PFA Team

March 31, 2020
March 31, 2020
Categories

Fueling Up – A Supply Chain in Flux

Adversity brings out the best in many of us. That will be counted on in the coming months as we adapt to the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis.  Those of you focused on the restaurant industry, for example, may need to shift gears to supporting the demand being faced by grocery stores, pharmacies and health food stores. There will be a slowdown – at least for the short term – in many products and services considered non-essential and a huge spike in those more essential to public health and safety. Are there competitors who could become collaborators? Could you team up on some opportunities with companies that are rivals? Or, are there trade-offs that you could make with other Freight Brokers or Motor Carriers? Are you built to be part of the solution in working with various levels of government and the health care sector? Are there ways in which […]
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January 3, 2020
January 3, 2020
Categories

Cargo Insurance & Coverage

Failing to plan is planning to fail. And that applies to planning to do some new things in 2020. Now’s the time to consider those new twists for the new year. Sometimes, even a small shift can mean new business. You’ve probably been thinking about a few new opportunities over the last few months; now is the time to get serious and make them happen. A prominent question on the minds of many Freight Brokers is a simple one: What can increase business? PFA Transportation Insurance & Surety Services is always exploring this key question for many Freight Brokers: “How can I make my company more desirable to Shippers?” Cargo Coverage Services One of the primary protections for you – and one commonly desired by Shippers – is some form of cargo coverage. It’s worth considering and several options exist. Most Freight Brokers have heard of and consider Contingent Cargo […]
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December 5, 2019
December 5, 2019
Categories

ATRI Operational Costs for Truckers

Tommy Ruke – aka The King Pin — of the Motor Carrier Insurance Education Foundation knows his stuff and loves the opportunity to share information with trucking companies that want to make a difference, for their customers in particular and for the transportation industry in general. Here’s the lowdown on the ATRI Report on Operational Costs for Truckers from one of the consummate leading experts in truck insurance. https://truckingresearch.org/   The ATRI analysis of the operational costs of trucking is a 2019 update that reflects 2018 operating costs. To download the full report at no cost, go to truckingresearch.org. Each year, ATRI reports on a survey they conduct.  You need to understand who responds and how their information is used.  First, ATRI is an affiliate of the American Trucking Association, so their research is for large interstate fleets (private and for-hire). Sector Respondents Truckload (TL) 37% Less-than-Truckload (LTL) 42% Specialized/Other […]
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December 5, 2019
December 5, 2019
Categories

Making Yourself More Marketable to Shippers

Recognizing that your customers are what ultimately drive your business, one of the key questions for many Freight Brokers is “how can you make yourself more marketable to Shippers?” The basics of self-marketing 101 in the transportation industry include Cargo protection, General Liability protection and Auto protection. How about ensuring that you have a supplementary indemnity in place (at least $25K)? It’s worth considering. These small investments can yield significant increased opportunities. Insurance Grows Revenue Most people believe insurance is about protection. And at its very core, it certainly is. Yet, have you considered how it can grow your revenues? We have seen insurance coverage increase revenues by making Freight Brokerages more marketable to Shippers, as just one example. Shipper’s Interest Cargo Time and time again, it seems to come back to the basics of 1. Cargo protection 2. CGL protection 3. Auto Protection. We see contractual demands. We see […]
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December 5, 2019
December 5, 2019
Categories

Bring your 2020 vision into the New Year for 2020 success

The end of one year and the start of the next is always a good time to take stock of where you’re at. That’s as true for businesses in any sector – including the rapidly-evolving transportation industry – as it is for people. Perhaps it’s time to elevate your company’s planning for 2020 with a little bit of the old and a little bit of the new when it comes to goal-setting. The old axiom around planning still haunts the ghosts of corporate USA past: Fail to Plan. Plan to Fail. And many have failed simply because they didn’t spend enough time planning for the mid and long terms. In the eyes of many, planning has only become more important in recent years. That’s partly because so many industries are changing so quickly and not enough of the companies within those sectors are keeping their eyes on the early adopters […]
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