January 3, 2022
It’s a common refrain at PFA, as it is among many leading businesses both within and outside the transportation sector: The end of one year and the start of the next is always a good time to take stock of where you’re at in business. It’s particularly important coming out of the wild year that we’ve just been through and in preparing for economic uncertainty that lies ahead. The old axiom that failing to plan is planning to fail is embraced by so many simply because they see what happens when organizations don’t spend enough time planning for the mid and long terms. Planning has only become more important in recent years because so many industries are changing rapidly and not enough of the companies within those sectors are keeping their eyes on the early adopters and change agents. Given what’s going on in the U.S. and around the world, […]
November 30, 2021
Vetting your Motor Carriers has never been more important than it is going into 2022. It’s the kind of due diligence that can prevent you from surprises and disappointments. As we’ve said before, when it comes to appointing Motor Carriers, an important part of your due diligence is to ensure the carriers with whom you contract have the proper FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) authority, that your Motor Carriers carry the appropriate lines of insurance coverage and that your Motor Carriers have the necessary CSA safety ratings. Without question, this due diligence regarding your Motor Carriers should be one of the most basic and fundamental priorities for your Freight Brokerage business. Your Motor Carrier should be appropriately licensed, authorized and insured to protect the loads in question. You can look up the Motor Carrier’s authority, and regulatory insurance requirements, on the FMCSA’s website. This will give you […]
December 30, 2020
The end of one year and the start of the next is always a good time to take stock of where you’re at. It’s particularly important coming out of the year that we’ve just been through and in preparing for economic uncertainty that still may be ahead. 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 2021 with a little bit of the old and a little bit of the new when it comes to goal-setting. 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 certain industries are keeping their eyes on the early adopters and change agents. There’s no better year for your company to pay some […]
December 30, 2020
As we said last year at that this time, failing to plan is planning to fail. Very few businesses can grow – let alone sustain themselves – without being well-organized and well-structured to achieve your priorities in any given year. Strategic and tactical planning have never been as important as they are going into 2021, where having some security in the face of continued uncertainty on several fronts is something to build on for Freight Brokers, Motor Carriers and others in the transportation sector. Being organized is the key to planning to do some new things in 2021. 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? […]
December 30, 2020
Registration for the 2021 Program Year is now open! The FEMA Tender of Service Program serves as the gateway for Transportation Service Providers (TSPs) wishing to do business with FEMA. Consider this registration window (open until 2/12/2021) as an opportunity to be part of the FEMA transportation team. You can participate as a Freight Broker and/or Motor Carrier if you have an active FMCSA registration of either type of transportation operation. FEMA’s carrier selection process has specific requirements, including qualification of drivers, which add duties that are atypical to a traditional brokered load. Please read and understand those duties in order to be compliant. It is in your best interest to do your due diligence thoroughly and follow all FEMA requirements exactly; otherwise, your future payments could be jeopardized. One of the FEMA TSP requirements is a $300,000 limit for cargo insurance. PFA’s Insurance Team has several options to help transportation […]
November 25, 2020
The sheer volume of holiday shipping this year is unprecedented due to people shopping online like never before. The truckers currently navigating America’s roadways are a sure sign that Santa Claus is coming to town. Add freezing rain and snow along with a global pandemic, and you may have yourself a headache, especially if you’re in the transportation business. Holiday and winter seasonal challenges for transportation industry leaders include: Bad weather: Snow, freezing rain, black ice. If you live north of the Mason-Dixon Line, you tend to be old pros when it comes to the ravages of winter. Most trucking companies cross into serious winter weather no matter where they are headquartered. All the safety precautions apply here – including knowing when to stay off the road. Equipping your drivers with the latest apps and weather media channels – including The Weather Channel and Weather Underground – is a smart […]