4 Weird Logistics Solutions People Used Before Trucking

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When you need innovative logistics solutions, your best bet is to work with people who are willing to get creative. When it comes to problem-solving in logistics, we’re here to help. 

But have you ever wondered about nontraditional shipping methods? More specifically, have you ever wondered how people shipped their goods before they even invented trucks? 

Think about it. People have been moving items since they invented items to move, but the semi truck wasn’t invented until 1898. 

You’re probably thinking that people just used horses and carts before trucks, right? 

Well, to be fair, they did. But historical logistics methods got a lot weirder than that. And a lot more fun. 

If you’re ready to learn about our logistics solutions, we’d be happy to tell you all about them. If you want to learn about some weird logistics history first, read on. Here are four solutions people used before trucks. 

1. Balloons 

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The history of shipping begins with, well, ships. If you guessed that that’s how shipping got its name, congratulations. There are no prizes. And if you didn’t guess it, no worries. At the very least, you can feel smarter than the people who lost a war against emus. 

Even before people invented trucks, though, ships weren’t always the right method. Sometimes, when people needed some creative freight solutions, they got a little whimsical. And that’s where the balloons come in. 

Hydrogen balloons were often used to transport goods when other methods weren’t available. According to Wikipedia, “since the balloon is not controllable, the delivery of a balloon mail is left to good fortune.” 

And this is why we’re grateful for trucks. 

2. Rolling on the River 

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What would you do if you had to get a bunch of logs to a sawmill? These days, trucks or barges can handle the job. Before those were available, people needed some adaptive supply chain strategies. 

So, what did they do? 

They rolled logs down the river, of course. 

You might think that the rivers would be enough to get the logs where they needed to go, what with that whole “flowing downstream” thing working in their favor. That certainly helped, but this method still required a human touch. 

Men had to guide the logs, jumping across them to keep the logs moving. These guys were called “log drivers,” or sometimes “river pigs,” which is unfortunate. 

They were important, though, since they kept the logs from causing jams. Without their work, the logs would cause a blockage and interrupt the river flow. 

And do you know what a fish would say if it ran into one of those blockages? 

“Dam.” 

3. Ice Slides and Log Chutes 

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We’re not done with the logging industry, yet. 

Have you ever been on a log flume ride? Those rides were inspired by the actual chutes that loggers used to move logs downhill. In the winter, those flumes could be packed with ice. In the summer, people used fun things like lard to coat the logs and make the ride smoother. 

Wait. Is that where they got the “river pigs” term? 

In any case, we wonder how long it took for somebody to say “Hey, guys? Does anyone else kind of want to ride one of the logs on the way down?” 

Surely, there was a direct trajectory from there to the amusement park ride. 

4. Zip Lines 

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And finally, we move on to our personal favorite logistics solution: zip lines! We have to admit, if you couldn’t find a logistics company, zip lines would be the next best option. They would definitely be the most fun. 

Zip lines are still used today, actually. In some mountain regions, where roads aren’t always reliable, people carry goods by ziplining them from one place to another. 

Logistics Solutions that Meet Your Needs 

Throughout history, there have always been people who were great at problem-solving in logistics. We’re grateful to be a part of that legacy. 

If you stuck with us this far, you’re probably looking for some logistics solutions of your own. In that case, get in touch with the Pearce Worldwide team to find out how we can help. Our logistics solutions are admittedly less fun than a zip line, but they’re definitely effective.

Can Glinda’s Bubble Carry Oranges? 5 Thoughts on the Logistics of Oz Now that Wicked is Streaming

The Wicked movie has been streaming for a while now. A few people in this office have rewatched it about five or six or a thousand times. Obviously, we’re not musical theatre experts. We’re a Tennessee logistics company. Still, the Wicked fans in this office have noticed something interesting about Oz: the transportation. 

It got us thinking: How does shipping work in Oz? Shiz University clearly has plenty of goods, including books and food. Those things had to get there somehow. So we asked ourselves: If we were in a logistics company in Oz instead of a logistics company in Nashville and beyond, what modes of transportation would our clients use, and what would they ship? After all, the transportation methods in Oz are very different from the ones we’re used to. 

There will be Wicked movie spoilers ahead, so proceed with caution. 

1. Glinda’s Bubble Could Carry Produce  

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We’re assuming that if we asked Glinda to borrow her bubble for logistics reasons, she’d give us a long, confused look and say no. We don’t blame her. But let’s imagine that bubbles became a common mode of transportation in Oz (in spite of what Elphie says about them in Act Two). Could they transport anything other than people? 

We think so. Specifically, we think they could carry small loads of produce. They would have to be less-than-truckload only, but we could make it work. 

The thing is, Glinda’s bubble is meant to be comfortable. She’s got an entire couch inside of it. If it was built for the person who is effectively Oz’s princess, it’s probably temperature controlled. It would work just like a round, floating reefer truck! And if Ozian winters get particularly cold, bubbles could be used for heated freight, too. 

2. Elphaba's Broomstick Could Handle Small Orders 

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Again, you’ll need to humor us on this one. We know that Elphaba’s too busy and too much of a fugitive to loan out her broomstick for logistics services. But let’s pretend that she would. Let’s imagine that it would help with an Animal rescue mission or something. 

Obviously, a broomstick can only handle LTL freight, but that’s okay. Sometimes, LTL freight is necessary. Plus, the ability to fly means that those orders would get where they need to go fast. 

Also, that broomstick is a lot sturdier than it looks, if we’re going by Wizard of Oz standards. Remember the tornado scene in that movie? The one where Ms. Gulch turned into the Wicked Witch of the West? Listen, if that broom can handle a literal tornado, it can probably handle anything. 

3. Fiyero’s Horse Could Carry Whatever He Wanted to Carry 

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Next up is Feldspur, Fiyero’s horse. Now, the thing about animals in this universe is that many of them can talk. When a creature is smart enough to teach a class, or at least hold a conversation, he should get a say in what he carries or doesn’t. In this case, the horse himself becomes the carrier. He could haul whatever he wanted to haul. We’ll respect his choices. 

4. The Bullet Train Could Carry Books 

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As far as we can tell, the bullet train that takes Elphaba and Glinda to the Emerald City only goes back and forth between the city and the school. Otherwise, Glinda pulled a hilarious move when she sent Dorothy to the Wizard on foot. 

In any case, we know that the Emerald City has excellent access to books, since Elphie mentions libraries in One Short Day. And Shiz University probably needs to replace a lot of books. We’re assuming that not all of them went unscathed during that big musical number. 

5. The Yellow Brick Road Can Handle the Rest 

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And finally, we have the yellow brick road. In this first movie, it doesn’t exist outside of the opening scene, but we’re probably going to see a lot more of it in part two. It can handle Oz’s remaining logistics needs. 

We may not have the yellow brick road or flying broomsticks in our own world, but at Pearce Worldwide, we still help people get goods from point A to point B and beyond. Get in touch with us today if you’re ready to learn more.

Top 4 Logistics April Fools Day Pranks

Some of the oldest April Fools Day pranks are based on logistics. In Scotland and Ireland, a common prank was to seal an “important letter” and send someone to deliver it to a specific person. When that specific person received the letter, it would say something to the effect of “Now it’s your turn to send this moron on another wild goose chase.” Technically, goods were moved from one place to another. See? Logistics. 

That’s not the only logistics-based April Fool’s Day prank, though. We combed the internet to find some others. Not that we’re looking for ideas, and even if we were, we don’t think we could pull these off. 

4. The Flying Penguins 

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We’re all familiar with the concept of penguins, right? They’re birds, they like the cold, and they can’t fly. You might think of them as the cold-weather version of the emu, another flightless bird that won a war against a group of humans. And that’s not a hoax, by the way. Humans really did lose a war against a bunch of birds. 

Where were we? Right. Like we said, penguins can’t fly. It’s okay. Neither can we. They’re probably great at other forms of logistics and transportation. But in 2008, the BBC made a very convincing film trailer saying that penguins can indeed fly. Well, not all of them. Just the very rare “flying penguin.” 

The whole thing was narrated by Terry Jones, who is famous for his work in Monty Python. That probably should have been a clue. 

3. The Flying People 

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Penguins don’t get to have all the fun with fake flying, though. Humans got there first. In 1976, Sir Patrick Moore, a British astronomer, told BBC Radio 2 listeners all about the Jovian-Plutonian gravitational effect. Moore explained that two planets would align perfectly at 9:47 am, causing a reverse gravitational pull. If a person were to jump in the air at exactly that time, they would float. 

The only problem is that the Jovian-Plutonian gravitational effect isn’t real. That didn’t stop people from believing it. To be honest, we don’t really blame them. Sir Patrick Moore wore a monocle and everything. He had some credibility. The really weird part is that dozens of people called the station to claim that it totally worked. We have several questions. 

2. The Diverted Space Shuttle 

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Ok, look! Another space shuttle just made its way into our logistics conversation. Sort of. Last time this happened, we were talking about a real space shuttle in the context of heavy-haul shipping. This time, the space shuttle in question didn’t actually exist. Well, the shuttle was real, but the landing was a hoax. 

In 1993 in San Diego, a local radio station convinced its listeners that the space shuttle Discovery would be landing in Montgomery Field, a small area that doesn’t generally (or ever) host space equipment. Still, enough people drove to the field to cause a major traffic jam. 

1. The Shaving Cream Iceberg

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Our last logistics prank comes from Sydney Harbor in 1978. A millionaire, appropriately named Dick Smith, towed an entire iceberg into the Harbor. He claimed he had towed the iceberg all the way from Antarctica and would be cutting it into ice cubes. And then the rain showed up, which is how the “iceberg” was revealed to be another ship covered in foam, plastic, and shaving cream. 

We Put Our Clients and Carriers First, and That’s No Joke 

There have been some elaborate logistics-based pranks over the years, but what’s not a joke is our dedication to our customers. Whether you’re a shipper or carrier, get in touch with us for service so good that it’s not even funny. We promise that we’re too focused for any juvenile pranks*. 

*aside from one fake cricket, but that was for the home office 

4 Made-Up Holidays We're Celebrating Now that Groundhog Day is Over

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Well, the groundhog predicts six more weeks of winter, but those of us who live in the South know that’s not how it works. We know how the weather works around here. In fact, we can predict what a whole year will look like. It goes like this:

• False Winter 

• First Winter 

• First Spring 

• Second Winter 

• Second Spring 

• Summer 

• Summer Part II 

• Summer Part III

• Heat Wave 

• Summer Part IV

• What Passes for Fall 

• Summer’s Revenge 

• Why Is It Still This Hot Outside 

• Seriously, What Sins Have We Committed and How Might We Amend Them 

• Weekend at Fall’s House 

• Back to False Winter 

In any case, rodents don’t make reliable weather prediction systems. Phil is correct less than 40% of the time. Which got us thinking: Why stop at just one prediction-related holiday? If we don’t have to be correct, what’s stopping us from choosing our own predictions? There was exactly no connection between groundhogs and weather until we humans decided that there was. We have a few suggestions to get started. 

1. Florida Oranges Container Day 

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Let’s start by predicting next year’s Super Bowl. How? With oranges, of course. Or orange shipping containers. If you regularly find shippers for oranges, you know that those oranges can be stored in different ways. 

We’ll put Florida Oranges Container Day on February 1st next year. That’ll give us all plenty of time before the date of the Super Bowl. 

First, you need to know which trucks are shipping oranges. Maybe the orange shippers can put a special flag on their trucks that day. The winner can be determined by the first orange shipping truck that crosses the Georgia state line. If the fruit in that truck is stored in orange crates, then the Super Bowl winner is whoever wins the coin toss. If it’s stored in boxes, the winner is Taylor Swift. 

2. Type of Truck Day 

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Our next holiday will predict spring fashion trends. It’ll be on March 19th or 20th, which is usually when the Spring Equinox happens. Trends will be determined by which type of truck enters West Virginia first. Why West Virginia? Because one of our Pearce Worldwide offices is there, and we feel like a holiday might just remind people that West Virginia is a real state.

Here’s what the spring fashion trends will be, depending on the truck:

• Dry van: Tye-dye everything 

• Flat bed: Reverse Y2K 

• Reefer truck: Whimsical overalls 

• Tanker: Extreme pants 

• Heavy haul: Neon florals 

• Power only: All clothing is inspired by fantasy novels. 

3. Hat or No Hat Day 

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Carriers, this one is for you. It’s called Hat or No Hat Day, and we’ll use it to predict Oscar winners. It’ll occur whenever you deliver your first load in January. Once you reach the delivery location, pay attention to the first person who greets you. Is this person wearing a hat? If so, a comedy is going to win Best Picture. If not, a drama will win. And if they’re wearing a beanie, then John Travolta will mispronounce somebody’s name. 

4. Pearce Worldwide Day 

Finally, we have Pearce Worldwide Day. Pearce Worldwide Day can happen almost any day of the year because it’s different for everybody. It happens when you first decide to get in touch with us as a shipper, carrier, or agent. Will you receive excellent service or outstanding service? Either way, we predict a great six weeks (and beyond) when you partner with Pearce.

New Year's Eve Without Logistics: What Would Times Square Look Like?

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2025 has officially arrived, and we’re ready to kick off a strong new year. As we watched the New Year’s Eve festivities on television a couple of weeks ago, we got to thinking: What would that celebration in Times Square look like without the logistics industry? After all, you need shippers and carriers to get all of those party favors where they need to go. So, much like we did with March Madness, we decided to take a closer look. Here’s what we think the Times Square’s New Year’s Eve party would have looked like without logistics. 

The Chaos Would Start Early 

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The most important thing to know is that without shipping and trucking, New Year’s Eve would be absolute chaos. For those of us who prefer to watch the festivities from home in our pajamas, it looks chaotic enough as it already is, but would you believe that it could be even worse? 

See, this New Year’s Eve party starts way before the sun goes down. People start arriving in the late afternoon, and they’re immediately herded into “pens.” That’s not our term, by the way. That’s literally what they call the sections where they keep the partygoers. 

Now, here’s the problem: The pens are divided by metal grates. Want to know how the metal grates got there? Exactly. With trucks. So, without logistics experts, people would just start flooding the streets. 

You’d Have to Entertain Yourself 

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We’re already not off to a great start here. Ready to see how it gets worse? If you took away the logistics industry, all of these rowdy partygoers would have no way to entertain themselves. 

There would be no party favors or funny glasses, because those have to be shipped. There’d be no musicians, since the instruments and sound equipment have to be shipped, too. 

So, not only are all these people disorganized, they’re also bored. That’s never a good combination.

Snacks? What Snacks? 

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Did we say that people would be bored and disorganized? What we meant was that they’d be bored, disorganized, and hungry. Without food shipping, they’d have no way to obtain snacks. 

Take a moment to think about your decision-making skills when you’re hungry. Not great, right? Now multiply that by a million, because Times Square literally hosts over a million people on New Year’s Eve. Good luck, everyone. 

Well, That Depends 

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When people arrive for the New Year’s Eve party in Times Square, they sort of just have to…stay there. If they leave the pen and then come back, they’re not getting back into the same pen. It’s first come first herded, baby. You’re not going to get back into a good spot if you leave and come back. 

Remember what we said about people arriving in the early afternoon? For a party that ends well past midnight? We’ve already established that in a world without logistics, they’ve got no entertainment and no snacks. They’ve also got no beverages, which is just as well, because there are no toilets at this celebration either. 

And we’re not just talking about our hypothetical non-logistic scenario here. There really are no toilets at the Times Square New Year’s Eve party. And people have gotten creative. For example, some people — people who don’t otherwise need adult diapers, mind you — decide to utilize adult diapers for party purposes. This is a thing that actually happens. Probably with more attendees than you think. 

But not without logistics! Because adult diapers need to be shipped, too. We’ll let you figure out what would happen instead. 

Why are We Even Here? 

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Of course, even without logistics, it would all be worth it to see the ball drop at midnight, right? 

Nope!

That part isn't going to happen either. Why? Because there’s no glass shipping. And glass shipping is very important. The Times Square Ball is made of Waterford Crystal, which is actually a type of glass. There are also tens of thousands of LED bulbs. For all of these materials to come together, they have to be shipped to the right location. 

A Toast to Logistics in 2025 

So there’s no ball drop, no music, no snacks, and no party favors. Just a bunch of hangry people in the same location with nothing to do but go look for the nearest toilet. That doesn’t sound like a great start to a new year. 

The good news is that we do have logistics, and Pearce Worldwide is ready to serve you throughout 2025 and beyond. Get in touch with us today to learn more.

We Ranked Movie Santas Based on Their Logistics Abilities

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The real Santa is great at logistics. If you think about it, he’s a shipper, carrier, and logistics broker rolled into one. He manages the goods at the workshop, arranges their travel, and then delivers everything in one night. 

Since the real Santa is busy at the North Pole, not many people have actually met the big guy. That means that when we see Santa in movies, writers have to take some liberties. Not every movie Santa is the same, and that includes their logistics abilities. Some of them are doing great. Others could use some extra help. 

We ranked some of our favorite movie Santas by freight skill. Let’s start from the worst ones and work our way up. 

5. A Christmas Story 

image by @hombre via unsplash

Up first is the Santa from A Christmas Story. We may be cheating with this one, since that guy wasn’t really supposed to be Santa. He was clearly one of Santa’s department store helpers. We’re using the word “helper” very loosely. 

In A Christmas Story, our hero Ralphie is on a mission: to acquire a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. After multiple adults dismiss his dream, Ralphie has one Hail Mary left: visiting a department store Santa on Christmas Eve. 

It doesn’t go well. 

Santa and his elves look like the kind of people who show up at your workplace with baseball bats if you’re late on a payment. And sure, Santa has the red nose you’d expect, but it’s less “jolly with Christmas cheer” and more “overheated from this velvet suit.” 

Santa’s in a hurry, too. The department store’s about to close, and he’s ready to get those kids out of there so he can go home and enjoy a microwaved burrito. So he gives each terrified kid about three seconds to say what they want for Christmas, right before the bookie elf throws them down a slide. 

Shipper Score: 0/10. As far as we can tell, this guy didn’t have any goods to deliver. Or any semblance of human joy, for that matter. 

Carrier Score: 0/10. This Santa only had one real “delivery” job: to get the kids from the top of the slide to the bottom. He didn’t put too much effort into it. 

Logistics Score: 0/10. We get it. Logistical delays happen all the time. Between traffic, bad weather, and all kinds of other nonsense, sometimes you have to think on your feet. That’s one of the reasons why people hire logistics brokers to begin with. But dude, the way to handle a traffic jam is not to have your elf buddies throw children down a slide like they’re sacks of potatoes and you’re behind on your French fry quota. That’s just poor planning, man. 

Overall: 0/10 

4. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer 

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Next up is Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. You may know the song (and we apologize for getting stuck in your head just now), but are you familiar with the movie? No? Well, we’re delighted to be the ones who get to introduce you. 

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer is a made-for-TV animated movie from the year 2000. Our protagonist, Jake Spankenheimer (why not) has a grandma who owns a general store. She refuses to sell it to Austin Bucks, who owns everything else in the town of Cityville. 

There’s some family conflict about that, and then, like the name of the movie suggests, Grandma gets run over by a reindeer. And then she goes missing. 

Anyway, it turns out that Grandma has amnesia and can’t remember who she is, so Santa brings her back to the North Pole to figure it out. Jake only finds her because he sends Santa an email, which was cutting edge technology in 2000.

They return to Cityville, but Grandma goes missing for a second time. It all works out in the end, but not before Santa is put on trial for kidnapping, sleighicular negligence, and leaving the scene of an accident. 

Shipper Score: 10/10. This is the one area where Santa didn’t mess anything up. He had goods, and he sent them out. If he handled everything else the way he handled shipping, he wouldn’t be ranked so low on the list. 

Carrier Score: 0/10. There’s really no redeeming yourself once you let one of your reindeer dive-bomb a grandma. 

Logistics Score: 5/10. Kidnapping is not the solution to your problems. 

Overall: 4/10. Honestly, he deserved that lawsuit. 

3. The Santa Clause 

@timmossholder

In The Santa Clause, divorced dad Scott Calvin spends Christmas Eve with his son, Charlie. When Santa lands on Scott’s roof, Scott assumes that the man is a burglar. He startles Santa enough to make him fall off the roof and disappear. Santa’s business card instructs Scott to put on the Santa suit, so he does. But it turns out that there was some fine print on that card. If you murder Santa and put on his suit, you become Santa yourself. Classic. Sweet dreams, kids.

Shipper Score: 10/10. This Santa excels here. He’s great at warehouse management and making sure that the toys are ready to be shipped. We’re basing this score off of his actions later in the movie, because he had nothing to do with getting that first shipment ready. For that, we’re giving credit to the first Santa. The one who fell off the roof. 

Carrier Score: 3/10. He got all the gifts delivered on time, but he definitely committed manslaughter first. Plus, he really didn’t have much to do with the transport. He was very ready to go home and disappoint billions of children, but the reindeer stubbornly hauled that sled from house to house, no matter what the cranky man had to say about it. The only reason we’re even giving him those three points is because he didn’t make things worse.

Logistics Score: 5/10. You’ve got to read the fine print, man.

Overall: 6/10. Not the best, but he gets the “most improved” award. 

2. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 

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Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a stop-motion film from the sixties. When our protagonist is born with a glowing red nose, his dad covers it with a fake one, teaching Rudolph his first valuable life lesson: being different is bad. We’re already off to a great start. 

At the Reindeer Games, where Santa scouts his reindeer, the fake nose comes off. Rudolph leaves in disgrace to hang out with a misfit elf who wants to be a dentist. 

Several other plot points happen, and at the end of the movie, Santa nearly has to cancel Christmas because of a snowstorm. Good news, though! Rudolph’s glowing red nose can help guide the sleigh in the dark. Christmas is saved! 

Now, let’s take a look at how our Santa did. 

Shipper Score: 9/10. Reindeer games seem like a great way to keep up morale. However, Rudolph was getting bullied on Santa’s watch, so Santa loses a point for that. Otherwise, this Santa did pretty well in the shipping department. 

Carrier Score: 8/10. Not bad overall. But he loses a couple of points due to lack of planning. Santa delivers Christmas presents on December 24th every year, so it seems like a snowstorm shouldn’t catch him off guard. Snow in the middle of winter isn’t a new thing, Santa. You could’ve planned for that. You probably should’ve installed some headlights a long time ago. What were the chances of a reindeer being born with a glowing nose? You got very, very lucky with that one. 

Logistics Score: 7/10. Knows how to put a team together, still ignored Rudolph until it was convenient. 

Overall: 8/10

1. Elf 

Image by @epw615 via unsplash

Elf features an orphaned human named Buddy who becomes an elf after crawling into Santa’s bag as a baby. Papa Elf raises Buddy as his own, and the rest is history. 

Shipper Score: 10/10. No complaints. Santa got the job done. 

Carrier Score: 7/10. All the gifts were delivered on time, but how did you not notice that a kid crawled into your bag, dude? We understand wanting to avoid deadhead miles, but this might not be the best way to do it. 

Logistics Score: 9/10. Apart from that one big mistake that kicked off the plot, Santa’s doing a pretty good job here. He has an expert team, he fixes problems as they arise, and he keeps the whole operation running well. 

Overall: 9/10 

We Can’t All Be Santa 

Santa may be able to handle it all, but for the rest of us mortals, it’s better to work as a team. Even if you don’t have to deliver toys to every child in one night, being a shipper or carrier comes with all kinds of unique challenges. Pearce Worldwide is here to help. Get in touch with us today to learn more.

The 6 Weirdest Things People Actually Shipped

Shipping is a complex industry. A lot of work happens behind the scenes, even for average shipments. Well, the shipments were about to show you are far from average. While you’re looking for the right logistics team, you can take heart knowing that you’re not in charge of moving a space shuttle. In the meantime, take a look below at some of the weirdest things that people have had to ship.

1. The World’s Largest Traveling Potato Sculpture

@francogio via unsplash

Somewhere in Idaho, there’s a big truck that hauls exactly one thing: a four-ton potato. It is aptly named “The Big Idaho Potato Truck.”

We’ve brokered a lot of agricultural logistics. We know all about cross-country freight. Still, when our carriers haul potatoes, they tend to haul a bunch of little ones at the same time.

This giant potato, unfortunately, isn’t real. It’s made out of fiberglass. We’re told that if it were real, it could make nearly a million French fries. According to the World Record Academy, this potato holds the record for the world’s largest traveling potato sculpture.

Which brings up several questions. How competitive was this record, exactly? How many potato sculptures were considered for this title? Who was the runner-up? Is there a world’s largest non-traveling potato sculpture?

2. A Giant Inflatable Rubber Duck

@ross_savchyn VIA UNSPLASH

Produce isn’t the only thing a shipper might need to move. Some shippers, for example, might have questions about shipping inflatable items. Or art installation logistics. Or a giant rubber duck.

What, you’ve never had to ship that last one? Well, someone did. It’s the world’s largest rubber duck, and it’s called The Big Duck. So far, our world record holders have been very straightforward with the names.

3. Ingredients for a 15,000 lb Cheesecake

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Each year, the town of Lowville, New York hosts the Cream Cheese Festival, which sounds like a fantastic reason to travel to New York. Just over a month ago, Lowville reclaimed the title for the world’s largest cheesecake. The confection weighed over 15,000 pounds, and they had to cut it with a sword.

Fortunately, they didn’t have to worry too much about refrigerated freight or cake shipping. Since Kraft has a plant in Lowville, the 13,000 pounds of cream cheese didn’t have to travel too far. But if you do have refrigerated shipping needs, record-breaking or otherwise, the Pearce Worldwide team can connect you to carriers who will get the job done.

4. Just a Whole Bunch of Snow

@wsanter via unsplash

Do you have unique logistics needs? Are they as unique as shipping thousands of pounds of snow to Alaska? And yes, we did mean to say “to” instead of “from.”

In 2016, Alaska faced unseasonably warm temperatures, which meant less snowfall for their annual Iditarod dog sled race. So, the experts on snow and ice transport stepped in.

5. Over 28,000 Rubber Ducks

@andreuuuw via unsplash 

Oh, we weren’t quite done with the rubber ducks just yet. We see your giant rubber duck, and we raise you 28,000 regular-sized ones.

Have you heard of the Great Duck Spill of ‘92? (Disclaimer: We don’t know if people actually call it that.) A cargo ship container fell into the sea, and thanks to this shipping container accident, 28,000 rubber ducks were set free. Suddenly, the world was their bathtub. For years, American beachgoers would occasionally find a rubber duck that had washed ashore.

Okay. Now we’re done with the rubber duck content.

6. A Space Shuttle

@nasa via unsplash 

We’ve brokered some oversized freight before, but we can’t say that we’ve ever taken it to this level. There’s heavy haul logistics, and then there’s shipping an entire space shuttle orbiter. Which brings us to the Endeavor. After making 25 flights, the Endeavor was decommissioned and transported from Florida to California.

It had to be shipped via aircraft, in spite of the fact that the distance between Florida and California is a lot shorter than the distance between the ground and outer space. Then, it was transported through the streets of Los Angeles, which we’re assuming couldn’t have helped the traffic situation.

Pearce Worldwide: For Your Unique Logistics Needs

You probably don’t ship rubber ducks or record-setting potatoes, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t have unique logistics needs of your own. Whatever you ship or haul, Pearce Worldwide is here to connect you to the resources you need. If you’re looking for a logistics company, get in touch with us today.

Gourd Thing We Have Logistics

Image description: a close-up of the top of a pumpkin

We’ve made it all the way to the fall, which means that it’s pumpkin carving season again! But did you know that if we didn’t have trucking and logistics, you might not get to carve a pumpkin at all? It depends on where you live. Some parts of the U.S. have lots of pumpkin farms, while others only have a few. 

Since we do have trucks that ship pumpkins this time of year, you should have no problem finding the perfect gourd for your front porch. But what if we didn’t have those trucks? Well, then you’d have to work with what you had at home. Different regions grow different crops, so your experience would vary. 

We looked at all the regions of the contiguous United States to see what each one would have to use in place of pumpkins if we didn’t have the shipping industry. And now that we’ve done that little thought experiment, let’s just say that we’re grateful for logistics. Why? Well, take a look. 

Northeast 

image description: a field of cabbages

States That Grow a Lot of Pumpkins: New York and Pennsylvania 

Chances of Obtaining a Pumpkin: 4/10

What You’d Have to Use Instead: Cabbage

Experience Rating: 6/10. Using a cabbage as a jack o’ lantern might not be that bad, actually. It’s roughly the same size as a small pumpkin, right? Out of all the regions on this list, the Northeast has the best odds of enjoying their non-pumpkin jack o’lantern experience. The reason why we can’t rate it a full ten stars is that the carving process is bound to get a little rough. Sawing through all that foliage won’t be easy. 

West

image description: potatoes

States That Grow a Lot of Pumpkins: California 

Chances of Obtaining a Pumpkin: 1/10 

What You’d Have to Use Instead: Potatoes 

Experience Rating: 3/10. On the plus side, it’s not hard to carve a potato. You wouldn’t need an electric saw like the Northeasterners. On the minus side, it’s not hard to carve a potato. You’d have to go about this process very, very carefully. And then find a tiny candle. 

Southwest and Southeast 

image description: a blue question mark on a pink background

States That Grow a Lot of Pumpkins: Texas and Virginia 

Chances of Obtaining a Pumpkin: 1/10. Like the Northeast, the South only has two states that grow a lot of pumpkins. But Northeasterners have a slightly better chance because they live in a smaller region. There’s a lot more space between Texas and Virginia than there is between New York and Pennsylvania. If you happen to be in Texas, though, we assume that your odds are great, judging by the fact that Texas’s state squash is the pumpkin. The state squash. It’s a thing. Evidently, they voted on it in 2013. 

What You’d Have to Use Instead: Your imagination. Most of what we grow here in the South is some form of grass, like wheat or barley. There’s also soybeans. We’ve got lots of those. We can’t think of a good way to hollow out a soybean, though. 

Experience Rating: 0/10

Midwest 

image description: a close-up of several uncooked cobs of corn

States That Grow a Lot of Pumpkins: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio 

Chances of Obtaining a Pumpkin: 9/10. Out of the ten states that grow the most pumpkins, four of them are in the Midwest. Illinois is ranked number one. This gives you some really good odds of getting a pumpkin for jack o’lantern purposes. Which is a good thing because, well, you’ll see in a minute. 

What You’d Have to Use Instead: Corn. Obviously. 

Experience Rating: Either 0/10 or 10/10. We can’t decide. It depends on how comfortable you are with unpredictability, we guess. 

See, the problem is that if you hollow out any vegetable and put a candle in it, that vegetable is going to heat up really fast. And, well, your vegetable is covered in corn kernels. Which means that your jack o’lantern is going to turn into a popcorn projectile launcher. 

We hate to do this to you, Midwesterners. You already have to wear sweats under your costumes most years. But if you didn’t have pumpkins and had to resort to corncob jack o’lanterns, you’d have to wear safety goggles, too. 

Need to Ship Some Pumpkins? 

We don’t know about the rest of you, but we’re glad we don’t have to figure out how to carve a cabbage. 

Since we do live in a world with logistics, we’re here to make your shipping process run more smoothly. Our clients don’t just ship pumpkins and other produce, though. We work with those who ship paper, auto parts, lawn and garden equipment, and much more. When you’re ready to learn more, get in touch with the Pearce team.

The 4 'R's of Logistics

Image Description: an overhead image of a pirate ship on the sea

Ahoy, mateys, and listen well! September 19th was International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Aye, when we heard the news, we said “Well, blow me down! We almost missed it!” 

Don’t ye worry, buckoes*, we won’t leave ye marooned. That would be mutiny! So, avast! Batten down the hatches and all hands on deck. In honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, here be the four arrrrrrghs (uh, Rs) of logistics. 

*Yes, “buckoes” is pirate slang. We looked it up. 

1. Road Freight 

image description: a small box of gold coins

Call it the coffer, the booty, or whatever ye like. Road freight is what we call the goods that carriers haul across the country in trucks. It may be a landlubber’s way of transportation, but we’re pretty fond of it. After all, we couldn’t have major sporting events without it.

2. Reefer 

image description: a ship on icy water

A “reefer” is a refrigerated trailer for haulin’ grub, including all the produce you need to prevent scurvy on the high seas. Without reefer trailers, drinking milk that’s been hauled with a truck might send you straight to Davey Jones’s locker. Reefer trucks also haul medical supplies, certain electronics, and anything else that needs to be kept cool.

3. Route Planning  

image description: hands holding a treasure map

On the high seas, route planning is when the captain of the Jolly Roger chooses the fastest way to reach and plunder the Queen Annne’s Revenge. Side note: We looked up the names of famous pirate ships for this post. Did you know that there was a ship called The Squirrel? 

Anyway, here on land, planning a route means finding the most efficient way to get your coffers from one point to another. Without it, you may belay the trip or need to get bailed out. 

4. Rate Negotiation 

image description: a hand holding a toy pirate

Without solid rate negotiation, you might as well be shark bait, savvy? You want to avoid getting pillaged or hornswoggled, right? It’s not just a bunch of scuttlebutt, which we’ve just now decided is our favorite pirate slang term. So, how do you make sure that you’re striking a fine bargain? By working with a logistics provider, or course. 

Fair Winds to Ye! 

Well, we’ve certainly learned a lot from this post. For example, last week, we never would have guessed that you could find a list of pirate slang terms on a website that ends with .gov, but here we are. 

And if you’re still getting your sea legs when it comes to the world of logistics, we hope you learned something about how it all works. 

Meanwhile, if you’re an old salt who’s already savvy about the world of trucks, maybe because you’re a freight agent yourself, feel free to get in touch with us here at Pearce Worldwide. 

We promise we don’t usually talk like this.

5 Trucking Lingo Terms You Struggle to Explain at Thanksgiving

Every industry has its own lingo. Sometimes, that lingo is pretty self-explanatory. At other times, it requires a little bit of an explanation. Trucking lingo can be particularly interesting. You know what the terms mean, but it’s easy to see why some people might get a little confused. Here are some trucking terms that you might have a hard time explaining. 

1. Peddle Run 

image description: three penguins in the snow

What it is: a route with many delivery stops 

What it sounds like: an adorably addictive game you’d download from the app store

A “peddle run” requires the driver to stop multiple times for deliveries. If you send out a lot of less-than-truckload (LTL) cargo, you’re probably familiar with the concept of a peddle run. When you do enough of these, you probably forget that it sounds like something you’d play on your phone. Can you picture it? We can. The main character is a penguin on a bicycle, and if you collect enough shiny rocks, you can customize your penguin with cool accessories. 

2. Reefer 

image description: a close-up image of ice cubes

What it is: a refrigerated truck, meant to keep produce and other refrigerated items cool for long periods of time

What it sounds like: You know exactly what it sounds like. 

Once you learn that “reefer” is short for “refrigerator,” it seems obvious, but that wasn’t your first thought when you originally heard the term, was it? We work with all kinds of carriers at Pearce, including carriers with reefer trucks. They’re vital when you need a carrier for frozen foods, certain medical supplies, and other things that have to stay cool. 

We also wrote about reefer trailers in one of our first blog posts here. Finding images for that post was a challenge. Try it. Do an image search for “reefer” and see what happens. And then tell Grandma that you send out reefer trailers for a living. It’s fine. She was around in the seventies. 

P.S. – We recently learned that “reefer” is also a term for aquarium enthusiasts. 

3. Sleeper 

image description: a grayscale image of a person holding a finger to their lips in a “shh” signal

What it is: a sleeping compartment in a truck

What it sounds like: a secret agent who’s going to spring into action as soon as you use the code word

Many owner-operators like to use a sleeper cab on the road. In fact, it was owner-operators who helped turn sleeper cabs into what they are today. They talked to truck manufacturers about building more comfortable sleeping compartments so they could get the most out of them. But when you just call it a “sleeper,” it does sound like a person who might commit a heist if you said “the purple duck flies over the man on the moon.” 

4. Sliding Fifth Wheel 

image description: a truck on a road

What it is: an adjustable extra wheel that lets trucks adjust to weight changes

What it sounds like: somebody who tags along on double dates, but only sometimes 

A sliding fifth wheel is actually a pretty cool invention. For one thing, it attaches the tractor to the trailer, which is always important. You can also slide it toward the front or back of the trailer, depending on which axles you want to carry the most weight. But it could also be a slang term for someone who crashes double dates. Maybe they only do it every once in a while, or maybe they only crash the first part of the date before they “slide” over to something else. Either way, they need to get a hobby. Or a significant other, but you’d feel sort of bad trying to foist them off on someone else. 

5. Tri-Axle 

image description: an ice skater mid-spin

What it is: A trailer with three combined axles in the rear

What it sounds like: an olympic-level ice skating move 

Tri-axles are great for heavy-haul shipping, since they help trucks carry the extra weight. And if we didn’t know any better, we might think it’s a term from the winter olympics. 

E.g., “Wow, Jerry, Natasha’s really struggling to land her tri-axles this round.” 

“Indeed, Trevor. There’s a rumor going around that she’s spending a little too much time on the reefer trailer, if you know what I mean.”

How to Win a Hot Dog Eating Contest (with Logistics)

image description: a hot dog on a bun in front of three condiment bottles

Disclaimer: We’ve never won a hot dog eating contest. Or attended one. Most of us had never even watched the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest until this year. You can imagine how fascinated some family members were when somebody happened to turn on ESPN this July 4th. 

“They’re like pelicans,” one person whispered in horrified awe. “Where…what…How does this work?” 

“It’s like watching a train wreck,” muttered another family member. 

So if you really wanted to win a hot dog eating contest, a family-run logistics service probably isn’t the best source of advice. For that, you’ll have to find a…coach? A trainer? Are there people who provide that service? Probably. That said, there are lots of logistics concerns involved in this sort of thing. Here are just some of the things we noticed. 

Training and Preparation 

image description: person preparing to lift a barbell with weights attached

There’s nothing like watching a person eat more than 50 hot dogs to remind you of the capacity of the human spirit. Humans are fascinating, right? If we put our minds to something, we’ll make it happen. 

The key is training and preparation. If you’re a shipper or carrier, you already know this. If you’re going to be a top dog in the industry (sorry), you always have to plan. For you, this means finding the right logistics broker. For a hot dog eating contest winner, it means training. “They fast and drink water to stretch their stomachs,” explained a cousin. 

And now we know. 

Know Your Loading Capacity 

image description: a brown box labeled “storage”

“Okay, I get the water thing,” said one family member. “But like, there are other internal organs in there. Are they just supposed to move out of the way? This should still be impossible, right?” 

See, that’s the other key to hot dog eating contests: loading capacity. We actually know all about this one. We’ve mentioned that our founder used to drive trucks, and his trucking company is still in the Pearce family. 

Contest winners know their own loading capacity when it comes to hot dogs. Those who don’t win probably overestimate the amount of food they can handle. In trucking, this can mean deadhead miles and other difficulties. In competitive eating, it means losing a competition on live TV. 

Either way, know your loading capacity. It makes a difference. 

Commit to a Strategy 

image description: a black and white chess board with chess pieces

Competitive eating, like logistics, is all about strategy. Obviously, that strategy is going to look different, depending on whether you’re loading hotdogs into yourself or into a refrigerated trailer. With logistics, you have to strategize for things like snowy weather. With competitive eating, you have to strategize for…eating. It’s probably more complex than that. 

In any case, it turns out that there are plenty of strategies for winning a hot dog eating contest. We know this now, partly because the Wikipedia page for the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has an entire section devoted to them. 

“See, they’re using a strategy called “chipmunk-ing,” explained a cousin who knew more about competitive eating than we realized. You learn something new about your family members every day, we guess. Other strategies include “dunking,” “the Solomon method,” and the “Carlene pop.” Just don’t try Juliet-ing. Apparently, that one is cheating. 

Stay Loyal, Stay Hungry 

image description: close-up of a handshake

Of course, you can’t win a hot dog contest at all if you’re not in the game. Yes, we’re talking about Joey Chestnut. The man who had it all. The man who once ate 76 hot dogs. The man who got kicked out of the 2024 competition for taking a sponsorship deal with a rival food company. 

See, that’s the thing about hot dogs and logistics: you’ve got to stay loyal. Take us, for example. Whether we’re talking about our shippers, carriers, or the agents in our agent program, we always commit to excellent service. We may never enter a hot dog eating contest, but we stay prepared, we strategize, and we put our clients first. If you want to learn more — about logistics, not hot dogs — get in touch with us today. 

When Birds Outsmarted Humans: 4 Logistics Lessons from the Great Emu War

Image description: close-up of an emu’s face

In 1932, a group of humans went to war with a bunch of emus. The emus won. No, that’s not a joke. Humans literally lost a war to 20,000 birds. 

How does that happen? Well, it turns out that emus are a lot smarter and stronger than they look. And maybe they’re bitter about being birds that can’t fly. 

The humans also made a ton of logistical mistakes. We think we can learn from those mistakes. So, in the interest of learning from the past, let’s take a look at the four things humans did wrong in the Great Emu War. 

1. The Humans Underestimated the Power of Supply and Demand  

image description: a wheat field and a blue sky

It all started right after WWI. The Australian government wanted to encourage farming, so they gave some land to returning veterans. They also promised that they’d pay these veterans to grow wheat. Naturally, the wheat crop was very large that year.

The government, however, failed to follow through on their promise. Now, these people were just stuck with a whole bunch of wheat. 

You know who apparently likes wheat? Emus. The large, flightless bird similar to ostriches. Those birds wreaked absolute havoc on the wheat crops, destroying fences and clearing the path for rabbits, who evidently also enjoy wheat. 

So, the first mistake was on the part of the Australian government: They underestimated the power of supply and demand. As the amount of wheat skyrocketed, it suddenly became way less valuable to humans. Unfortunately, it was still extremely valuable to emus, whose economy is very different from ours. 

Supply and demand is a powerful thing. It can disrupt entire economies and usher in an army of birds. 20,000 of them. 

2. They Forgot the Importance of Route Planning  

image description: a world map with several pins throughout

One of the most impressive things about the Great Emu War was the route planning…by the emus. The humans didn’t do as well as the birds here.

Once the emus attacked, the townspeople asked the Australian government for backup, plus artillery and ammunition. This time, the government obliged. And so begins the Emu War. 

Now, emus know a thing or two about logistics because they’re migratory birds. Like a good freight broker, they understand efficiency, and they know how to maximize it. Which brings us back to the wheat crops.

The birds saw the cleared land, easy access to food, and new water supply, and they said to themselves, “You know what? This seems like a good place to stay.” This decision was obviously very inconvenient for the humans. But if you look at it from the birds’ point of view, you have to admit that it was a very logical decision. 

This is the epitome of route planning. They found a way to make their route a lot shorter, and then they followed through. If you were an emu, it was a very successful endeavor. 

They also did some impressive route planning once the war began. They broke off into smaller groups, like shippers increasing their load frequency. 

To quote an army member who was interviewed by a local newspaper , “Each pack seems to have its own leader now — a big black-plumed bird which stands fully six feet high and keeps watch while his mates carry out their work of destruction and warns them of our approach.” 

The humans forgot the importance of route planning until it was too late. You can still blame the Australian government here. We’re not saying that they should have anticipated 20,000 birds specifically, but you’d think they’d know that an absurd amount of wheat might attract an absurd amount of animals. 

3. They Didn’t Hire the Right Logistics Broker 

image description: a red sign with white lettering that reads: “wrong way”

We take pride in a lot of things here at Pearce Worldwide. We’re proud of being a family-owned business. We’re proud to go above and beyond for our clients. One of our biggest points of pride? Not one single member of our Pearce family has ever lost a war to a bunch of birds who can’t even fly. 

We didn’t know that we were proud of that fact until very, very recently. Because there’s at least one Pearce family who can’t make the same claim: the family of one Sir George Pearce. Yes, Sir George. This man had achieved knighthood, and he lost to an army of birds. Twice. Did we mention that there was a second attempt at getting rid of the emus? A second battle, if you will. The emus won that battle, and the war. 

4. They Didn’t Plan or Think on Their Feet  

image description: the up-close face of an emu staring directly at the camera

Out of curiosity, we decided to look up the size of an emu’s brain. It’s 22 grams, by the way, or about the size of a mouse. But it turns out that the size of one’s brain has nothing to do with intelligence. We learned this from an article titled, and we quote, “Scientists looked inside bird brains and found they’re far more sophisticated than yours.” 

The human troops in the Great Emu War obviously didn’t know that. 

We don’t blame them for it, either. We don’t like to judge a book by its cover, but come on. Look at an emu and tell us whether you think it could outwit a human. Even so, losing the first battle to these birds should have given the humans a clue. They might have planned better for the next round, or they might have adapted their strategy when they saw the bird troops divide themselves into factions. They didn’t do either of these things. 

A Logistics Service that Has Never Lost a War to Emus 

Like we said, the team here at Pearce Worldwide has never been outsmarted by birds. To be fair, we’ve never had to go to war with them. But much like an emu, we know a thing or two about effective logistics. And unlike the humans involved in the Great Emu War, we’re experts in planning, adapting, and supply and demand. If you’re looking for a team that can help your business stay at least as efficient as a large flightless bird, get in touch with us today.

Why Southern People Don't Drive in the Snow

Summer didn’t officially start until June 20th, but we’ve been feeling the heat in the Nashville and Florida offices for a while now. That’s why we’re doing our best to keep ourselves cool by thinking winter thoughts. 

Does it work? We’re not sure yet. We’ll let you know. In the meantime, to keep up those efforts, let’s talk about why southern people don’t drive in the snow. While we’re at it, let’s take a minute to appreciate the people who do drive in the snow: truck drivers. 

Where Do You Think Our Infrastructure Dollars are Going? 

image description: an icy road surrounded by trees

At our Nashville and Florida locations, we probably have a different definition of “winter” than the people at the Chicago, West Virginia, and Michigan offices. In Tennessee, we get roughly two weeks of what passes for winter, and when that happens, schools close. Businesses have people working from home. There are only three types of  people who leave their houses: those who have to, people who moved here from the Midwest, and people who insist on wearing shorts all the time for some reason. 

Nobody else is going anywhere. If you grew up in a place that required you to tunnel your way to school with a spoon, you’re probably judging us for that. But hear us out. When you only get a little snow and ice, the infrastructure dollars aren’t going to snow plows. It makes way more sense for us to put that money into air conditioner maintenance. It’s genuinely more cost effective to shut everything down when there’s snow on the ground than to invest in snow plows and salt trucks that spend most of their time in a garage. 

Those who drive the existing snow plows are doing their best, but they don’t have a lot to work with. Which means that even though there’s not much ice, the ice that we do get is going to stick around and make the roads very, very slippery. 

Practice, Practice, Practice 

image description: a car on an icy road with trees on either side and a house and garage on the right

Let’s say you wanted to learn to play the piano. To get good at it, you’d have to practice. The key here is consistency. You’d need to practice on a regular basis, or you wouldn’t get anywhere. 

Now, imagine that after two weeks of practice, your piano vanished. One day it’s there, and the next day it’s gone. Don’t worry. It’ll be back for exactly two weeks next year. You can practice again when it shows up. 

Do you think you’d be able to get good at the piano this way? Of course not. 

Driving in the snow is a skill. Skills require practice. You can practice wintertime driving in the South, but you don’t exactly get a lot of opportunity to do that. By the time the snow arrives again the next year, you would have already forgotten everything that you’ve learned. 

The Hills of Tennessee: Great for Sledding, Bad for Driving  

image description: a road with several hills surrounded by trees

There are three things Tennessee is famous for: Dolly Parton, food, and steep hills. That third thing is another reason why we don’t drive in the snow. Hitting a patch of ice is bad enough when the ground is flat. Hitting a patch of ice while driving downhill is a recipe for disaster. As we already established, we don’t even get to practice dealing with these conditions on flat ground, let alone at the top of a hill. 

Thank You, Truck Drivers 

image description: a semi truck driving on the highway on a snowy day

Of course, there’s one group of people who handle all kinds of weather conditions, including snow in the South: truck drivers. They’re the reason why we still have food, fuel, and other essentials, no matter what the weather does. 

Truck drivers are also out on the road when temperatures skyrocket. Items like air conditioning units, ice makers, and electrolyte drinks had to be shipped before they made it to our homes. 

So, while we’re trying to stay cool, we want to take a minute to thank the people who help make it possible. We couldn’t do it without you.

Logistic Families: What Your In-Laws Have in Common with Freight Management

two hand holding up a row of paper dolls

When we first heard the term “logistic families,” we thought “Oh, you mean like us?” 

But it turns out that “logistic families” are just ways to group cargo. It’s not a very common term in the United States. We’re more likely to call them something like “shipping categories.” 

Whether you think of them as shipping categories, logistic families, or something else, they’re important things to know about. When you understand how they work, it’s easier to stay efficient, make plans, optimize your resources, and keep costs down. 

Let’s look at some examples. We’re going to refer to these categories as “logistic families” throughout this article, partly for uniformity, but mostly so we can compare them to in-laws.

Examples of Logistic Families 

image description: two people sitting across from one another at a table. one appears annoyed.

The best way to learn about logistic families is by example, so we’ve included some below. If you’re a visual learner, or if you just find it entertaining, feel free to picture your family at Thanksgiving while we discuss groupings of freight. Those two things have a lot more in common than you think. 

Size and Volume 

Some types of freight are organized by size and volume. For the sake of efficiency, you need to know how much space things take, much like you need to know how much space you’ll need to escape and listen to podcasts when your whole family is at your house. 

Sometimes, managing space gets a little tricky, especially if you’re shipping very large items. This type of freight is called “heavy haul freight,” and it includes things like machinery and pre-built houses. 

Managing space also gets tricky if you have a very large family, which is why some of our family members are well over 30 years old and still sitting at the kids’ table. 

Storage and Handling 

Next up is storage and handling. Sometimes, we group freight or family members according to specific needs. Maybe you need to bring out the air mattresses. Maybe you have to make sure that Uncle Dave and cousin Bob don’t sit too close to each other. (Dave knows what he did.) 

Or, to give you a cargo example, you might put a lot of glass items in the same storage facility or on the same truck, rather than placing them among items that don’t need to be handled with care. 

Another example is shipping food or flowers. For these items, you may need a reefer truck. 

Order Frequency 

Next up is order frequency. How often does this person or item go through the warehouse? 

When it comes to family members, your eccentric aunt who lives in Idaho may show up once every three or four years because she prefers birds to people. You don’t have to think about her accommodations too often, but when she does stay, it may be for several days or more. On the other hand, if you have two or three kids who live in the same city as you, they may make short but frequent trips to your house in which they eat a lot of your groceries. 

The same concept applies to cargo. For instance, everyday items like contact lenses and shampoo might be grouped together, since they’ll have to be shipped frequently. Items like refrigerators and mattresses could also be grouped together, since they aren’t replaced as often. 

What Logistic Families Mean for Shippers and Carriers  

These considerations are just a few of the things that make logistics so complex. Each type of freight has different needs, including specific needs for when, where, and how they’re stored. Often, you have to manage multiple categories at once. 

It gets easier when you work with a different type of logistic family — like ours, for example — to maximize efficiency. Want to learn more? Get in touch with us today. Our team would be happy to answer your questions.

Convenience and Soft Pants: How Retail Industry Trends Impact Shippers and Carriers

image description: a shop door with an “open” sign

We all have our gifts in life. Some of us made friends easily and got invited to parties, and some of us got really good at spotting trends in the retail industry. Fortunately, those of us who fall into the second category are here to help shippers and carriers keep up with changing demands. If you ship or haul freight, here are some ways that the retail landscape can impact you. 

Retail Looks Different When You Don’t Have to Leave Your House 

image description: a woman sits on her couch with a laptop

The introverts are playing the long game on this one. It starts with home delivery and ends with them taking over the world, we assume. Fine with us. A large percentage of us are introverts anyway, and the world domination plan probably includes a lot of soft pants. 

One of the biggest retail trends is an increase in home delivery. This trend started growing long before the pandemic, but COVID-19 took it up several notches. Obviously, this had a major impact on both shippers and carriers. 

Online Shopping and Its Impact on Shippers 

Shippers have seen a lot of changes thanks to home delivery. For one thing, shipping volumes changed. For many, those volumes increased. Home delivery often creates a bigger need for shipping, thanks to convenience and impulse buying. It’s a lot easier to order something online than it is to go to the store. 

Shippers have also had to adapt to more diverse shipping requirements. Many companies now offer same-day shipping, 24-hour shipping, and similar options. These days, consumers want their soft pants delivered as soon as possible. For shippers who want to offer these options, this means forging new relationships with carriers who can handle the job. 

All of these changes also create complex inventory management and customer service needs. 

Online Shopping and Its Impact on Carriers 

The increased demand also impacts carriers in a big way. Some carriers have expanded their fleet to keep up with client expectations, for instance. 

Their route optimization needs have also changed. For example, pickup and dropoff locations may have moved to different places, accommodating new shipping habits. 

The Physical Retail Landscape is Changing 

image description: wristwatches in a wooden case

Of course, humans are still social creatures. Sometimes, we change into real pants and leave the house by choice. When we do, we may go to stores that look a bit different from the way they used to look. 

Have you been to your nearest mall or shopping center recently? You may have noticed that several have closed down. When malls do stay open, they tend to have a lot of higher-end stores. Since people can have physical products delivered to their homes, some places have kept their doors open by providing more than products; They provide a certain atmosphere and experience that keeps consumers coming back. 

Luxury Stores and Their Impact on Shippers 

Luxury stores often have specific requirements for shippers, since products may need to look different. For instance, perfume bottles may need a fancier or more unique look. These products usually need more care during the shipping process, so shippers will have to find carriers that can offer it. 

Thanks to the increased value of shipments, the importance of reputation management, and plenty of other factors, shippers may also have more collaboration with retailers to make sure that everything runs smoothly. 

Luxury Stores and Their Impact on Carriers 

Of course, these same trends impact carriers, too. They may find themselves shipping more high-end products, which means taking more precautions. Like shippers, carriers also have to stay on top of their reputation management, and they may have to work more closely with shippers than ever before to make sure that everyone is on the same page. 

Convenience vs Sustainability 

image description: hands holding a small plant

Now that retail has become more convenient, there’s an ongoing discussion about sustainability. It’s a balancing act, especially because many consumers care about both. Shippers and carriers have become a big part of that balancing act. 

Some shippers keep this balance through a series of changes. They might take a second look at their packaging options, for instance, or look for carriers that prioritize sustainability. 

Carriers may prioritize sustainability by optimizing their routes and investing in more sustainable vehicles. 

These changes can impact costs for both parties. On the one hand, shippers and carriers may experience long-term savings, especially through route optimization. On the other hand, they may face bigger costs upfront. This means that they’ll have to find some short-term savings options. 

A Personalized Experience Thanks to Robots 

image description: five toy robots standing in a row

Yes, AI is involved in shopping, too. Of course it is. And in case any of the robots are listening, let the record show that we support it, okay robots? Remember our kindness when you become our overlords. 

For now, ironically, AI is being used to personalize the shopping experience. For example, if you order six pairs of soft pants, you’re probably not going to see a lot of ads for party supplies. 

How AI Impacts Shippers 

AI impacts shippers in a lot of the same ways that home delivery does. In fact, home delivery and personalized shopping go hand in hand. 

When the shopping experience became more personalized, so did the shipping experience. Now, shipping options range from same-day delivery to “no rush” delivery and everything in between. Shippers have adjusted their delivery practices to accommodate these options.

How AI Impacts Carriers 

Personalized shopping often means more deliveries. Again, people are encouraged to make many small deliveries instead of a few large ones. This impacts both the type and the amount of cargo that a lot of carriers haul. We’re out of jokes about shipping soft pants, so let’s say that you might be shipping more movie snacks. 

Freight Brokers Can Help You Keep Up 

The retail landscape is always changing. While we wait to see if the introverts or the robots take over the world first, freight brokers can help you keep up with these changes. 

Freight brokers like Pearce Worldwide can help you access shipping opportunities, no matter how the retail landscape changes. 

For shippers, this means easily finding carriers who can fit your needs. For example, if you need somebody who can handle large shipping volumes, we can connect you to the perfect carrier for the job. 

For carriers, this means more opportunity to access the freight, including specialized or seasonal items. At times when loads are harder to find, freight brokers can help you keep your trucks full. 

As trends change, you’ll want to save as much time and effort as possible. At Pearce Worldwide, we’re here to help. Get in touch with us today to learn more. 

The Logistics of Parenting

If you’re a parent, you already know about logistics, even if you don’t realize it yet. The most simple definition of “logistics” is “the process of getting things where they need to be.” Sound familiar? Between permission slips, library books, and those shoes that your kid can’t find, you work with logistics all the time.

In a lot of ways, you also partner with logistics companies like ours. Recently, we discussed how March Madness would look very different without logistics services. Well, it turns out that our services are a big part of parenting, too. Here are just a few of the ways that logistics companies work with parents every day.

Preventing America’s Youth from Getting Slow-Acting Scurvy

Image description: a close-up on a pile of oranges

Pearce Worldwide is a family-owned business, and many of our team members have kids of their own. We know what it’s like to buy a bunch of oranges only to have our kids decide that they don’t like oranges anymore.

Oh, they used to love oranges, but that was three days ago. A lot can change in three days. You learn to tie your shoes and all of a sudden you’re too good for oranges. We’ve all been there.

Fortunately, there are plenty of other produce options at the grocery store, and that’s because of the logistics industry. For example, the Pearce team works very closely with produce shippers who make sure that your local store keeps its shelves stocked.

Before the logistics industry, stores were limited to the fruits and vegetables that were in season locally. Now, don’t get us wrong. We love local produce. But when your child refuses to eat any fruit other than watermelon, and it’s the middle of winter, produce shippers help them get enough vitamin C.

Even if your second-born child has the vocabulary of a sailor, at least they won’t have the vitamin deficiency of one.

The Reason Why Your American Kid Has an Australian Accent

image description: a child with a tablet

Does your kid talk like a certain beloved Australian blue heeler? The logistics industry has something to do with that, too. A lot of deliveries had to happen for your child (and you, if we’re being honest) to watch that show.

Whether you’re streaming Bluey on a TV, phone, or tablet, shippers had to arrange for carriers to get that technology into stores. Logistics companies, like Pearce Worldwide, make the process smoother.

Helping You Answer Nearly 100,000 Questions

image description: a child points to a computer screen and holds up one hand as if asking a question.

While we’re on the topic of technology, let’s talk about having easy access to Google. If you have a smartphone, you carry more information in your pocket than the original computer, which weighed 30 tons and took up the space of an entire room.

If you’re the parent of a four-year-old child, you need that information. Why? Because your kid asks between 200 and 300 questions per day. That means that in a normal year, they’ll ask 109,500 questions. This year is a leap year, though, so that makes 109,800 questions.

Now, how often do you actually know the answer? Exactly.

Can a lizard be left-handed? Do ladybugs poop? Why does the ocean have salt in it? You don’t know. You could know, though. Which is great, because your kid won’t give up until you provide the answer.

In the meantime, we won’t give up on finding solutions for your most pressing logistics needs. We may not be able to help you find your kid’s missing shoe, but our family is here to help shippers and carriers find the solutions they need. Want to learn more? Get in touch with us today.

March Madness without the Logistics Industry: What Would It Look Like?

a jumbotron screen showing the march madness logo

How is your bracket doing? Some of us here in the Nashville office are doing surprisingly well. And some of us…Well, some of us would rather not talk about it. 

It did get us thinking, though. Did you know that the logistics industry helps make March Madness happen? It’s true. A major tournament like March Madness has a lot of moving pieces, and those pieces can’t come together without some help from shippers, carriers, and the people like us who put them together. 

So, we started thinking about what March Madness would look like without logistics and supply chain management. The short version is that it wouldn't go so well. Want to know how? Let’s take a look. 

The Word “Basketball” Might Get a Little Too Literal without the Logistics Process 

rows of peach-filled baskets at an outdoor market

There are too many logistics functions to name. Every one of them, from supply chain management to the movement of goods, plays a part in major sporting events like March Madness. Without them, even the most basic parts of March Madness would look very different. 

But first, let's take a quick detour away from logistics and supply chain management to talk about the invention of basketball. Stick with us for a minute. We promise there's a connection. 

James Naismith invented basketball in 1891. Players scored points by throwing a ball into a peach basket. To quote the Wikipedia article on the topic, "every time a point was scored, the game was halted so the janitor could bring out a ladder and retrieve the ball." Fortunately, they did eventually figure out that they could cut a hole in the bottom of the basket. 

Now, what does this have to do with the supply chain or logistics? Well, without logistics processes, a lot of teams may still be playing with peach baskets and whatever ball they had lying around the gym. 

There's only a small handful of basketball manufacturing companies in the United States. Thanks to the logistics industry, those basketballs can be shipped to college gyms all over the country. That's not the only part of this supply chain process, though. A basketball has to be produced before it can be shipped, and what do we need for that to happen? More shipping. Raw materials, machine parts, and all sorts of other goods have to make it to the manufacturer before they can make a basketball. 

The same idea applies to the hoops. Manufacturers need materials like plexiglass, metal, and nylon in a timely manner. Then, they'll need access to trucks that can handle large equipment. 

The entire process involves material handling, inventory management, inbound logistics, and outbound logistics. Without a good transportation management system, peach baskets may be the only option available. 

Without Logistics Services, Your Favorite Team Would Practice on a Dirt Floor 

an expanse of dirt with hills in the background and a person standing in the far distance

Without logistics and logistic management, your team wouldn't just be throwing balls into peach baskets. They'd be throwing those balls into peach baskets from a dirt floor. 

Okay, fine. Realistically, there would probably just be fewer gyms across the country. They'd be in places that had easy access to lumber, since you need wood to build a gym floor. Come to think of it, is your favorite team near a heavily wooded area? Because if not, they might not exist at all without inbound and outbound logistics. 

You Couldn’t Buy Cool Souvenirs without Logistics Operations 

a blue foam finger reading “we’re #1” is propped on a wood floor against a dark green couch.

The logistics industry also helps fans buy souvenirs to remember the game. It's a lot like the basketballs we mentioned earlier. You can see logistics functions across the whole supply chain. 

Want to get a poster? You'll need someone to ship paper. What about T-shirts? Somebody has to ship textiles. The same applies to foam fingers, too. You can't tell the world that you're #1 unless the foam reaches a manufacturer first. 

And those are just the raw materials. Once the raw materials become souvenirs, they move on to the next part of the logistics system: boarding delivery vehicles to reach the fans. 

If the Logistics Industry Disappeared, You’d Have to Draw Your Own Bracket 

a lined spiral notebook surrounded by crumpled pieces of paper

Logistics management doesn't just impact the game directly, either. It also affects the game indirectly. Those effects have a very wide reach. For example, without logistics and supply chain management, you couldn't make a bracket online. If you really wanted to make one, you'd have to draw it yourself. 

The good news is that you wouldn't have too much to draw. There'd probably be a lot fewer basketball teams, thanks to the reasons we've already established. 

Still, drawing your own bracket may be your only option, because you wouldn't have a phone. The tech industry relies on logistics, too. In fact, unless you could see a game in person, you'd have no access to March Madness at all. Your TV and all of its parts had many steps along the supply chain before it reached you. Logistics companies are the ones who made it happen. 

If There's No Logistics Management, Somebody Has to Get Very Good at Math 

a black calculator against a yellow background

Speaking of electronics, how quickly can you count? If you can do it fast, you may have had a solid March Madness gig in a world without logistics companies. Somebody would have to add up the scores on their own, since there would be no scoreboard. 

Fans Would Get Hangry without Logistics and Transportation Management 

several bags of popcorn in a tray

We almost made a joke about how without logistics management, at least the peach basket industry might still have a chance. But then we realized that it wouldn't, because peach baskets were invented to store peaches. Without logistics companies, those peaches would have nowhere to go. 

In fact, all types of food would have nowhere to go. Logistics activities, like inventory control and the movement of goods, are vital for the food and beverage industry. Without logistics, fans would have very limited snack options, which is especially unfortunate, because whoever is keeping score will need all the brain power they can get. 

Actually, There Might be No Fans at All without a Logistics Strategy 

an image from the point of view of a person standing on a basketball court, holding a basketball, and looking at their watch

Of course, the lack of snacks may not matter if there's nobody to watch the game to begin with. Without logistics companies, fans may not be able to watch the game at all. Obviously, people need a way to get to the game, but we're also talking about business logistics and the global supply chain. 

We already established that nobody would watch the game from a phone or TV, but there's a good chance that nobody would show up in person, either. That's because the logistics industry helps get seats in the gym. Those chairs have to be shipped, after all. 

At this point, we're already asking the fans to watch some guys throw balls into a peach basket, forgo snacks, and keep track of the score themselves. Now they have to do all of that while standing. Something tells us that this wouldn't be a fun experience. 

March Madness May Not Have Happened without Logistics Management 

a basketball has just gone through the hoop and is on its way back down

Now, let's take a look at our final score. Without logistics and transportation management, March Madness would have: 

• no basketballs 

• no gym flooring 

• none of the good teams 

• no fans to watch the game 

• no digital brackets 

• no snacks 

• no souvenirs 

• no scoreboard 

Without all of these things, the truth is that March Madness couldn't happen at all. You'd have nothing to talk to your relatives about. Not that it would matter, because you wouldn’t be able to talk to them in the first place. You can't visit them without a car, and the automotive industry relies on logistics companies, too. Plus, we’ve already established that there are no smartphones in this universe. so you can’t call, either. 

Most people don't notice the impact that logistics has on everything we do. There's a reason for that. It's because supply chain management professionals, including third party logistic teams, are here to make life easier. The better we are at our job, the less people notice us. 

We don't know about you, but we're glad that logistics teams are here. We're thrilled to be involved in everything from March Madness to grocery shopping. 

If you're looking for help with logistics activities, Pearce Worldwide is here to help. Contact us today to learn more.

Springtime Logistics: Common Challenges and How Your Freight Broker Company Can Help

It’s technically still winter, but Punxsutawney Phil predicts an early spring, so why not talk about how springtime impacts the trucking industry? 

Here at the Nashville office, we’re already experiencing the effects of spring. Granted, we don’t really have one winter here. We have five or six of them. Most of them are in February. We’re hoping that this spring is the one that takes, but we digress. 

No matter the weather in your location, your business will probably experience some springtime changes. A freight brokerage company can help you navigate them. Let’s explore how.

Freight Brokers Work with Weather Changes 

Image description: a field and a gray sky during a storm. lightning strikes on the left side of the image.

At Pearce, a lot of our shippers work with produce. This means that several of our clients have food safety concerns. They may need cold storage for their freight during the trip, for example. 

When the weather heats up, this concern becomes even more important. Even if you don't ship produce, changing weather patterns impact your business. This is especially true when those weather patterns become unpredictable. 

Like we mentioned earlier, some places, like Nashville, flip back and forth between temperatures. Our Chicago office is well acquainted with Winter's Revenge, no matter what the groundhog says. And as we're writing this, our Florida location is seeing heavy rain and even tornadoes. 

The United States is a big place, and that means a huge variation in weather. Depending on your place in the supply chain, your trucks or loads may see all of these weather patterns on their journey. 

So, where does your freight brokerage company come in? 

Freight brokers connect shipments with the best carriers to do the job. Maybe you're a shipper who needs to send a refrigerated truckload or dry van truckload. Freight brokers, who have large networks, can connect you with the trucking company your load needs. 

Or maybe you have a trucking company and want to make sure you manage your vehicles well. Getting the most out of your trucks means keeping them on the road. Freight brokers work with many shippers who need exactly what your trucks can provide this spring. 

Freight Brokerage Companies Understand Springtime Route Challenges 

image description: several maps from an atlas

It's not just the weather that changes in the spring. Supply chain challenges can arise, too. 

For instance, road conditions change. Carriers have to deal with the potholes that winter left behind. Plus, construction companies begin major projects as the weather warms up. Meanwhile, traffic becomes more congested, as many people take vacations or go on day trips in the spring. 

By helping with things like route optimization and load optimization, freight brokers minimize delays for both the shipper and the carrier. They help carriers navigate these issues as efficiently as possible so they can save money on fuel and truck maintenance. Likewise, shipper clients can keep their freight moving. 

Freight Brokers Navigate Seasonal Demand Fluctuations 

Image description: a SCULPTURE OF TWO ARROWS. a teal arrow points upward, while an orange arrow points downward. there are trees in the background.

We recently discussed how freight broker services help clients through the post-holiday season. One of the biggest post-holiday challenges comes from seasonal demand fluctuations. 

Springtime can amplify these challenges. You'll see an increased demand for specific types of goods, like construction materials and outdoor equipment. If you ship produce, you may have to shift your routes based on seasonal suppliers. Both trucking companies and shippers will need to alter their strategies this time of year. 

Fortunately, freight broker services are experts in efficiency. A logistics company is the perfect source to help transportation services get from point A to point B. The best freight brokers notice details that others may not notice. As a result, they can help your business adjust to seasonal changes within your routes. 

Find the Right Freight Brokerage Company this Spring 

When your supply chain faces transportation challenges, load boards alone are not enough. Freight brokerage companies can help your business no matter the season. When you meet seasonal challenges head-on, both you and your clients can enjoy the results.

How Freight Brokers Help Clients with Post-Holiday Challenges

Image description: a gift wrapped in black paper, a gold ribbon, and a snowflake tag

Now that Valentine's Day has ended and February is coming to a close, your business has settled back into its post-holiday rhythm. 

Whether or not you run a seasonally-dependent business, you probably experienced a lot of fluctuation over the past several months. That surge in consumer demand always brings its own challenges, but what about the challenges that arise after the holidays?

Though the post-holiday season is less frantic than the holidays themselves, you may have noticed some unique issues that arise this time of year.

Shippers in particular deal with some interesting obstacles, but having the right trucking brokerage on your side can help.

Let's take a look at some of the ways freight brokers help their shipper clients with post-holiday difficulties.

1. Optimizing Shipping Costs

Image description: a plant grows out of a jar of coins

Shipping costs are a concern during the holidays, of course, but even after the New Year arrives, you still have some cost-related concerns.

Depending on the type of goods you ship, your clients may have gotten used to quick turnarounds and expedited shipping over the past few months, and they may still expect these types of services.

If you’ve faced this challenge recently, the right freight broker business can help you optimize your shipping costs.

Freight brokers have plenty of tools and advantages that keep shipping as cost-effective as possible. A successful freight broker has a large network of trusted carriers, excellent negotiation skills, and detailed knowledge of logistics market changes.

All of these advantages can help you as you navigate post-holiday shipping costs.

2. Flexible Capacity Management

Image description: floor-to-ceiling shelves stacked with shoeboxes. To the left, a person scans a box.

Shipping volumes can be unpredictable, especially during the holidays and immediately afterward. Most shippers scale back their loads right after the holidays end, but your needs may fluctuate from year to year. Freight brokers help shippers work with this unpredictability by connecting them to the trucking companies that have the capacity they need.

Many of these trucking companies may avoid load boards. They often prefer freight brokers that can help them avoid deadhead miles this time of year. By working with a freight broker, you'll have someone with plenty of connections on your side. They can leverage these connections to find the best trucking company for your capacity needs.

3. Streamlining Carrier Selection

Image description: a circle contains an arrow that points to the right.

Finding carriers is a challenge even when you're not concerned with post-holiday changes. When you add those changes into the mix, this process gets even more complicated. You may have specific inventory concerns, like the need to restock inventory as quickly as possible. Your usual carriers may have limited availability. After all, they also deal with fluctuating supply chain needs. Expedited shipping may also be a concern for you.

Whatever the reason, streamlining your carrier selection can make your life a lot easier this time of year. Working with a good freight broker can help. While they leverage their connections to simplify your trucking needs, you can focus on other aspects of your business.

4. Technology Integration

Image description: the torso and hands of a person working on a laptop

The post-holiday season demands advanced technology, especially if your business is impacted by reverse logistics this time of year. A solid freight brokerage business will stay on top of the latest technologies in the logistics industry. This way, they can connect you with the motor carrier that best meets your tech needs. 

5. Risk Mitigation

Image description: two people in a business setting hold a conversation while sitting at a board room table.

Unexpected challenges can disrupt post-holiday shipping. The logistic industry is never predictable, but it gets even more complicated during and after the holidays. A good freight broker business can help. Freight brokers understand risk mitigation and have contingency plans. They can help both their carriers and their shippers expect the unexpected. 

6. Market Insights

image description: a single, lit lightbulb hangs from the ceiling in front of a dark blue wall.

We've mentioned a few times that good freight brokers stay on top of market trends. This includes keeping up with the fluctuations that happen before, during, and after the holidays. They use these insights to plan ahead, make adjustments as needed, and optimize strategies so that your business can stay as competitive as possible in the industry.

Finding Your Ideal Freight Broker 

Do these benefits sound familiar to you? If so, it might be because we've mentioned them in the past. The holiday season makes life a lot more frantic for many shippers, but the truth is that the right brokerage business can provide these benefits year-round. 

As we move into springtime, working with a freight broker can help you establish a solid foundation for the next holiday season and beyond.

Six Common Freight Agent Struggles and What to Do About Them

two people in business suits discuss a complex chart on a whiteboard

Freight agents play a critical part in the freight brokerage world, and they have lots of growth opportunities. Being a freight agent has plenty of benefits, especially if you're highly motivated and need a lot of flexibility in your job. 

Even so, life as an independent contractor comes with challenges. Add those challenges to the ones that are inherent to the trucking industry, and you'll need to get creative fast. 

If you're an independent freight agent, you're probably all too familiar with the challenges we've listed below. Here are some of the most common difficulties that freight agents face, plus what you can do about them. 

Common Freight Agent Challenges

a jenga tower with several pieces removed

Independent freight agents work in an unpredictable industry. As a freight agent, you know that thinking on your feet is the rule, not the exception. 

Here are some of the most common challenges freight agents face as entrepreneurs in the trucking world. 

1. Fluctuating Freight Rates

Fluctuating freight rates can create all sorts of difficulties for independent freight agents. You do what you can to predict rate changes, but so many factors influence rates that it's hard to keep up. 

Factors like supply and demand, the cost of fuel, and market conditions can make a major difference. 

As a result, you may notice significant income changes from one quarter to the next, and it can be difficult to predict future financial needs. 

2. Double Brokering 

Double brokering has become a huge issue for agents in recent years. Imagine contracting a load to a carrier only to find out that this carrier isn’t who they claim to be. For instance, they might broker the load to another carrier illegally without your knowledge or permission. They may even use the identity of another, legitimate broker when they do so. 

Double brokering can prevent you from doing business accurately and effectively, and it can also damage your reputation. If the innocent carrier figures out that they were scammed, they may find you and bill you for the load. If you’ve already paid the fraudulent broker, this could mean that you pay for the load twice. 

3. Carrier Selection

Finding the right carriers is one of the most important skills you'll need as a freight agent. Even apart from double brokering, this skill is a challenging one. Your carriers should be reliable, safe, and consistent. And of course, you'll want to work with carriers who can provide the right shipper solutions. 

Making the wrong choice will cause delays and dissatisfied customers. 

4. Market Competition and Customer Relationships 

Like many freight brokers, a lot of freight agents enjoy the highly competitive nature of the logistics industry. Still this competition does create challenges. Freight agents have to find ways to stand out. 

Once you've found clients, it's also important to maintain your customer base by keeping strong customer relationships. 

5. Technology and Automation

We've spoken before about new technology in the trucking industry. While there are some exciting changes on the horizon, these changes also require time and resources to adjust. 

When you're an independent contractor, it can be tough to keep up with all of these changes, especially if you're running your freight agent business without the right support. 

6. Financial Management

When we discussed the skills that freight agents need, we mentioned the ability to pay attention to details. Your financial management is one of the most important places where this skill comes into play. 

Between invoicing shippers, staying on top of your expenses, and managing your cash flow, you have a lot on your plate when it comes to staying successful as a freight agent and avoiding financial instability. 

How to Choose the Right Freight Broker  

two “one way” signs point in perpendicular directions

Fortunately, you can mitigate these challenges by working with the right established freight broker. Here are just some of the ways that solid freight brokers help freight agents stay on top of their game. 

1. Access to Resources for Freight Agents 

One of the most beneficial parts of the broker and freight agent relationship is the access to resources, but not all brokers provide the same ones. 

Truck brokerages often have access to substantial resources that freight agents may not be able to access easily. When a freight agent connects with the right freight broker, they can start making the most of their business practices. 

As you look for freight brokers to help your business grow, pay close attention to the resources that they have to offer, and don’t settle for a brokerage that doesn’t provide what you need.

2. Steady Stream of Freight Agent Business

Freight agents can gain a much more consistent flow of opportunities when they partner with certain freight brokers. 

One of the biggest benefits of freight brokers is that many of them have established long-lasting business relationships. 

When agents partner with these freight brokers, they get more networking options, opportunities for securing customers, and chances to save time and effort by leveraging this network. 

Look for signs that a freight broker has the right connections. These signs include being in business for many years and having a solid reputation in the industry. 

3. Helping Freight Agents with Technology Support 

Freight brokers usually have complex transportation management systems, plus access to load boards. A freight agent working with a freight broker can use this support to streamline operations, improve business efficiency, and stay competitive in the industry. 

Still, some brokers have better tech access than others, and some are especially adept at using it. When you talk to potential freight brokers, find out what technology they use to book loads and maintain operations. 

4. Marketing and Branding with a Freight Broker Business 

Brokerage firms often have established brands and marketing strategies. Agents can benefit from this brand recognition, making it easier to attract new clients and grow their businesses. 

Again, the key is to find a well-established freight broker who has years of experience in the industry. When brokers can make a name for themselves, it’s a sign that they make the most of their marketing strategies. 

5. Proactive Steps Against Double Brokering 

It’s crucial that you protect your business from double brokering schemes, and the right freight broker service can make all the difference. 

The best freight brokers take an active role in combating double brokering. Ideally, your broker will have invested in tools and technology to spot fraud and scams. 

Making the Right Choice

trucks on a highway surrounded by mountains

As a freight agent, you can find plenty of benefits when working with a freight broker. That said, you don't want to choose just any freight broker. Not all brokerages are the same. 

Your freight broker should have an excellent reputation in the industry, offer you plenty of support and resources, and provide thorough and prompt communication. 

At Pearce Worldwide, for example, we want to make sure that each freight agent we work with feels heard. 

We also actively combat double brokering schemes by investing in the right tools and providing training so our agents know how to spot the warning signs. 

Our team would love to help you with resources and support. If you're ready to learn more about how we can help you with your freight agent business, get in touch with us today.