In a perfect world, freight shipments going via standard truckload (TL) and less than truckload (LTL) have an on-time delivery percentage of 100%, or nearly so. And no special or late-minute orders come in requiring rapid transit to ensure you hit the shipment dates.
Unfortunately, this is far from a perfect world, and situations often arise requiring the use of expedited freight services. In fact, they occur so often that the global express delivery market was valued at $262.86 billion in 2020, and is projected to reach $484.38 billion by 2030, for a 6.4% CAGR.
In the run-up to the fourth quarter, when “peak season” for retail and other sectors gets into high gear, expedited freight becomes increasingly in demand as companies stage inventory in warehouses and fulfillment centers. Last month, in fact, lower inventory levels and an increased focus on “just in time” is predicted to drive up expedited spend in Q4, with outbound volumes spiking in the Inland Empire and Dallas markets, according to FreightWaves.
Generally, in any situation when time is of the essence, shippers rely heavily on expedited freight carriers to augment their standard transportation plan. Given its truncated timelines, expedited freight introduces complexities requiring a high degree of coordination and smooth intermodal handoffs.
Shippers need to work with a trusted partner with deep experience in expedited freight shipping, and the expertise, technology, and professional, hands-on approach to create a seamless experience that meets your exacting requirements every time.
In Expedited Freight, Time is of the Essence
In a nutshell, expedited freight involves the delivery of product in a short period of time. While domestic freight shipments by standard ground transportation can take up to 10 business days, expedited freight shipping makes it happen in one to three days.
Expedited freight is not a separate, specialized service but rather the process of upgrading a service level or two from how you would normally handle shipments. For instance, if you’re shipping primarily by intermodal rail from a port, you could switch to over-the-road transportation. Or you may want to consider going from slower LTL to a dedicated truck, “hotshot” carrier – an increasingly popular option – or air freight if next-day service is required.
Some industries that rely heavily on expedited freight shipping due to time-sensitive requirements include pharmaceutical and medical supplies, automotive parts, certain manufacturing sectors, retail and ecommerce.
While “expedited” is often associated with “expensive” shipping, consider the costs that can accrue – and quickly – from an over-reliance on standard TL and LTL services. You risk late deliveries holding up manufacturing, increasing your backorders, or causing you to miss a tight deadline with a major customer. In the case of pharma and medical businesses, lives are at stake if critical supplies don’t arrive on time.
Shippers Can’t Afford Needless Complexity
The specialized requirements of expedited shipping, introducing extra layers of complexity, can quickly make what should be a streamlined process into one that’s needlessly opaque. This works at cross purposes with the actual intent of expediting: Moving freight rapidly from A to B based on an urgent time constraint.
For instance, navigating the complexities of pricing structures for expedited freight and finding ways to optimize the costs can prove challenging for shippers not versed in them. Managing different types of expedited shipments, from LTL to dedicated truck and even air freight (domestic and global) also requires more detailed planning and coordination with various carriers.
This is especially true when it comes to global air freight. Shippers have to coordinate with foreign suppliers, verifying when orders are ready and deal with the complexities of expedited flight plans, customs clearance and import paperwork. It’s a lot to take on for most shippers if it’s not a core capability.
Reliability is another major factor to consider when looking to get into or expand your expedited freight operations. What types of relationships do you have with carriers, brokers, or 3PLs specializing in this area? How do you know you can count on them to provide outstanding service to your customers, many of whom require on-time in full (OTIF) on all deliveries?
COGISTICS Transportation: Your Trusted Partner in Expedited Freight
COGISTICS Transportation, a leading provider of supply chain and logistics services, ensures timely, secure, and streamlined expedited freight services across air and land. As time sensitivity becomes paramount, complex challenges can hinder efficient operations. COGISTICS Transportation becomes your go-to expedited partner, addressing these issues by integrating a robust network, advanced technology, and 24/7 on-demand expertise.
COGISTICS Transportation has decades of experience understanding and unraveling the complexities of the global supply chain. We have the technology, skills, and connections to execute against your goals, provide visibility, communicate with all parties, and ensure each necessary component is in place for a smooth expedited shipment. COGISTICS Transportation is deeply committed to ensuring timely, secure, and efficient deliveries.
Expedited Scenario: Auto Parts from Foreign Suppliers
Companies that manufacture sub-assemblies for automakers, such as brake systems and airbags, have suppliers in China and Europe that ship parts for assembly in the U.S. or Mexico before being sent to the auto plant. Often, small quantities of parts need to ship air freight to keep the assembly line running, which runs into big money if it shuts down.
COGISTICS Transportation provides end-to-end services for these time-critical situations, from confirming parts are ready for pickup at the supplier, to shipment to the airport, coordinating flight schedules to the U.S. and airport pickup and expediting to the final destination. This includes confirmation of all necessary paperwork as well as tracking and backup plans, if needed.
We also handle onboard courier (OBC) services, where small quantities of parts travel with a courier via commercial flights, ensuring faster check-in/check-out and less handling time by the airline. If time is even tighter, a charter can be booked for domestic and international flights.
Robust Network and Resources
COGISTICS Transportation provides shippers with an array of assets through its extensive network of agents. Our network is designed to facilitate quick, efficient deliveries anywhere you’re shipping around the globe.
This network is the backbone of our outstanding expedited freight services, ensuring reliable, on-time deliveries, particularly in urgent scenarios. Featuring an array of specialized vehicles, including sprinters, cargo vans, straight trucks, reefers, flatbeds, and tractor-trailers, COGISTICS Transportation can swiftly respond to any of your time-sensitive freight transportation needs.
Our network leverages assets strategically placed around the world to handle thousands of expedited shipments a year. If your shipment is crossing a border, we provide advance notification assistance to your customs broker, ensuring a timely, seamless border process.
COGISTICS Transportation’s’ comprehensive network guarantees reliable, prompt deliveries, fulfilling all your critical shipping needs.
Advanced Technology
COGISTICS Transportation’s tech-enabled platform revolutionizes logistics, offering shippers real-time monitoring and adaptability in a dynamic expedited freight environment. You gain unprecedented visibility into your shipments through innovative tracking systems and data-driven insights. We provide a dashboard view, including live updates on location, route deviations, and potential delays.
You also get constantly updated pricing information, enabling you to make informed decisions based on market dynamics. The technology optimizes routes and lanes, allowing quick adjustments, including rerouting if needed to mitigate unforeseen challenges. This tech-driven approach not only ensures efficiency and reliability but also empowers you to make informed decisions, enhancing the overall shipping experience.
With many freight brokerages, the technology is effectively siloed from operations. At COGISTICS Transportation, our technology comes with a people-first approach. This means shippers can access both people-powered expertise and industry-leading technology through the same platform.
24/7 On-Demand Expertise
Even with a robust network providing all the capacity you need at competitive pricing and an innovative technology platform keeping everything in sync, issues will inevitably arise. Even the most reliable carriers are not immune to various scenarios that can cause shipping delays and logjams, including weather, supply chain disruptions at ports and elsewhere, and labor disputes.
At COGISTICS Transportation, we take pride in having a team of dedicated, knowledgeable professionals available around the clock to help you resolve issues as they arise. It’s a high-tech, high-touch combination that gives you peace of mind that your time-sensitive, expedited freight shipments will experience the least amount of disruption possible.
For example, our on-demand transportation experts act as vital problem solvers to help mitigate disruptive factors such as:
- Heavy weather: Severe weather events (snowstorms, hurricanes, heavy rain, etc.) often cause road closures, reduced visibility, unsafe driving conditions, and changes in flight plans, which can cause delays in transit.
- Traffic congestion: Unexpected traffic jams, accidents, construction, or road closures significantly slow down the movement of goods, requiring re-routing.
- Mechanical breakdowns: Vehicle breakdowns or mechanical issues require immediate repairs, causing delays.
- Capacity constraints: High demand or sudden surges in shipping volumes can overwhelm carriers, leading to delays in accommodating new shipments or even refusing loads.
- Documentation errors: Incorrect labeling or missing documentation can lead to holdups at checkpoints or warehouses, especially in customs clearance, which creates big problems quickly.
- Operational challenges: Staff shortages, scheduling conflicts, or internal logistics issues within a carrier impact their ability to meet expedited freight shipping timelines.
COGISTICS Transportation on-demand experts are just a phone call away, helping you promptly address disruptive events to maintain your shipments’ efficiency and reliability.
Expedited Freight Excellence Starts with Having the Right Partner
Expedited freight shipping is “expedited” for a reason: your goods or products need to go from A to B ASAP to keep your business humming. Critical parts are needed at a plant to keep a production run going, or a large number of customers suddenly decide to select “two-day delivery” at their e-commerce checkout.
COGISTICS Transportation provides personalized treatment 24/7/365, anywhere on the globe. Whatever your unique circumstances, our expedited freight solution and communications plan are there to back you up. We’re also a member of the global logistics partnership network WCA, with access to more than 6,800 offices in 191 countries worldwide.
Each shipment is tracked from origin to destination, and customers receive status notifications via phone, text, or email on a schedule that’s best suited to their specific needs. Ready to take the next step? Let’s talk.
