RateLinx’ Truckload business continues to grow rapidly. Since our expansion into Truckload late last year, we have been systematically adding our RateLinx clients to our Truckload program, and the positive feedback has been great. For years, RateLinx logistics software has been supplying easy-to-use transportation, financial, and procurement tools to our customers for Small Parcel and LTL shipments. Since our development of systematic truckload tools and expanded TL carrier base, our clients are receiving the same high-quality access to the truckload mode, satisfying all types of truckload shipment needs, including dry van, flatbed, heavy haul specialized, drop decks, reefers, etc.
Deb Keier, RateLinx’ Senior Vice President of Truckload Operations: “We’ve always viewed ourselves as a facilitator for both our clients and carriers, to not only simplify their workload(s), but also to give visibility to their important transportation issues while providing cost savings, as well as providing new business opportunities to the most cost competitive/highest-quality carriers.”
The following details some of the benefits to our clients and carriers as a result of Deb and her team’s work in 2009:
RateLinx Client – When RateLinx developed our Truckload application, we brought on some of the brightest and the best in the Truckload industry in order to build a state-of-the-art Truckload Program, with the primary goal of upfront ease-of-use and extensive back-end visibility. Through the RateLinx – ShipLinx procurement software, it is easy for our clients to create their shipments, procure the desired carrier at the best rate, bill and audit the invoices, as well as provide an extensive dashboard and reporting suite supplying critical transportation information. By leveraging our total shipment volume and combined transportation spend (currently exceeding $12 billion/yr) to attract a wide variety of high quality/high volume carriers that effectively drive down our clients’ transportation costs, we offer greater capacity and economies of scale. This practice is a win/win for both RateLinx clients and carriers utilized.
Carriers – There are numerous challenges facing today’s truckload carriers – increased costs (fuel, insurance, vehicle maintenance, employee turnover), decreased volumes, increased legislative mandates, reduction in the experienced driver pool – the list goes on and on. RateLinx’ Truckload program personnel understand what TL carriers need, having been in the Truckload industry themselves. As Deb Keier explains, “Give carriers the ability to increase their volume of business, particularly in their “core” geographic areas, and do it without adding a lot of overhead to the process, and carriers will love us.” The love affair has begun.
At RateLinx, we understand that if we continue to satisfy many of the carrier’s needs, the results are reduced costs, and ultimately, increased quality for our clients. Providing TL carriers with increased business opportunities, helping them with backhauls, and reducing their empty miles, while providing them a system that will alert them of potential shipments without having to staff people to sit in front of yet another web procurement screen – was vital to our success. Carriers are telling us that we “nailed it” and that “somebody has finally got it right.” Additionally, we allow our clients to rate the carriers’ performance, on both cost and quality, and we give the carrier a dashboard that allows them to see just how well they’re satisfying our mutual clients’ needs – these are factors that drive down costs and drive up quality.
Why should a truckload shipper utilize the RateLinx Truckload program for their truckload shipments?
• Critical Mass
• Exceptional, easy-to-use system
• Experienced transportation professionals who understand the industry
• Carrier relationships and increased capacity for our clients
• Competitive pricing & freight payment & auditing, yielding increased saving opportunities
All of this while leaving the transportation decision and authority where it belongs – with our client. Unlike a 3PL, we provide our customers and carriers with the tools they need, and systematically help facilitate the procurement process. At RateLinx, your truckload carrier contracts are between you and the carrier – we are not a 3PL. We simply make the entire process easier, faster and smarter, a process more in tune with today’s transportation industry.
For more information, or to speak to Deb Keier and her team directly about your specific truckload shipping needs, please email Deb at deb.keier@ratelinx.com or call 262-565-6150 ext 119.
