Steve Rubin is a logistics industry legend, previously serving as CEO for ITS ConGlobal, Horizon Lines, and TRAC Intermodal.
He spoke to Careers on the Move host Tyler Kern about how he got started, how the industry has changed over 30 years, and the challenges that arose in the wake of COVID-19. Along the way, he talked about the amazing places he got to visit, as well as how rewarding a career in supply chain can be.
Careers on the Move is a podcast and video series that highlights people and companies transforming the supply chain industry, produced by MarketScale and Cargomatic.
Subscribe to Careers on the Move on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
We believe that there is a tremendous talent gap across the supply chain, one that extends far beyond the driver shortage. There are several reasons as to why this might be.
Graduating college seniors don’t know about the career potential that comes with roles in supply chain management and leadership. Maybe they see trucks on the road, but in general, very few young adults see those trucks and realize “I can have a profound impact on the bottom line for a company, a positive effect on the environment, and can dramatically improve the lives of individuals.” While many engineering students may be a fan of Iron Man, very few of them realize that they could be designing exoskeletons that keep docks workers safe. In short, we as logistics professionals need to paint our industry in a more positive light.
This is particularly true as funding rounds across the supply chain explode, with some of the best-known firms (Sequoia, A16Z, Softbank, Warburg Pincus, etc.) pumping money into the space. As more companies launch, there will be even greater demand for talented developers, data scientists, and engineers.
Furthermore, we’re seeing a movement whereby logistics roles are gaining entrance into the C-Suite. Enterprise shippers are hiring Chief Supply Chain Officers, who are being tasked with responsibilities that combine efficiency and cost savings with corporate social responsibility. It’s no longer just about getting coffee from one place to another as cheaply as possible; it’s imperative to ensure that the coffee comes from farms that treat their workers well. Data science, and yes, blockchain, are gaining acceptance across the supply chain world, and these types of initiatives are attracting the eyes of leaders and board members from many of the biggest companies in the world.
Today, we’re thrilled to launch our sponsored new series, called Careers on the Move, which is a web video series, podcast, and blog that spotlight individuals and companies doing interesting and cool things across the supply chain. Careers on the Move has three content pillars. Our weekly blog will spotlight a cool startup, as a way to highlight new and interesting tech and approaches. Our podcast will connect with industry experts, discussing their day to day challenges and the work that they’re doing. We think this will help to paint a more realistic picture of what a career in supply chain might look like. Finally, we’re creating a video series that spotlights experienced supply chain professionals… think of it like NPR’s “How I Built This” for careers in logistics.
Careers on the Move has one very specific goal: in 2021 we want to attract 1,000 new entrants into supply chain roles. 1,000 newcomers won’t eliminate the talent gap we see, but they will start to usher in a new era of importance for the global supply chain.
Our first guest is Melanie Nuce, who is the Senior Vice President of Corporate Development for GS1, a standards organization that was behind the UPC code we all know (and those of us who are older, might remember collecting from cereal boxes to send in for some sort of toy).
Listen to the first episode of Careers on the Move below:
You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts.
For many small businesses, the first round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was difficult — less than 6% of the small business owners who applied for a loan received one. Applications for the second round of PPP loans are now open, allowing businesses of all sizes to secure loans that ensure operations remain intact.
What is the PPP?
The Paycheck Protection Program is intended to help small businesses maintain payroll and continue making payroll-related payments. This includes rent, utilities, healthcare, and interest accrued on other debt obligations.
The Small Business Administration expanded the program for this second round of funding. PPP loans are now available to more types of businesses, with greater flexibility for seasonal employees. They can also cover a wider range of expenses.
How Lendio Can Help
In order to help our marketplace trucking companies, we’ve begun working with a financial services technology company named Lendio. We believe Lendio can be a tremendous resource in understanding whether your business is qualified for this program, as well as in helping you actually apply and receive a PPP loan.
During the first round, business owners accessed more than $8 billion in PPP loans through the Lendio marketplace in just 2 months. We hope to see even better results through this second round.
Last month, we rolled out our discounted ID Theft Protection services for drivers. Our agreement with Lendio is simply another way that we’re trying to become more of a resource to the companies that rely on us to keep their wheels turning.
You can learn more about our program by clicking here.
Identity theft is so much more than someone skimming your credit card at a gas station and making some purchases. Identity thieves can open new accounts without your knowledge, accrue debt under your name, steal your driver’s license number, and so much more.
The risk of identity theft is higher during the holiday season, and has been higher this year due to COVID. Truck drivers are at an extra risk, as they spend most days on the road and away from home.
As we shared previously, December is National Identity Theft Prevention and Awareness Month. To help drivers focus on their job – driving – Cargomatic is partnering with IDShield to help protect carriers on and off the road with identity theft monitoring and protection.
Drivers can get a discount on IDShield’s services, which include monitoring, alerts, and full-service restoration, with a $1 million protection policy. IDShield offers privacy and security monitoring, including high-risk accounts, social media, and credit, and alerts users if any discrepancies in their data are found. In total, ID Shield monitors more than 100 different types of your information.
Cargomatic’s Chief Marketing Officer Chris Oliver spoke with Cassie Prinke at IDShield to talk about identity theft, why truck drivers are more susceptible to it, and how they can protect themselves while on the road. Learn more by watching this video below:
Ready to get started? Click here to sign up for IDShield at a discounted rate.
December is National Identity Theft Awareness Month. For drivers, this is a strong reminder that you’re more at risk than folks in nearly every industry, for several reasons. For OTR drivers, being away from home often makes it possible for thieves to steal mail and then start to take over an identity. For OOs, there is a real risk given the sheer number of times an OO needs to give out his or her social security number, which can be used to create new lines of credit in a person’s name.
The examples above aren’t exactly cutting edge, with hackers (likely in hoodies) poring over the computer as they attempt to infiltrate the inner workings of a driver’s finances. Instead, they’re descriptions of common types of identity theft.
The FTC has an amazing set of resources to help prevent ID theft and identify whether you’re at risk. There are a few early indicators, including:
Something strange on your credit report– AnnualCreditReport.com is a website built to allow individuals to see their credit reports from each of the three major credit bureaus once per year. It’s advisable to stagger uses, checking Experian, Equifax and TransUnion every four months, as opposed to all of the bureaus at once, since those organizations are supposed to share information. It’s a great resource for any individual whose bank doesn’t offer free credit reporting. “Something strange” can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, but the gist is that most folks will be able to explain anything they find on their report. If there is something that seems amiss, it’s important to investigate further. It might be as basic as a credit check for a cell phone provider you’re not actually a customer of. As the FTC says, consider placing a credit freeze or fraud alert with a bureau if you see anything out of the ordinary. This makes it so thieves can’t open new lines of credit in another person’s name.
Bills not arriving on time (or at all)– For individuals who prefer paper bills to paperless billing, it can be an early warning sign if specific bills stop arriving. With the information in a cell phone bill (phone number, physical address, etc), thieves can start to take over a person’s identity. For drivers on the road a lot, leaving their mail in the mailbox can present a tremendous risk. An obvious workaround here is to have a neighbor or friend pick up your mail while you’re hauling, but a significant percentage of ID theft and ID fraud is committed by people who know the victim. In times of crisis, like a pandemic, typically good people’s motivations can change, so switching to electronic billing is an excellent way to stay safer.
Bills you don’t expect start to arrive– Perhaps the most scary indicator of ID theft is when bills start to arrive that a person doesn’t recognize. Maybe it’s something simple, like a cell phone bill or a credit card statement. It can also be bills from a doctor’s office, indicating that medical ID Theft has occurred. In this instance, a thief has used someone else’s insurance to cover their medical expenses, leaving the victim to pay whatever outstanding balance is left. If you start to see bills coming in (or you receive unexpected calls from a collections agency), it can be a sign that something is wrong.
If any of the red flags above apply to you, we’d encourage you to visit https://www.identitytheft.gov, a website built by the FTC to help victims overcome the issues they’ll face.
Our team ends many of our conversations with drivers with some version of “stay safe out there.” As we enter National Identity Theft Awareness Month, we mean it in more ways than one.
Just ahead of Thanksgiving and Black Friday, Maersk representatives shared the company’s perspective on the current state of the neighboring ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach with the Harbor Trucking Association’s Productivity Committee.
Import volume is expected to continue through November. A slight decrease is expected in December, not due to demand but because of capacity and labor challenges. Q1 2021 is expected to continue with strong demand at least until Chinese New Year in February. Volume is expected to pick up after the holiday.
Shortages of Containers, Space, and Labor
Maersk pointed out issues with transporting goods from both ends of the Pacific. In Asia, there is a shortage in vessels and containers, with no containers available for lease until July.
In LA and Long Beach, there is a shortage of skilled union labor, shortage of dock space at the terminals, and shortage of chassis. Vessels generally sit in the lineup for 2-4 days before they can be worked, and truck turns continue to rise. Depending on the terminal, 20-50% of transactions take over two hours.
For Maersk, this may mean blank sailings in December, as the company does not want vessels sitting in the lineup for several days. Its primary focus is getting empty containers back to origin, collaborating with terminals to make it easier to return the empties, and turning vessels faster once they arrive into LA and Long Beach.
These challenges echo the larger problem with overcrowding at the ports. This past weekend, Bloomberg reported that nearly a dozen cargo vessels were anchored just south of Los Angeles as the ports were at maximum capacity for containers. Federal regulators are investigating the source of this and similar roadblocks in ports. Like Maersk’s report, the Bloomberg article cites the shortage in empty containers as a cause of delay.
On our end, we’re working with terminals to ensure we’re able to get appointments and make goods available more rapidly. However, shippers and carriers moving goods through the Ports of LA and Long Beach should plan for delays. For shippers, this may mean keeping customers informed of possible delays. For drivers, this may mean bracing for long waits at the port.
On-time deliveries are key to driving a successful business. Customers and shippers alike are counting on shipments to be moved and delivered on time and intact. But there are factors out of everyone’s control, and that can cause delays in deliveries. Traffic, accidents up ahead, and weather are just a few things that can prevent you from doing your job.
With all of these uncontrollable circumstances, you can take responsibility for the one factor you can control: your truck. The last thing you need is for your truck to be out of service, damaged, or in dire need of repair, so be sure to take it in for some TLC and maintenance. That way, you can keep your hauls moving and secure more loads (hopefully through the Cargomatic app!) The following answers the “why and when” you should get your truck maintained in a nutshell.
Why – as in: Why Does Truck Maintenance Matter?
Short trips are engine killers, (ahem, short-haul) and if you can’t avoid them, be sure to prepare for them. Trucks get maintained for many obvious reasons such as:
Meeting DOT Regulations You won’t be able to drive your truck until every noted Out-Of-Service (OOS) Violation is fixed.
Avoiding Costly Repairs Having routine systematic maintenance will make your costs predictable and is cheaper than emergency roadside service or emergency repairs which can eat away your profits and impact your bottom line.
Increasing the Lifespan of the Truck By maintaining your truck, you increase uptime, lower your operating cost, lower your cost per mile and make your business more profitable.
Safety The most important reason for having a truck maintained is safety. Safety for the drivers, the shipments and the road-sharing traffic.
When – Like, When and How Often Should a Truck be Maintained?
This answer varies but there are a few different things to keep in mind. You can do periodic maintenance checks based on:
The type of truck you have (different makes and models)
Oil viscosity
Age of the vehicle
Time of year
Operating environment
Of course, there’s always mileage to consider when deciding when the best time is to bring your truck in to get serviced.
On average, the suggested range to receive basic service is every 10,000 – 20,000 miles. Basic servicing covers a quick inspection of your truck to ensure lights and brakes are working properly as well as getting your oil and lubricants refilled. Refer to the owner’s manual to get your intervals.
For a more thorough inspection (like the preventative maintenance check), the suggested mile usage for that would be every 30,000 miles. The maintenance check would include critical components such as:
Oil and lube change
Oil, air and fuel filter change
Fixing any repairs needed to ensure that the truck is up to DOT standards
Brake inspection
Proper tire inflation
Alignment and steering inspection
Lighting and electrical inspection
Conclusion
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires at least one Period Maintenance Inspection in a 12-month period*. Don’t do the bare minimum! Safety first, go get your truck serviced. Otherwise, what’s the point? Ensure that your truck is safe, legal and ready for the challenge of driving on the roads.
Planning it out will help you stay prepared and reduce the risk of surprise repairs, and ultimately make the truck last longer! In doing so, that will make you more reliable to your customers and repeat business.
Once you’re done getting the truck serviced, you’re ready to get back on the road. Don’t forget to have that full truckload. Check out Cargomatic’s Marketplace to see what’s on your route and fill that well-maintained truck up! Download our app at the Google Play Store or the App Store and check out our website for more information.
*Disclaimer: For state specifics, please refer to your local DMV, state troopers, highway patrol, regulatory body, etc.
How do LTL Carriers meet the needs of today’s clients?
If you’re an LTL trucking company, you’ve more than likely run into some challenges. From loose freight and shorter, more frequent hauls, to empty miles, there are plenty of obstacles. In the latest Cargomatic white paper, we provide insight into how our marketplace brings a field-tested combination of on-demand access to drivers and equipment, end-to-end visibility and easy-to-understand pricing that supports the needs of carriers in real-time.
The differences between traditional LTL Carrier models and today’s Omni-Channel Models of shipping
The challenges LTL Carriers face on their own
How Cargomatic’s Marketplace addresses LTL Carrier issues with mission-critical transportation
Quote from the Cargomatic White Paper
Cargomatic’s Marketplace and community of truckers provide solutions that can be applied across the spectrum of traditional LTL scenarios as well as today’s challenges. Cargomatic’s iOS app and Android app is quick, easy and effective for LTL trucking companies to use. More information is just a click away.
As you might have read in our past blogs and as you’re currently seeing with our Cargomatic, “Daniel, America’s Road Warrior” Comic Series, Truckers face a lot of challenges in the industry. From the aggressive drivers to poor road conditions, there is a lot that can drive truckers crazy. So we wanted to take a look at the other side of the road (metaphorically, not literally; always keep your eyes on the road!). We asked the Cargomatic Community of truckers what the best part of their job was and the following are the top 3 responses we received.
3. Traveling to Different Places
There are very few jobs where a person can tailor their job around their wants like a trucker can. “Where do I want to travel? What do I want to see? What kind of route do I want to take? Do I want to stay local? Go from state-to-state? See the whole United States? Stick to quick trips?” There are always shipments that need to be delivered and freight that needs to be moved, so there are always places to see and be seen!
2. Meeting New People
I’ll admit, this one was a surprise. For most people, when “Truck Driver” comes to mind they think of being on the road…in a truck..alone. So when the responses were so high for “meeting new people,” we wanted to know more. Luckily, our Annual Driver Appreciation Event presented the opportunity to learn more. Truckers spoke at length about how they frequently make friends out on the road with other truckers. Sharing the roads, the truck stops, the routes, etc., they often see familiar faces and new faces alike. These are people who share and know first hand the struggles and joys of the job and can relate to each other.
1. Creating Your Own Schedule
Oh freedom! The freedom of being able to hit the road at almost any time and go anywhere. Not having to punch a timecard in and out, not having your typical, standard and monotonous day-to-day schedule. Something about the freedom of being your own boss is what captivates truck drivers using Cargomatic the most. Creating your schedule means having the freedom to decide what days of the week you want to work, what time you want to start your day and what time you want to come home. For a lot of drivers, it means getting to take their kids to and/or from school, maintaining a work-life balance, and making sure that they’re able to still do what they love to do for their hobbies. For other drivers, they love getting the freedom to decide when they want to take time off or take a long weekend without having to ask for permission.
These are only 3 of many reasons why Truckers love their job. Interested in getting more opportunities? Sign up to join our Carrier Community and see what driving with Cargomatic has to offer!
You might think of a hot shot as an important person but in the trucking world, hotshot freight creates hot opportunities for the drivers able and willing to do it. Hotshot freight refers to hauling freight for a shipper in need of expedited delivery — the load is posted today and needs to be hauled today.
This type of freight-hauling need makes hotshot truck drivers sort of the minutemen of trucking — ready to go on short notice to ensure the customer’s service or operation is not disrupted. Shippers with time-sensitive freight face a lot of challenges in getting it moved quickly. They have to post the load, choose a carrier, negotiate or agree to pricing and ensure the load gets moved on schedule. Cargomatic’s Marketplace is built exactly for this situation. As soon as a shipper posts the load on our Marketplace, our network of truck drivers is notified via our free mobile app that a load in their area needs to be hauled. In most cases, the load is accepted by a vetted, trustworthy trucker within 15 minutes!
Our Marketplace is great for shippers as they know quickly that their load is in good hands and they can track every step of the job’s progress through Cargomatic’s web app. Shippers often expect to pay a premium for same day deliveries, but with Cargomatic you get “normal LTL rates” for same day service. But what is the upside for the trucker? Convenient, local work that pays a fair rate.
Even though those hot loads are often unpredictable as a shipper, same day service is the norm for the drivers on the Cargomatic Marketplace. Whether they use Cargomatic to find all of their work or if they have a regular load that doesn’t need hauled immediately, drivers know Cargomatic is the place to go to find same day, local freight that keeps the money coming in.
If you’re a shipper who needs to move freight locally and wants to enjoy normal rates for same-day shipping, visit Cargomatic.com to learn more. If you’re a driver interested in local freight to haul, download the free Cargomatic app now. You’ll get notifications of jobs in your area and get paid within days of completing the job. For more information about how Cargomatic can help with local freight, connect with us today.
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