In this economic mess, forwarding services are the most sensitive part of the economy. Checking out truck stops or rest areas is more appropriate for you; like logs there are trucks, and now a lot, the economy is slow.

Expedited services mean that someone has to move cargo from “A” to “B” as soon as possible at a minimum price. How is it working? A broker has the load in his portfolio and is negotiating prices with the driver, this means that 20% of the price is for this service. Next in line is “Driving Authority” (another 15% of the price after broker expenses), this will process money and security procedures including insurance for freight. And keep an eye on the cargo all the time, so that the customer knows where his cargo is. This is the job role for FedEx Custom Critical and Panther Expediting Services. My job role as a Leased Vehicle Operator is to collect data and process the paperwork and of course find the shipper, take the freight and deliver it to the consignee at commercial speed (47 mph Panther and 45 mph FedEx). Personal I am a team player so my truck’s commercial speed is 1000 miles/day and I am always available for the driving authority.

If your car didn’t start in the morning, call a taxi and it will be on time. Troy imagine the communication tools (thanks Bell and Marconi) working for you and have a pale picture of the streamlining work.

First contact with FedEx, a few years ago, I shipped and ordered RFID (friend identification using radar technology) tags in the United States. My location at that time Europe, Romania, Cugir (this is in the middle of nowhere, AK47 was produced there and the communist country keeps it a secret) street so hidden that for visitors I give as orientation point my cherry tree, the most big and old in the area. I was able to keep an eye on my tags until I got to that country. At the time of delivery I was looking outside, and a driver came to ask me… if my address is there! I later understood that FedEx has direction optimization tools, so the driver avoids turning left.

Panther is using Internet Map. And they have started a GPS app on the devices.

Now what about the tools? Communication tools are the most expensive part of the business. You recognize professional units easy, you always have a working “hands-free” device. The inner truck is a satellite communication tool. Panther has “paperless” working behaviour, this means the driver has to scan documents, and the log books are automatically generated by a satellite device (the driver has a black box that records all his position changes) every few minutes, this is annoying for all drivers. Tech level – windows so you can communicate as if you were using any laptop. FedEx is using the same industry-wide tolls, which means open source software and Java applets interface and integrate the phone into the computerized system. Log books are kept as is legal, on paper, so you have 15 minutes between status changes. Ok, you have to send the documentation by mail. I have received a lot of inconsistent data at Panther, at FedEx I do not have any access to the computerized system, this means that the general rules of competition are the same for all operators. For communications, it has a “messenger-like” behavior.