You can take on fuel cost headwinds and turn them into a positive for you as a shipper. Address these challenges through good ideas that will set you apart from your competitors and become a shipper of choice. Look at some options to guide you below and make sure to involve your partners when drafting your own.
- Plan ideal routing times?If you are scheduling appointments right during rush hour, this can really make an impact on their fuel efficiency. Critique your load hours so carriers can avoid heavy congestion.
- Practice efficient loading?A study from the University of Stanford shows that fuel efficiency was tremendously impacted when a load was mispositioned. This could mean stacking evenly or even shifting loads to a certain side. Also, keep your loads under 44,500 pounds. Learn from your carriers on their equipment efficiency and what works for them.
- Decrease load times?This will reduce idling while also providing the driver with better time efficiency.
- Offer Incentives?Increase your fuel surcharges or even provide gas cards. This shows you are cognizant of the carriers struggles, and these can really bring you a tremendous competitive advantage.
If you missed our first post in our 2-part series, download our e-book, “Facing the Cost of Fuel” here: https://bit.ly/3ykVPWV
