THE BLOG
Ship Happens. We talk about it.
Recent Posts
Why Smart Supply Chain Professionals Focus on Agility, Not Trends
Every year, industry experts churn out predictions about where logistics and supply chains are headed. In 2025, AI will revolutionize the industry! The trucking market will stabilize! More visibility and transparency! Collaboration! Resilient supply chains!
Sound familiar? That’s because these so-called trends are often just recycled buzzwords—opinions dressed up as insights. Just like in fashion, trends come and go. Instead of chasing every flashy new idea, why not stick to classic, proven strategies while selectively investing in trends that show real staying power?
Reputation Matters: Why Reducing Wait-Times Makes Good Business Sense
“It is what it is.” That was the response from a large retailer when I pointed out their distribution center’s terrible reputation for driver wait-times. And it wasn’t just hearsay—clear data showed they averaged 7–9 hours for unloading, with some wait-times stretching over 12 hours. The person even admitted, “We have so much freight that carriers and drivers have to work with us, so fixing our wait-time issue isn’t really a priority.” On top of that, their procedure for paying detention fees was so riddled with bureaucracy, I wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d asked for a DNA sample from the driver.
Reputation in this industry is critical. Shippers with this “not-my-problem” attitude risk alienating reliable carriers and drivers, leaving themselves stuck with subpar options.
Driver Inc: What’s Being Done, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do
As discussed in the last two posts in this series the Driver Inc. model is a hot-button topic in Canada’s trucking industry. It blurs the lines between employment and independent contracting, often at the expense of employees’ rights, government tax revenues, and fair competition. While this practice continues to generate debate, these questions remain: What is the Canadian government doing to address the issue? How are industry associations and stakeholders responding? And most importantly, how can shippers and brokers identify and avoid Driver Inc. companies?
Driver Inc: How It Exploits Newcomers to Canada and Vulnerable Drivers
In part two of this series on Driver Inc, we are going to look at how this scheme takes advantage of newcomers to Canada, and vulnerable drivers (eg. financial difficulties, under-educated)
Driver Inc. doesn’t just hurt compliance-minded companies or muddy labor laws—it disproportionately affects the most vulnerable drivers in the Canadian trucking industry, including newcomers to Canada and the financially disadvantaged. These drivers are often the least equipped to navigate the complexities of employment classification, making them prime targets for exploitation under the Driver Inc. model.
Driver Inc. Explained – What It Is, Who Uses It, and the Legal Implications
Driver Inc. is a business model in the Canadian trucking industry where commercial drivers, who do not own their vehicles, are classified as independent contractors rather than employees. This setup requires drivers to establish their own corporations, allowing them to invoice the trucking company for services rather than receiving traditional wages with benefits. Under this model, drivers avoid standard deductions like taxes and CPP (Canada Pension Plan), while carriers sidestep obligations such as overtime pay, Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) contributions, and other employee protections.
Understanding Tariffs: What They Are, Who Pays, and Why They Matter
A tariff is essentially a tax placed on goods brought into a country from another country. For example, when a company in the United States imports sneakers from Vietnam, a tariff might be applied to the price of those sneakers when they enter the country. This extra charge makes imported goods more expensive and can encourage buyers to choose similar products made domestically instead.
Steering Clear of Trouble: 6 Mistakes Every Dispatcher Should Avoid
Being a dispatcher is one of the most critical roles in logistics. You’re the bridge between the customer and the driver, ensuring the everything runs smoothly. But in such a fast-paced environment, it’s easy to fall into habits that can derail operations. Whether you’re new to dispatching or have years of experience, avoiding these six common mistakes can help you run a tighter, more efficient operation and avoid costly headaches.
No More Burnout: Proven Methods to Reduce Stress Working in Logistics
Working in logistics often feels like juggling fire…blindfolded. Between managing clients, coordinating with carriers, and solving problems on the fly, stress becomes a constant. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With the right strategies, you can regain control, lower your stress levels, and ensure you stay ahead of the game. Below are some things I have adopted to make sure that I can keep my cortisol low and my stress levels in check.
Is Your Tech Sabotaging Your Supply Chain?
In today’s fast-paced business environment, technology is often hailed as the key to unlocking supply chain efficiency. However, not all tech solutions are created equal, and the wrong choices can actually hinder your operations. Many organizations fall into the trap of over-engineering their systems, addressing only the symptoms of problems rather than their root causes. As a result, they may find themselves overwhelmed by incompatible tools and processes that complicate rather than simplify. In this post, we’ll explore five reasons your technology might be doing more harm than good to your supply chain.
5 Myths About the Supply Chain Industry
There are many misconceptions regarding supply chain management. Some are pretty straightforward and well-documented, but recently, additional myths seem to have surfaced. From assumptions about who supply chain management is for, to misunderstandings about events in recent years, debunking these myths is crucial for anyone wanting to understand the industry better. Whether you’re a small business owner, an aspiring supply chain professional, or just curious about how goods move from one place to another, it’s important to separate fact from fiction. Let's dive into some of the most common myths and set the record straight!
5 Paperwork Issues in Logistics and How to Manage Them
The documentation of how products move throughout the supply chain is crucial but also tedious and very unsexy. The problem is when you get complacent with paperwork, it can cause very real consequences with the actual product and end customer experience. Here are 5 issues that come up often in shipping and logistics and how to avoid or manage them.
Understanding Back-order and Out-of-Stock: What Businesses Need to Know
One thing that is agreed on for the success of a business is inventory management, however, there is a lot that goes into inventory management, two of them being back-orders and out-of-stock. Let’s look at these two scenarios, what they mean, the difference between the two, how they affect a business and tips on how to manage them effectively.
How to Save the Trucking Industry From Grind Culture
In the last post, we looked at how the grind culture, that has taken root in the trucking industry, affects people on a personal level, in this 2nd part of a 3 part series we will look at the trucking industry’s culture and how grind and hustle came about, why it sucks and a possible way forward.
Leave the Grind Behind - Redefining Personal Success in Logistics
Welcome to the world of “grind culture” in the transportation industry, where the hustle is glorified, Red Bull is a food group, and personal sacrifice is worn like a badge of honour. In the transportation industry, there are so many posts on social media about people who are “working” 14-hour days, 7 days a week. People are giving up sleep and rest, all in the name of the grind. This grind can cause adverse effects in three key areas: personally, culturally, and the business overall. In this 3 part series, we will explore all three, starting with the personal effects. Let’s delve into what the grind looks like and how it affects individuals on a personal level.
Bridging the Gap: The Power of Marketing and Supply Chain Collaboration
The biggest issue seen time and time again in businesses is when teams are siloed and working independently of each other. Navigating the interactions between production, promotion, and customer satisfaction is made even more difficult when one part of the company has no visibility or understanding of another. This can lead to major inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and a confusing customer experience.
What are Incoterms? A Beginners Guide to International Trade
Navigating the complex world of international trade can be very intimidating, especially when it comes to understanding everyone’s terms and responsibilities. One especially confusing concept is the use of Incoterms or International Commercial Terms. This post will break down the current Incoterms and provide simple explanations to help you understand their significance to your business.
What is Reverse Logistics?
As its name suggests, reverse logistics is the movement of a product from the end user back to the company that made or sold it. This can happen for many reasons and in many different ways. Many considerations come into play when crafting a comprehensive reverse logistics strategy.
An Unlikely Duo: The Impact of Packaging and Product Design on Shipping Costs
So you design this awesome product that people need and want, then you figure out a beautiful package thats sustainable and gives the customer a great first impression of your company. BUT THEN, you contact shipping companies to get rates of how much it will cost to send your awesome, beautifully packaged product to your customers…and it's way, way more than anticipated. How can that be?
Why Is Shipping So Expensive? 10 Key Factors Explained
Shipping costs can be a significant expense for consumers and businesses. Many people do not have an understanding of the factors that contribute to these costs. Due to this they may have unrealistic expectations of how much shipping should or will cost. For small businesses, these costs must be known and understood for appropriate decision-making. Let’s look at 10 of the factors that may affect your shipping costs.
What is Supply Chain Mapping and Why is it Important to Your Business?
Supply chain mapping is one of the best secret weapons a business can utilize to ensure an effective, efficient, and resilient supply chain. A business’s supply chain is arguably the most important part of your business, without it your product never gets to your customers and no amount of sales and marketing can fix that.