TIA: 3PLs see varied results in Q1 2015

Total shipments and total revenues for third party logistics providers both fell in first quarter 2015 compared to fourth quarter 2014, according to a recent benchmarking report from the Transportation Intermediaries Association.    Total shipments for third party logistics providers fell 1.2 percent in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the fourth quarter of 2014 and revenues dropped 7.8 percent overall, according to a recent report from the Transportation Intermediaries Association.
   TIA earlier this week released its First Quarter 2015 3PL Benchmarking Report, which is based on a monthly survey of TIA members submitting operating data and answering questions on business conditions in the freight brokerage industry. The report separated performance into six core services offered by 3PLs:  over-the-road truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), intermodal rail, airfreight, warehousing and other miscellaneous services. Nearly 98 percent of all revenue was derived from truckload, LTL, and intermodal services.
   According to the first quarter 2015 report, truckload and intermodal shipments decreased 1.3 percent and 2.1 percent, respectively, compared to the fourth quarter of 2014, while LTL shipments increased 2.3 percent. Revenues were down across the board, however, with truckload and intermodal both falling 8 percent and LTL dipping 1.1 percent for the quarter.
   Compared to the first quarter of 2014, total shipments increased 11.3 percent, driven primarily by a 12 percent increase in truckload volumes as intermodal and LTL shipments dropped 2 percent and 4 percent, respectively. 
   The report is comprised of data representing over 1.53 million shipments and over $2.95 billion in total revenues for Q1 2015, TIA said in a statement.
   “3PLs continue to grow, expand, and change their businesses,” TIA President and CEO Robert Voltmann said in a statement. “This is TIA’s 26th quarterly report on the 3PL industry. The report indicates that 3PLs continue to broaden their services. The percent of 3PLs offering intermodal and LTL continues to increase each quarter and 100% of all 3PLs report activity in TL.” Voltmann said.
   The Transportation Intermediaries Association is the U.S. representative for the International Federation of Freight Forwarder Associations and the only professional organization exclusively representing transportation intermediaries of all disciplines, doing business in domestic and international commerce.