|
|
Ray Kuntz
Chairman, American Trucking Association (ATA)
(Speaker's notes)
Topic #1: Client Relations:
- Know your customer and their needs (example: carpet and furniture shippers)
- Properly spec truck & trailer for needs (focus on compatible industries)
- Well trained driver force (Ongoing safety training & driving habits)
- Technology:
- On board communication
- Trailer tracking
- On line computer tracking
- Optimization: Fuel, Routing, Load Planning
- EOI: Billing, Info Transfer
- Claims Handling (Prevention, Proper equipment for Customs)
Response to Topic #1 Questions:
- ATA functions are not operations based
- Based on managing federal laws & regulations affecting trucking industry such as driver hours of service, HazMat requirements, Tax Policy, Safety Policy.
- ATA also helps the state associations with support
- American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) – research arm
- Know your Customer, Know his Freight. (Critical on time reports & profitability reports, Proper Equipment for customer: load securement, trailer specs).
Topic #2: Cost Management Best Practices:
- Fuel is the main issue today:
- Idling
- wide base tires
- proper set engines
- driver behavior & training
- size & weight
- Safety Management: Technology
- Driver training simulators
- Anti rollover
- Collision avoidance
- Monitor Driver Behavior (heavy breaking, aggressive driving)
Response to Topic #2 Question:
- The biggest difference is fleet size
- My company is a mid-sized company (700 trucks, 1500 trailers). Very large components in other countries.
- Strong regulations:
- Speed, Hours of Service, Size & Weights, Equipment Inspections, Newer Equipment
- Monitor
- Fuel cost by truck, Maintenance by truck, driver behavior (safety, fuel consumption, utilization)
Topic #3: Reason for Development of long-distance trucking activities:
- Large geographically
- Have had infrastructure that was best in the world (good roads, cost effective, ability to handle larger equipment, good rail system)
- Manufacturing & resource development everywhere
- Agriculture everywhere
- Infrastructure allows easy movement of agricultural products, natural resources & manufacturing & retail distribution
- Manufacturing developed by area
Response to Topic #3 Question:
- Absolutely not: rising cost of infrastructure, congestion and congestion costs, equipment costs, fuel costs, driver labor costs.
[ top ]
|
|
