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WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug. 15, 2022 – The Customized Logistics & Delivery Association (CLDA) recently awarded its third annual CLDA Scholarships to three students who are the children of members of the association. Each student will receive a $1,000 scholarship to pursue education beyond high school.
This year’s recipients are
• Brody Bernecker, the son of Jim and Mindy Bernecker. Jim is the president of Relay Express.
• Taryn Bilchik, the daughter of Bryan and Sandy Bilchik. Bryan is the Director of IT at Need It Now.
• Kylie Jowers, the daughter of Thomas and Kimberly Dawn Jowers. Thomas is the Chief Operating Officer at ADL Delivery.
Bernecker graduated from Archbishop Alter High School in Spring Valley, OH with honors. He plans on attending Miami University in Ohio in the fall with an eye towards a career in business, finance, or entrepreneurship. He was Vice President of his high school’s Investment Club and a member of both the Key Club and the National Honor Society. He served as the captain of the schools’ Food For All effort, coordinating transportation and food for the school’s annual food drive. He played on the school’s varsity basketball and soccer teams. He was recognized as the Employee of the Month at his job at the Dayton Country Club.
Bilchik graduated from Sickles High School, Tampa, FL in the top 10% of her class. She plans on attending the University of Florida in the fall with an eye toward veterinary medicine. She got a head start on that career by becoming a Certified Vet Assistant in her Junior year of high school. This enabled her to volunteer at a local nonprofit animal clinic. She also earned the school’s Greenhand award, served as Color Guard Captain and was a member of the National Honor Society. A passionate horseback rider, she also volunteered as a counselor-in-training at Girl Scout camps and was an involved member of the Future Farmers of America.
Jowers graduated Cypress Ranch High School in Cypress, Texas with honors. She will be going to Texas State University in the fall with an eye towards a career in directing or playwriting. She graduated Cum Laude from her high school and earned recognition with membership in the International Thespian Society. In high school she was involved in theater, Color Guard, the school’s Peer Assistant Leadership program, Hero Club, and the Senior Women Club. She was an involved member of the Texas Association of Future Educators.
Those applying for the scholarship had to be associated with a CLDA member and planning on attending college, a trade school or trucking school in the fall. Applications were reviewed by the CLDA Cares Committee, and the decisions were made based on their backgrounds, grades, and their essays. The scholarships were funded by donations from CLDA members, vendors, and affiliates.
The CLDA Scholarships are awarded annually. Submissions for the 2023 awards should be submitted by April 1, 2023. For more information go to the CLDA Cares tab on clda.org.
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) represents the first to final miles of the supply chain in the US and worldwide. This non-profit professional association serves the needs of its 2,900 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. The CLDA gives its members access to a diverse network of logistics professionals looking to create new business opportunities and share decades of practical insights. They provide an avenue for amplifying members’ voices on key issues and help them participate in the regulatory discussions shaping the industry. The CLDA keeps members informed and educated on trends, current issues and best practices. For more information see clda.org
Media Contact
Andrea Obston aobston@aomc.com
(860) 803-1155
WASHINGTON, D.C. Aug. 10, 2022 — Industry executives and the supply chain’s next generation of leaders will gather virtually on Oct 6 to build the skills to take on today’s challenging times. CLDA’s annual Executive Leadership Summit (ELS) will be an interactive, online workshop featuring industry experts, logistics pros and successful CLDA members. The online event will run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 pm (Eastern).
This is the fifth year for the CLDA’s Executive Leadership Summit. The conference is designed to offer skill development to c-suite executives, young professionals, and managers in the leadership pipeline. Together they will build skills to take on today’s runaway inflation, to win the war for talent and to prepare for the possibility of a recession.
“This is an annual event that helps build the next generation of leaders in the last-mile industry,” says Conference Chair Brian Surber. “It is the perfect opportunity for up-and-coming executives to learn strategies from experts in the field and from our most successful and seasoned CLDA veterans. Every year we present to strengthen the talent pool in our industry and support the logistics leaders of tomorrow.”
Participants will take active roles in the sessions including participating in individual break-out rooms where they will discuss shared challenges and ways to take them on. In addition, participants will get a chance to network at a virtual happy hour at the end of the day.
Registration is now open to all in the industry with a discount for CLDA members. For more information and registration, go to the events tab at CLDA.org.
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) is a non-profit professional association that connects and leads members of the time-critical logistics and delivery industries. The association serves the needs of its 2,900 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. The CLDA gives its members access to a diverse network of logistics professionals looking to create new business opportunities and share decades of practical insights. They provide an avenue for amplifying members’ voices on key issues and helps them participate in the regulatory discussions shaping the industry. The CLDA keeps members informed and educated on trends, current issues, and best practices. For more information see clda.org.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston aobston@aomc.com
(860) 803-1155
WASHINGTON, D.C., Apr. 12, 2022 — Excitement is building for the 2022 CLDA Final Mile Forum & Expo. The live, three-day event from June 29 to July 1 will provide the tools to stay relevant in the final mile. The conference site, the Hyatt Regency Miami, is a landmark hotel overlooking the Miami Bay. It will provide easy access to popular attractions, like Brickell City Center, Wynwood Art District, Coral Gables, and Little Havana.
Two keynote speakers, Gene Marks and Brian Carter, will arm participants with the tools to flex in the face of disruptions.
Kicking off Day #1 will be a keynote presentation “The Great Resignation.” Conference participants will learn how to attract and retain the best personnel in a post-COVID world from columnist and business management author Gene Marks.
A past columnist for both The New York Times and The Washington Post, Marks now writes regularly for The Hill, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine and The Guardian. He has written five books on business management, geared towards small and medium sized companies. His most recent is Want More Cash? 100+ Ideas and Strategies for Increasing Your Company’s Cash Flow This Year. He appears regularly on Fox Business, MSNBC, CBS and SiriusXM’s Wharton Business Channel where he talks about the financial, economic and technology issues that affect business leaders today.
Marks owns and operates the Marks Group PC, a technology and consulting services for small and medium sized businesses. Prior to starting the Marks Group PC this Certified Public Accountant spent nine years in the entrepreneurial services arm of the international consulting firm KPMG as a Senior Manager.
On Day #2 Brian Carter’s keynote address will be “Eruption Not Disruption.” It will feature the secrets of attracting the customers and workforce to grow in today’s disruptive business environment. Carter is a bestselling author and IBM Futurist whom LinkedIn dubbed “an expert you should listen to.”
In his 20 years of business success, Carter has worked with organizations of all sizes, including Microsoft, NBC, Salesforce, JP Morgan, Humana and The U.S. Army. His frequent media appearances include Bloomberg TV, ABC, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, AdWeek and The New York Times.
Carter has taught 50,000 students in topics including sales, generational differences, social media, customer service, leadership, teamwork and marketing. He has 250,000 online fans and reaches an overall audience of over three million people each year. His ideas and insights come from 20 years of trailblazing work in the modern business world, up-to-date experience and deep case-studies.
The conference will also feature educational sessions, meetings with shippers, networking events and a look at the newest industry trends and innovations at the conference’s packed exhibition hall.
Educational programs will include:
Two roundtable discussions will bring together shippers and carriers, forwarders and brokers from around the country to discuss new business, business strategies and best practices.
The three-day event will also include seven hours of networking opportunities and a look at the future of the industry with innovative solutions showcased in the Exhibit Hall.
“Members of the industry won’t want to miss out on this opportunity to meet shippers looking for carriers; stay on top of the knowledge to grow your business; get the jump on the latest technology; network with others in the business and renew connections with industry friends,” says conference chair Thomas Jowers.
For more information or to register, to go the Education and Events tab on the CLDA website CLDA members receive a discount on their registration. The association is currently taking reservations for booths in the exhibit hall and there are a variety of sponsorship opportunities available. To reserve a booth or learn about sponsorship opportunities, contact info@clda.org.
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) represents the first to final miles of the supply chain in the US and worldwide. This non-profit professional association serves the needs of its 2,900 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. The CLDA gives its members access to a diverse network of logistics professionals looking to create new business opportunities and share decades of practical insights. They provide an avenue for amplifying members’ voices on key issues and helps them participate in the regulatory discussions shaping the industry. The CLDA keeps members informed and educated on trends, current issues and best practices. For more information see www.clda.org.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston
aobston@aomc.com
(860) 803-1155 – cell
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 5, 2022 – Last-mile carriers are increasingly looking to overseas help in the face of a tight job market. For one carrier, Eveready Express, it’s been the key to continue delivering a high level of customer support in the face of the labor shortage. And a strategy for coping with rising costs.
“It’s been challenging since COVID to hire and retain people, and more so now with the US at or approaching full employment.” says Eveready Express’ President, Keith Kirk, a New Jersey based provider of courier and trucking. “A lot of people have gone out of the workforce. That includes older, more experienced people who are concerned about COVID as well as younger moms. We used to hire a lot of mothers to work while their kids were in school, but COVID changed that.”
Kirk started entertaining the idea of supplementing his office staff with overseas workers in 2020. “If you told me a year ago that we would have several people outsourced to overseas, I would have said you were crazy. I’d tell you ‘It’s not a good fit for us. We want everybody in the same place.’ But here we are now with a team of six workers in the Philippines who assist in recruiting fleet drivers, screening independent contract drivers, handling basic email customer support, tracking and tracing drivers,” says Kirk.
He admits that his early attempts at using overseas workers got off to a rocky start. He cautions other logistics providers that there’s a learning curve to make this work that they need to be prepared for. He got a jump on that learning curve by reaching out to fellow members of the Customized Logistics & Delivery Association (CLDA). “I talked to CLDA members who have been very progressive in many areas and found out how they were approaching this,” says Kirk. “After that, I felt like I wanted to give it a try. We hired a telemarketer, a lead generation person, from a logistics outsourcing company in Columbia. It didn’t work out. One of the issues is that most of these workers had been trained for the truckload industry and when I brought them into the last mile space, they didn’t seem grasp it. While this first group didn’t work out, we were still committed to leverage the diversity and cost advantages of remote workers.”
A number of logistics providers use outsourcing companies to bring on overseas workers. “I understand some logistics companies have been very successful handling things this way, but this first experience wasn’t successful for us. On the other hand, I’ve had some success hiring remote on Fiverr, Upwork, and other online freelance marketplaces for specific projects and in short-term situations,” says Kirk. “In fact, we’ve used freelancers from these sites for specific projects, like online research, recruiting in the USA and overseas, even for a project to purchase delivery vans. For ongoing staffing, there are quite a few staffing firms who specialize in this, and also direct recruiting sites, if you want to take on the managing of the team yourself. Our overseas staff include customer support, administrative support, track and trace, and weekend dispatch. We’ve been able to expand our service hours very cost-effectively.”
The key to making it work, Kirk says, is training. “There’s definitely a lot of training involved,” cautions Kirk. “I found that when you bring in people who aren’t familiar with our industry there is a greater learning curve. We give them a script to follow when recruiting and screening independent contractors, so they meet our standards. That can be time-consuming. There are a lot of questions and checking out. Once they get the hang of it, we’ve found they’ve done very well and really helped us beef up our efforts.”
Tips for Making It Work
Is overseas help right for your company? Kirk suggests you approach it with an open mind, guided by these tips:
A Way to Cope With Rising Cost in the Long Run
Would Kirk suggest couriers consider offshoring to control costs. Yes, but…
“If you’re looking for an alternative to conventional staff, I would definitely recommend looking to offshoring or nearshoring,” he says. “But you must go into it with a realistic plan. Chose specific areas. Perhaps non-core areas like administration, recruiting, backup for your customer service team or after-hours monitoring of dispatch. Those are all good areas to investigate where you will see some savings. It does help control cost, but you need to have a longer timeline for training. You need to go into it knowing it’s going to take a while to pay off.”
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) represents the first to final miles of the supply chain in the US and worldwide. This non-profit professional association serves the needs of its 2,900 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. The CLDA gives its members access to a diverse network of logistics professionals looking to create new business opportunities and share decades of practical insights. They provide an avenue for amplifying members’ voices on key issues and helps them participate in the regulatory discussions shaping the industry. The CLDA keeps members informed and educated on trends, current issues and best practices. For more information see www.clda.org.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston
aobston@aomc.com
(860) 803-1155 – cell
WASHINGTON, DC., Feb. 7, 2022 — What can providers learn from today’s disrupted supply chain? And how can they use those lesson to re-engineer today’s flawed supply chain? Two logistics veterans say it’s all about taking in those lessons and using them to change the ways goods flow through the system.
“Supply chain disruptions have become our new normal, and we should expect and plan for them in the foreseeable future,” says Chuck Moyer, a 40+ year logistics veteran and a former president of the Customized Logistics & Delivery Association (CLDA). CLDA’s 2,900 members include logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3PLs and vendors servicing supply chain companies. Moyer is currently Chief Executive Officer at Pentagon Final Mile & President at ROVA (Transportation Platform Company).
Adam Hill, President & Chief Operating Officer for the Scarbrough Group of Companies agrees that disruptions are here to stay, at least for the near future: “I expect us to see a least another year of this. I think 2022 is going to give us a little bit of a reprieve but I don’t think we’re going to see anything approaching ‘normal’ until sometime in 2023. And even then, I think we’ll need a new definition of normal.” The Scarbrough Group is a full-service international and domestic logistics provider, and a U.S. and Mexican Customs Broker. The group includes Scarbrough International, Scarbrough Logistics, Scarbrough Transportation, Scarbrough Consulting, and Scarbrough Warehousing.
A Flawed System That Finally Broke
Moyer points out that none of the current disruptions are especially new. Many industry observers have pointed out just how frail the supply chain was, even before the pandemic. “Many of the systems in use are antiquated, lack supply chain visibility and the ability for proactive planning.”
Moyer also pointed out that there were pre-existing weaknesses in the supply chain that finally gave way when faced with rising consumer expectations intensified by the pandemic. “What’s happening now only exposed the weaknesses in the supply chain,” he says, “Everyone in the supply chain knew the ports and labor models were fragile. It’s been reported and discussed for many years. What happened with the pandemic just exposed what was already know and the lack of planning. There were problems below the surface, and they just hadn’t reached the breaking point yet. We’ve been talking about these issues forever, but very few companies have really done a good job preparing and taking a proactive approach in dealing with them.”
It Didn’t Start With the Pandemic
Both of these logistics pros saw the roots of today’s issues preceding the pandemic by decades. One of the big drivers was the change in consumer expectations. “It goes all the way back to FedEx and Amazon. They changed consumer expectations,” says Moyer. “Before that, the delivery companies would tell the consumer when to expect their orders (known as the “push model”). Then companies like FedEx and Amazon started to put that power into the hands of the consumer (known as the “pull model”). Changing from the shipper telling the consumer ‘Your package will be delivered in three weeks’ turned into empowering the consumer and shippers asking consumers ‘When would you like it delivered?’ That put stress on the entire supply chain and is here to stay. The expectation of fast delivery, shipment tracking, excellent customer service combined with a flexible return policy and free or low-cost delivery options has everyone reevaluating their solutions.
Hill pointed out that another of the big weaknesses in the supply chain can be traced back to the Recession in the early 2000s. “We’re going have to go all the way back several decades to get a full picture of where we are now.”
The Pandemic Domino Effect
When COVID hit in China, cancelling Chinese New Year celebrations in 2020, the final stressor on the supply chain fell into place. “China was locked down for nine weeks due to the virus,” points out Hill. “Factories were shut down. Production ceased. That caused the steam ship lines to stop servicing those ports. Then, COVID started making its way around the world. Europe shut down. The US shut down. And just as manufacturing in China picked up again, we started to see skyrocketing consumption in the US fueled by lockdowns. Fast forward now and we’re seeing the ports in LA and Long Beach trying to handle a 30-plus percent increase in traffic from their pre-pandemic numbers. Those goods are locked up even now as things ease a bit, but it’s still chaos. The warehouses on the coasts are 130% full. We have more than 20 loads for every individual truck that’s available to come out on the West Coast. It’s just a perfect storm of problems. In the past, we may have had one of these problems and the rest of the supply chain could figure a way around it. We can’t do that now. That’s why I describe what’s happening as chaos. Not disruption. Chaos.”
What Can We Do?
“Disruptions are ongoing and somewhat unpredictable but planning now and changing the way we do business will position companies to take advantage of those disruptions in the future, and gain market share” says Moyer.
Given that many of the supply chain issues are baked into the system, what can logistics providers do? Moyer advises getting as much visibility of the whole process as possible. “When I look at the supply chain issues of today, I believe the root cause is that most companies lack visibility and measurements in their supply chain. What they need is a Control Tower – a way to gain full visibility all the way from the manufacturing of the goods through every leg of the supply chain. That way everyone along the way can spot disruptors in real time and adjust. So, if manufacturing is ahead or behind in their schedule, those picking up the goods can modify their schedules and judge the impact on their warehouses and ultimately how and when they will be able to deliver goods to their destinations. Having real-time systems that are linked to all of your stakeholders, monitors weather, and industry issues (including labor and bottlenecks) will help everyone in the supply chain to plan accordingly. This will allow optimization of every component in the supply chain. If you have that Control Tower you can optimize everything from your agreements to your scheduling, insurance, inventory control, placement of facilities and adjust as needed and keep your customers informed. Creating a pro-active culture and solution is an investment and provides a distinct advantage and ROI”.
Hill points to the human side of the equation when it comes to coping with disruptions in the supply chain. “Partnerships matter. Providers need to do business with people who are like-minded. They must do business with people they trust and know they can depend upon. This is the time where service wins and good partnerships are how you provide a high level of service. The world relies on those of us who make the supply chain work and we need to work together to make that happen.”
When it comes to providing the best service, Hill says that communications are key. “Many of these disruptors will be with us for a very long time and if we’re going to keep our customers it’s going to be all about communication. Communication skills are the key to delivering good service, no matter what disrupts the process. And when those things hit, servicing the client may include having to tell them that something’s not going to happen. Providers will need to be honest when something’s gone wrong and offer solutions to the customer how they’ll take care of it.”
Lastly, Moyer advises that everyone in the supply chain will need to evaluate how they do things. “We’re going to have to streamline operational strategy at every stage of the supply chain,” he says. “That will include improving manufacturing and inventory control, evaluating carrier relationships, searching out vendor management solutions, modifying demand requirements and focusing on workplace environments. Companies will need to invest in their people, artificial intelligence, automation and analytics to find creative solutions to streamline tasks, improve forecasting, gain visibility and improve efficiency. These are complex issues and companies must put strategies in play today and not just hope that the issues will resolve themselves. They won’t.”
Opportunity From Chaos
Hill concludes his observations about disruptions in the supply chain on a positive note. “There are always opportunities created by chaos,” he says. “Find the right opportunity and look for ways to make the most of it. There will always be storms and those that figure a way to make the most of them will come through stronger.”
Looking for ways to flourish in the midst of supply chain disruptions? Turn to the CLDA for webinars, conferences, best practices and support from members in the industry. Contact the association at info@clda.org or visit their site at clda.org.
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) represents the first to final miles of the supply chain in the US and worldwide. This non-profit professional association serves the needs of its 2,900 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. The CLDA gives its members access to a diverse network of logistics professionals looking to create new business opportunities and share decades of practical insights. They provide an avenue for amplifying members’ voices on key issues and helps them participate in the regulatory discussions shaping the industry. The CLDA keeps members informed and educated on trends, current issues and best practices. For more information see www.clda.org.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston
aobston@aomc.com
(860) 803-1155 – cell
WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 20, 2022 – The 2022 CLDA Final Mile Forum & Expo has been postponed until June due to the resurgence of the COVID virus. The three-day conference will be held from Wednesday, June 29 – Friday, July 1 at the Hyatt Regency Miami.
For anyone who had registered for the event in February, those reservations will remain valid or may be cancelled with no penalty. Those who had booked their hotel reservations will be contacted with more information.
“Given the impact of the Omicron variant, we felt it was prudent to move the event,” says Final Mile Forum and Expo Chair, Tom Jowers. “This event is all about connecting, and we didn’t want any health concerns to get in the way. The Final Mile Forum has a track record of making a positive impact on our members’ bottom lines and that’s what we want them to focus on. The June event will, once again, be a great opportunity for members of the industry to expand their knowledge, grow their businesses, meet shippers, learn about best practices from their peers, build their networks and explore the latest products and solutions. We are particularly excited to welcome the next generation of logistics professionals through our Next Gen Logistics Challenge for college students.”
The event, titled “Staying Relevant in the Final Mile: B2B, B2C, Be Prepared,” will feature educational sessions, meetings with shippers, networking events and a look at the newest industry trends and innovations.
A keynote called “Eruption Not Disruption” will tee up the first day’s educational session. It will feature the secrets of attracting the customers and workforce to grow in today’s disruptive business environment. This program will present insights from bestselling author and IBM Futurist Brian Carter whom LinkedIn dubbed “an expert you should listen to.”
Kicking off Day #2 will be a keynote presentation called “The Great Resignation.” will tee up the first day’s educational session. Conference participants will learn how to attract and retain the best personnel in a post-COVID world from columnist and business management author Gene Marks.
Educational programs will include:
Two roundtable discussions will bring together shippers and carriers, forwarders and brokers from around the country to discuss new business, business strategies and best practices.
The three-day event will also include seven hours of networking opportunities and a look at the future of the industry with innovative solutions showcased in the Exhibit Hall.
The Education and Events tab on the CLDA website will be homebase for changing registration or signing up for the conference for the first time. CLDA members receive a discount on their registration. The association is currently taking reservations for booths in the exhibit hall and there are a variety of sponsorship opportunities available. To reserve a booth or learn about sponsorship opportunities, contact info@clda.org.
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) represents the first to final miles of the supply chain in the US and worldwide. This non-profit professional association serves the needs of its 2,900 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. The CLDA gives its members access to a diverse network of logistics professionals looking to create new business opportunities and share decades of practical insights. They provide an avenue for amplifying members’ voices on key issues and helps them participate in the regulatory discussions shaping the industry. The CLDA keeps members informed and educated on trends, current issues and best practices. For more information see www.clda.org.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston
aobston@aomc.com
(860) 803-1155 – cell
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 29, 2021 — Keeping up with record backlogs and the traditional gift buying season will make this Holiday Rush one for the books. That’s the consensus of two industry veterans, one, the owner of a logistics company and the other a supply chain service provider.
Steve Howard is president of the Customized Logistics & Delivery Association (CLDA) and the president of Esquire Logistics, Inc in Florida. Chris Kane is the CEO of Drivv powered by Courierboard & CBDriver also based in Florida.
Both men acknowledge that the unique challenges facing carriers this holiday season make preparing for it a challenge. “It’s a big unknown,” said Howard. “We have been extremely busy all year with peak numbers every day. There are so many unidentified variables that could impact this year’s Holiday Rush. People are already buying on-line in record numbers, so there’s every reason to expect they’ll do the same with holiday gifts. And let’s not forget the last few Holiday Seasons when the big three, UPS, Fed-EX and USPS, struggled with volume. I have every reason to believe that they will be hard-pressed again in handling this holiday season’s volume. That will most likely mean more work for our members, who are mostly regional providers.”
Kane confirmed his expectations of increased volume this year. “I believe we are going to continue to see a huge increase in on-demand deliveries this holiday season from companies, retailers and individuals,” he said. “Everything is being delivered today as people shy away from in-person shopping. There are also backlogs and shortages of building materials that need to be delivered ASAP as they become available. This will be another drain on capacity. There’s also pent-up demand because everyone has been home for over a year. Add those together with holiday gift buying and we’ll see a tidal wave of delivery demand in November and December.”
There are also lingering issues from the pandemic that will have an impact on the 2021 Holiday Delivery Season. The most significant will be getting a large enough workforce. “There is a real challenge at the moment when it comes to hiring drivers and employees,” points out Howard. “We typically ramp up our hiring in October, but we have not stopped hiring all year. It appears that things are starting to normalize again, but with COVID raging in South Florida at the moment there is still a lot of concern about the effects it will have on the available work force.”
Kane has a front row seat on the driver shortage. His company, Drivv, is an online driver recruiting platform for courier companies to engage new drivers. They also have a driver contract website where independent contractors can search driver contract ads from courier companies called CBDriver. “Driver availability is the critical factor that will impact the 2021 holiday season,” he says. “The extended pandemic unemployment benefits have negatively affected the driver population. There are more companies advertising for drivers than ever before on our platform. The competition for professional drivers is intense with an increase in driver ads featuring incentives and sign on bonuses. To respond to these issues, Drivv has added new recruiting features including a search for Master Contractors, so companies can search our database for Master Contractors and see how many drivers and vehicle types they oversee.”
Both men expect to ramp up the search for drivers. “We are planning on a hiring blitz a month earlier than normal,” says Howard. “Our goal is to have an excellent team in place well before the historic beginning of peak which is usually around Black Friday.” The CBDriver platform will be rolling out a new online driver community forum, DriverTalk, which will help drivers connect, find new driving opportunities and share information with other drivers.
This escalating race to find, train and get more drivers up to speed will put tremendous pressure on logistics companies for the holiday season. “Bringing on staff early can be a challenge because of the cost of adding them well before you need them. The reality is that the company that has the delivery staff will most likely win!” says Howard. Drivv and CBDriver is already seeing that trend. “Demand is up for courier delivery services and drivers,” says Kane. “The volume of driver ads posted on Drivv /CBDriver is up by over 300% versus last year.”
Flexibility and early recruitment will be the keys to surviving Holiday Rush 2021, according to these two industry pros. “Start recruiting now!” advises Kane. “Drivers are essential to handle the anticipated high demand this Holiday Season and companies should use as many different resources as possible to recruit them.” Howard adds: “My advice is to be ready to adjust quickly. None of us knows what this season will look like but being prepared is critical to your survival.”
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) is a non-profit professional association that connects and leads members of the time-critical logistics and delivery industries. The association serves the needs of its 2,900 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. The CLDA gives its members access to a diverse network of logistics professionals looking to create new business opportunities and share decades of practical insights. They provide an avenue for amplifying members’ voices on key issues and helps them participate in the regulatory discussions shaping the industry. The CLDA keeps members informed and educated on trends, current issues and best practices.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston
aobston@aomc.com
(860) 803-1155
WASHINGTON, D.C. Sept. 27, 2021 – Remote work and essential worker recruitment will be two of the topics at CLDA’s virtual Executive Leadership Summit (ELS) on Oct. 6 & 7. The ELS is an annual skill development workshop for c-suite executives, young professionals and managers in the leadership pipeline.
Over two days, participants will develop their skills in dealing with what conference planners are calling “The New Abnormal.” Working sessions will include:
During Courier Roundtable Discussions participants will share their experiences developing company culture and recruiting and retaining essential workers. In addition, participants will get a chance to network at a virtual happy hour at the end of Day #1
“Time is money for all of us, so we wanted to make sure this program delivered a great ROI for both the time and the money participants were investing to participate,” said Conference C-Chair, Errol Cvern. “We believe we’ve done that and that the information and solutions we will be providing will make this the most important ELS you’ll ever attend.”
Registration is now open to all in the industry with a discount for CLDA members. Companies may also get a special group rate that allows them to register up to seven participants. For more information and registration, go to the events tab at CLDA.org.
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) is a non-profit professional association that connects and leads members of the time-critical logistics and delivery industries. The association serves the needs of its 2,900 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. The CLDA gives its members access to a diverse network of logistics professionals looking to create new business opportunities and share decades of practical insights. They provide an avenue for amplifying members’ voices on key issues and helps them participate in the regulatory discussions shaping the industry. The CLDA keeps members informed and educated on trends, current issues and best practices.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston aobston@aomc.com
(860) 803-1155
The Fight is On! Tell congress to leave independent contractors and class action lawsuits out of the political agenda
As you may have heard, there is a massive $3.5 trillion dollar “infrastructure” bill being negotiated in Congress right now. While it is being called an infrastructure bill, it is really a vehicle for the Congressional majority to make significant changes to employment law and our social safety net.
What little the government has revealed about the contents of this bill is very concerning – the bill of course includes an increase to the corporate tax rate, from 21% back up to about 26.5%. However, other more troubling provisions are also present. It appears that the House Majority are using the reconciliation bill to pass portions of the politically infeasible PRO Act, which stalled out in the Senate earlier this year. The markup out of the House Education and Labor Committee included a provision, detailed below, which would effectively ban the use of Independent Contractors and would remove the ability of employers to use arbitration agreements.
The provision in question would create new civil penalties (up to $50,000 per violation) for a set of “unfair labor practices” (ULPs), which would now include misclassifying workers as independent contractors. The bill would make it unlawful to “communicate or misrepresent to an employee… that such employee is excluded from the definition of employee”. In other words, the law would make it a crime, punishable by a $50,000 fine, simply to communicate to an employee that they are not an employee. Business executives and directors could be held personally liable for these alleged ULPs. Additionally, the law forbids the use of employee agreements designed to prevent class action lawsuits.
This provision attempts to do the same thing the PRO Act was designed to achieve: make the penalty for IC misclassification so high ($50,000 per IC) that employers are scared to use ICs, which then allows unions to try to unionize the drivers who are made employees due to the employer’s fear of the penalty. Today, we ask that you directly contact your Congressional representatives to stress how bad this change to our longstanding legal frameworks would be. We know that Independent Contractors are an important part of the US workforce, and in general, they prefer being ICs to traditional employment!
Please use the information below to impact the government’s plans and help our industry survive the impacts of this shortsighted “infrastructure” package!
Tell congress to leave independent contractors and class action lawsuits out of the political agenda
As you may have heard, there is a massive $3.5 trillion dollar “infrastructure” bill being negotiated in Congress right now. While it is being called an infrastructure bill, it is really a vehicle for the Congressional majority to make significant changes to employment law and our social safety net.
How to have an impact – CALL these Congressional offices TODAY!
Use the language below to succinctly make our case.
Introduction: My name is ______ and I am an employee/owner of _____. My company is part of the courier industry, and we rely on Independent Contractors as an important part of our workforce. Our drivers like having the choice to work as Independent Contractors and most prefer it to employment. We also rely on Arbitration agreements to quickly and fairly resolve legal issues.
Make the ask: I am asking you for your help to ensure that any reconciliation bill which passes does not include any provisions that would jeopardize the ability of Independent Contractors to find work in their industry or to increase Class Action lawsuits by killing arbitration agreements.
Conclude: Thank you for your attention to this problem. I hope Congress will not act to remove choice from America’s logistics drivers!
Please circulate this call to action to your colleagues and enlist their support. With more people contacting Washington, our chances for success increases.
Thank you for your assistance and support in this matter. CLDA Government Affairs staff will continue our work to represent your interests in Washington and will keep you informed of our progress.
WASHINGTON, D.C. August 26, 2021 — Industry executives and the supply chain’s next generation of leaders will gather virtually on Oct 6 and 7 to build the skills to adapt to the “New Abnormal.” The CLDA’s annual Executive Leadership Summit (ELS) will be an interactive, online workshop featuring industry experts and logistics pros.
This is the fourth year for the CLDA’s Executive Leadership Summit. The conference is designed to offer skill development to c-suite executives, young professionals and managers in the leadership pipeline. It will be led by business trainer and coach, Wes Gipe.
Over two days, participants will be part of eight working sessions covering such topics as:
• Adapting to the changes brought on by COVID
• Coping with an evolving labor market
• Adjusting to new insurance requirements
• Developing culture in a remote environment
• Understanding the technology needed to provide security in a remote workforce environment.
Participants are encouraged to take active parts in the workshop including individual break-out rooms where they can practice the skills they learn. In addition, participants will get a chance to network at a virtual happy hour at the end of Day #1
Wes Gipe is a Principal with Verity, LLC. He works with business owners and their teams as a facilitator, business advisor and coach. Gipe helps businesses with strategic planning, leadership, culture development and mediation of inter-personal challenges. He has logged over 14,000 coaching hours with more than 500 individuals throughout North America and Europe. His work has been featured in Forbes as well as other national media outlets.
Registration is now open to all in the industry with a discount for CLDA members. For more information and registration, go to the events tab at CLDA.org.
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) is a non-profit professional association that connects and leads members of the time-critical logistics and delivery industries. The association serves the needs of its 2,900 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. The CLDA gives its members access to a diverse network of logistics professionals looking to create new business opportunities and share decades of practical insights. They provide an avenue for amplifying members’ voices on key issues and helps them participate in the regulatory discussions shaping the industry. The CLDA keeps members informed and educated on trends, current issues and best practices.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston aobston@aomc.com
(860) 803-1155
