleasant trainer can turn them off to the job for life, so it is important to employ personable, knowledgeable drivers who are willing to take others under their wing. New drivers will need to also understand that they’re representing both the shipper as well as the carrier and that the final delivery is vital to a customer’s overall experience. As with every job, attitude is everything.

Training isn’t just about learning the technical skills involved with driving. New drivers need to become conditioned for life on the road. Most people can’t just be thrown into a cab and expected to tough it out on their first run with no experience. Taking a gradual approach and allowing the new driver to slowly adjust to long hours can go a long way in preparing them for life on the road. It is important for them to see the challenges that they will face and to understand how to address them. They need to see the importance of representing multiple shippers and carriers. As such, there’s a need to recognize that this job is of crucial importance from a customer service standpoint. They also need to see the benefits of life on the road, of the adventure and freedom they’ll experience as they see the beauty of our nation.

At Zip Xpress, we understand that only the toughest can become drivers. We know that we need to focus on the human aspect of recruiting new drivers. There is a learning curve so mistakes will be made, but it’s important to maintain a tolerant and respectful work environment for new drivers. Driver retention is only becoming more important so helping new drivers establish confidence in the beginning of their careers will ensure that they’ll log more miles for everyone in the future. To see how our team of dedicated professionals can help your business, start today with Zip Xpress!

/ By Zip Xpress / Sustainability/ 0 Comments

Recycling the Supply Chain

Manufacturing and commerce are vital parts of worldwide progress, but now companies are paying more attention to the environments they do business in. Excessive waste and pollution which caused many environmental catastrophes forced companies to reevaluate how they were treating the environment. Now people are holding companies to higher standards and manufacturers led the way in many sustainability efforts, from reducing energy usage to recycling and reusing material during production. While this wasn’t necessarily convenient at first, it has become extremely important and has led to an entirely new approach in the supply chain.

Any company that makes products uses energy in a variety of forms. These companies also create waste. Today, there is a much larger focus on recycling and renewing materials rather than simply disposing of the excess. Manufacturers need to perform sound analysis to ensure that they are maximizing their output and reusing materials that aren’t part of their final products. They are also taking further steps to use sustainable packaging or – in some cases – eliminate packaging altogether. Going green has become a philosophy that affects the supply chain from the time a new product is mentioned to the time it ends up in the end consumer’s hands.

There is no “right way” to become sustainable, as new technologies and ideas are constantly being floated throughout a wide range of industries. But emphasizing clean, efficient energy usage and committing to recycling are two major steps for manufacturers when it comes to being environmentally friendly. These types of initiatives affect the entire supply chain, and it is encouraging that so many companies – both large and small – are dedicated to reducing their waste and altering their processes in such drastic ways. As the world becomes more and more interconnected, we are seeing corporations become more responsible and aware of their effects not only on the economy, but on the natural world in which they operate.

At Zip Xpress, we recognize the great contributions manufacturers are making towards sustainability. In fact, manufacturers are quite possibly the most sustainable sector in the American economy, and this will only improve as time goes forward. Yet at the same time we have a long ways to go. We start by helping companies with our Carbon Footprint Report and then devise a custom carrier solution that works for their business. To see how we can help you build a more sustainable (and profitable) supply chain, start today with Zip Xpress!

/ By Zip Xpress / Sustainability/ 0 Comments

Are Electric Trucks the Future?

There is much speculation about autonomous trucks and their role in the future of supply chains, but perhaps those conversations are skipping ahead a bit too far. There is likely a long way to go before self-driving trucks become a widespread reality. However, there is a technological advance that may be just a few years away: rechargeable electric trucks. Electric vehicles seem to make perfect sense not only from an environmental standpoint but also from an economic view. But are they the future of the trucking industry?

Since sustainability continues to be a priority for many logistics companies, electric trucks could provide great value. By eliminating the need for diesel fuel and switching to battery electric, emissions would be reduced, if not eliminated, providing a great service to the environment. They also wouldn’t have to deal with the volatility of oil prices or the wear-and-tear that diesel combustion engines must endure. The main drawback right now is whether or not innovators will be able to expand the range of the current electric truck models. As it stands, most models can only get about 200-300 miles out of a single charge. Even with the low fuel economy of a diesel truck, electric trucks have a ways to go before they can match the range of a diesel engine.

While we are still waiting for advances to be made, it seems reasonable that trucking companies might slowly switch their fleets over to electric trucks as they expand their ranges. They may begin with local and regional trucks that won’t need to travel as far to make their deliveries and hold out on the rest until the technology works in their favor. There is no definitive timeline to expecting a purely electric fleet, but it is encouraging that there is a real possibility of a cleaner, more efficient option that could provide years of benefits for logistics companies.

At Zip Xpress, it’s no secret we believe in creating a more sustainable supply chain. We can show you your impact with a Carbon Footprint Report and help you find more sustainable solutions for your supply chain. To see how, start today with Zip Xpress!

/ By Zip Xpress / Custom Carrier Solutions/ 0 Comments

Supply Chain Collaboration

In an age where virtually any information can be accessed with the click of a button, it’s no surprise that business is becoming more transparent and more competitive. While technological advances have affected all aspects of business, there is no replacement for a human being coordinating and working on ensuring your freight will arrive on time and undamaged. Technologies such as real-time tracking, customer-accessible TMS systems, and automated inventory tracking, are wonderful, but what are you to do if such a system goes down when you’re checking the status of your order. Will you be forced to wait until it’s back online? Collaborating with all the parties of your supply chain and keeping communication channels open will ensure you know where your freight is at all times.

It used to be common for an end user to have no idea where a product was until it arrived at their doorstep. Today, this disconnect shouldn’t exist. Ideally you’re working with a carrier that will plan your shipment alongside you and keep you posted every step of the way. Some of these tools are handy, but technology will never provide your business with the custom carrier solution the way an involved human being can. The interlinking of companies across the supply chain is beneficial, since the constant communication can help ensure that small mistakes will be caught before they turn into catastrophes. No tool can help plan for success like that.

At Zip Xpress, we understand that while these tools can be helpful, nothing replaces personal collaboration with your logistics provider. We help our customers discover the right “mix” when it comes to collaborating through their supply chains. Planning alongside and anticipating the customer’s needs yields its own benefits in ways that technology can’t provide. We want to ensure you have the right collaboration for your supply chain and to discover that for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!