INNOVATION IN TRUCKING: ADVANCED TRUCKLOAD FIRMS

Advanced truckload firms are achieving remarkable efficiency gains. These gains threaten to capture important blocks of railroad traffic. The advanced truckload firms are obtaining these results by applying new business strategies, such as the following, to truckload trucking: (a) carefully selecting markets and tailoring service to satisfy these markets, (b) increasing growth to enhance efficiency in the target markets, (c) emphasizing the close integration of operations and marketing, and (d) increasing the use of nonunion company drivers to ensure operational flexibility. The application of these business methods is resulting in the kind of success and growth that indicates rapid future transformation of the truckload sector. One measure of this success is the sharp cutting of almost every category of truck costs. The advanced truckload firms have used their cost advantages so far to expand rapidly, but their ability to continue to grow is finite. Still, large growth potential remains. In the immediate future, continuing growth by these firms will result in improved truckload sector productivity and a change in the sector's composition.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1987/1154/1154-003.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=INNOVATION+IN+TRUCKING%3A+ADVANCED+TRUCKLOAD+FIRMS&author=L.+Lane&publication_year=1987
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Surface Freight Transport Regulation. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • LANE, L LEE
• Publication Date: 1987

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Tables;
• Pagination: pp 11-14
• Monograph Title: Freight transportation issues
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1154
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Businesses; Costs; Economic efficiency; Flexibility; Freight transportation; Innovation; Markets; Productivity; Reduction (Chemistry); Trucking; Urban growth
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency
• Old TRIS Terms: Advanced truckload firms; Operating strategies; Reduction
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Freight Transportation; Highways; Motor Carriers; Society; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00475973
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309046564
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Sep 30 1988 12:00AM