Keeping trucks loaded is the first step toward a sustainable supply chain

Visibility and transparency come up time and time again in the transportation industry. Often, these topics are tied into conversations about increasing efficiency and bottom lines. While a more efficient supply chain undoubtedly leads to higher profits, increased earnings are not the only benefit of transparency. A more transparent supply chain is also a more sustainable supply chain. 

When people think about “green trucking,” they tend to think about electric vehicles and other environmentally conscious trucking operations. While these cutting edge technologies can play a role in sustainability, they often come with high price tags, long waitlists and significant barriers to entry. 

For companies that cannot adopt these expensive solutions at the moment, there are other ways to become more environmentally conscious. For carriers, being good stewards of the trucks they already own and the miles they already drive can go a long way in optimizing up their operations. For shippers, being cognizant of their transportation partners’ track records and considering the methods they use to move their products makes a difference.

Carriers have a lot of options when it comes to finding freight. Many of these options – like traditional and digital brokers – can be at least somewhat opaque, however. Loads posted on traditional load boards can also be hit or miss, with most loads involving somewhat undesirable routes. With all of these options, it can be difficult to predict future load availability, meaning carriers run the risk of being stuck with an empty truck after the initial load is dropped off. This contributes to inefficiencies for companies and ultimately their customers.