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WASHINGTON, D.C. Feb. 22, 2021 — Last-mile company executives may be able to get their drivers the COVID-19 vaccine right now regardless of their age. One owner of a courier company created that opportunity, and now all of his drivers who wanted to be vaccinated have received it.
Ben Kaplan, the owner of Rightaway Delivery in Romulus, Michigan reached out to one of the bigger hospitals his company serves to make his case. “I called my contact at the hospital and said ‘We’re such a vital part of your operation and we represent you. It’s common sense for you to want our drivers to be protected.’”
Rightaway delivers medications from the hospital’s pharmacy, handles specimens from their labs and makes sure their COVID-19 tests get to the labs to for processing. In all, they work for 20 departments and 120 satellite offices around southeast Michigan for that one hospital.
When Kaplan first made his case to one of his contacts, she said he could only send in the drivers to be vaccinated who worked for her department. “What she didn’t realize was all the other departments in her hospital we take care of,” says Kaplan. “Once I explained that, she realized the smartest thing to do was to protect everyone in our company.”
As a result, Rightaway was able to offer the vaccine to anyone in the company who wanted it. “The lesson for other carriers is to make your case to all of the departments at every hospital you work for, including the clinics and labs,” says Kaplan.
Many Rightaway drivers and employees seized on the opportunity to get vaccinated. “They had a one-week window to fill out the paperwork, and everybody who wanted to got it,” says Kaplan. “It was a personal choice. We could not force people to get it. All I did was offer them the opportunity.” Kaplan, himself, jumped at the chance to get the vaccine.
Reactions from his drivers and employees has been overwhelmingly positive. “They told me they felt very lucky,” he says. “So many have thanked me. The people who wanted shots were pleased. They had been worried.”
He urges all last-mile company executives to do the same. “You should have a good enough relationship with your hospital customers to be comfortable making that request,” he says. “Tell them ‘We represent you. We come into your hospital. We are a part of your operation. Don’t you think we should be considered a priority alongside healthcare workers?’”
Medical work is a critical part of Rightway’s business. Since the pandemic hit, they have been transporting 1,000 COVID-19 tests per day for multiple customers, getting them to local labs or on planes to labs in Kansas City, Salt Lake City and Atlanta. They also pick up and deliver tests to 40 Walgreens on the weekends. It’s all an extension of their extensive work for hospitals, labs and clinics, which is a large part of their business.
Kaplan is on the board of the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA), the trade association for last-mile carriers and drivers in North America. Since last December, the association has been reaching out to legislators and government officials to request that their workforces be designed as essential workers and therefore eligible to receive the vaccine on a priority basis. In the initial stages of the pandemic, CLDA’s efforts meant that this industry was declared essential so workers could go to their jobs when stay-at-home orders were in place. However, that hasn’t helped get their workforces access to the vaccine yet.
CLDA reached out to state health departments to put their drivers into the Phase 1b vaccination category. “We asked them to put us in the Phase 1b category as frontline essential workers or to move them up because of the medical importance of their services,” says Michael Taylor, CLDA government affairs director. “The Director of the CDC adopted the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that our workforce fit in Phase 1, but ultimately the decision of whether we fit into Phase 1b for frontline essential workers or in Phase 1c for other essential workers is in the hands of each state’s health department. The dialogue has been different depending upon the state. Several states have accepted our position. We urge all members to reach out to their customers on a local level to make things even more likely to happen.”
Kaplan advises other carriers that work in the healthcare environment to do what he did to get his people vaccinated. “My advice is to go ahead and do this on your own. If you’re working with a hospital, why wouldn’t you call? What do you have to lose? And what have you got to gain for your people?”
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) is a non-profit professional association that is the voice 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. Since 1987, CLDA has provided business opportunities, advocacy and education. For more information see www.clda.org.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston aobston@aomc.com
(860) 243-1447 – office
(860) 803-1155 – cell
WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 19, 2021— Shippers and carriers will meet up for a virtual networking event on Wednesday, March 3. The first Virtual CLDA Shippers Exchange will match shippers looking for carriers and carriers looking for business during roundtable sessions. The event will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Eastern) on Zoom.
Attendees will participate in three shipper-carrier roundtable sessions and one vendor session in separate Zoom rooms. Shipper sessions will last 50 minutes with participants grouped by the vertical they are interested in. The vendor roundtables will last for 30 minutes.
“Shippers are still looking for ways to expand their capacities, and they are looking to our members to help them meet escalating demands,” says Randy Edmonds, conference chair. “It’s why we felt it was important to offer this platform for those in the industry to connect.”
Before the event, carriers will fill out questionnaires about their companies’ capabilities, coverage areas and the verticals they serve. Based on shipper’s questionnaires about their needs and requirements conference organizers will match them up with carriers.
“We’re expecting shippers from verticals such as ecommerce, medical, pharma, auto, freight brokers, and others to participate,” says Edmonds. “Fifteen shippers have already signed up and based on the initial enthusiastic response, we’re expecting more to join the event.”
The event is open to CLDA members and non-members. Registration is now open for both shippers and carriers, with shippers invited to attend at no cost.
For more information or to register, visit www.clda.org/shippers-exchange.
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) is a non-profit professional association that is the voice of the time-critical logistics and delivery industries. The association serves the needs of its 3,500 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. Since 1987, CLDA has provided business opportunities, advocacy and education. For more information see www.clda.org.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston aobston@aomc.com
(860) 243-1447 – office
(860) 803-1155 – cell
WASHINGTON, DC, Jan. 4, 2020 –The recent news of the FDA’s approval of two vaccines to fight the coronavirus was met with cheers and sighs of relief. An end to the pandemic appeared to be in sight. But, with that good news came the realities – how would millions of doses of the vaccine get into the arms of Americans who were eagerly awaiting them?
That’s when the role of the supply chain took center stage. The carriers that keep the wheels of commerce (and ecommerce) rolling daily were suddenly thrust into the spotlight. With last-mile delivery companies providing the ultimate keys. These last-mile carriers will be responsible for transporting the vaccines at super-low temperatures; handling them properly and tracking their progress from the manufacturers to the places where they will inoculate consumers. Last mile carriers will also play a role in the critical supply chain that delivers the raw materials that drug companies need to manufacture the vaccines.
What are the challenges of handling these critical deliveries? How will the last-mile carriers meet them? What will they need to do to make the deliveries safely and efficiently? Jason Burns, First Vice President of the Customized Logistics & Delivery Association (CLDA), says the 3,500 companies that provide last-mile deliveries will be the key. Burns is also Director of Corporate development at Dropoff, a company well-experience in cold chain deliveries.
Members of the CLDA are mostly regional carriers who routinely transport pharmaceuticals. It is likely that they will play a key role, especially in the delivery of the Moderna vaccine, which will go through traditional pharmaceuticals’ distribution channels. The Pfizer vaccine, with its uniquely low temperature requirement (-94 degrees Fahrenheit) will go right from the manufacturer to sites uniquely qualified to store it through FedEx and UPS. Last mile carriers may be involved as subcontractors to these two transportation providers.
The Moderna vaccine is shipped at -4 degrees Fahrenheit, which is common for many pharmaceuticals. “The vaccine will be distributed by McKesson, which has a contract with the US government. Doses will be transported through their current supply chain,” says Burns. “Many CLDA members are already essential parts of that system. Their role will be to take the vaccines from local distribution sites to hospitals, clinics, and drug stores where they will be administered. Some of our members will handle the first leg of that journey from the manufacturers to regional hubs, while others will be responsible for transportation from regional distribution centers to local sites. That’s how we expect the Moderna vaccine to be transported since it will be pre-packaged in totes with dry ice and/or frozen cool packs to keep them at optimal temperature. Last-mile providers will transport the sealed totes, much as we handle regular pharmaceutical distribution.”
Delivery of the Moderna vaccine poses other demands. Capacity for one. “Managing capacity will be an on-going challenge,” says Burns. “Over the next few months, the drug has to be supplied to roughly one million people. However, initial distribution of the vaccine took place in the middle of the holiday rush. Under normal conditions, this is already a tough time of year to meet demand due to ecommerce shipments. The pandemic created even more volume during that period during a time when there is normally competition for resources, including drivers and vehicles. Companies had to get creative to find ways to add more capacity and personnel to be successful.”
There’s also the issue of security. “Having a secure chain of custody is critical with all pharmaceuticals, and this is especially important with the vaccine,” says Burns. “Everyone’s aware of the nature of these shipments, including those operating on the black market. Typically, with pharmaceutical operations, the focus is on securing your facility. Having good processes for scanning into the warehouse, loading vehicles and scanning again upon delivery. Some drivers also have cameras on the vehicles for added security measures.”
While the anticipation for this vaccine has put heightened attention on last mile providers, Burns expects this to be one step towards the increasing importance of the role of these carriers in healthcare logistics. “Healthcare will increasingly be delivered in peoples’ homes and the final mile industry will play a key role in making that happen,” says Burns. “I foresee a time in the not-so-distant future where vaccines like this one will be administered in peoples’ homes by medical technicians. Bolstered by the continued growth of telemedicine, in the near-future doctors will supervise healthcare workers through an app or a platform like Zoom while they administer a variety of life-sustaining medications. Or perform tests for COVID or other conditions. The need to develop these delivery systems may have been exposed by the current healthcare crisis. Ultimately, it may be one of the few positive things that comes out of the pandemic.”
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) is a non-profit professional association that is the voice of the time-critical logistics, delivery and express air cargo logistics industries. The association serves the needs of its 3,500 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3 PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. Since 1987, CLDA has provided business opportunities, advocacy and education.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston aobston@aomc.com
(860) 243-1447 – office
(860) 803-1155 – cell
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 14, 2020 – The CLDA Executive Leadership Conference on Sept. 23 and 24 will offer supply chain executives a hands-on opportunity to build their strategic survival skills. The annual interactive conference will take place this year virtually. It is designed to offer skills development to c-suite executives, young professionals and managers in the leadership pipeline.
It will feature workshops led by supply chain industry guru James A. Tompkins, Ph.D., Chairman, Tompkins International and former FedEx executive Dr. Djoly Souffrant, now President of Djoly Souffrant, LLC. Also presenting will be business coaches Wes Gipe, Principal of Verity, LLC and Lance Tyson, President and CEO of the Tyson Group.
The first day of the conference, Thursday, Sept. 23 will kick off at 10:00 a.m. with a welcome from Steve Howard, CLDA President and an introduction of the conference facilitator Ed Eppley. Interactive sessions will include:
The day will end at 2:45 p.m. with participants getting the chance to network at a virtual happy hour from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
The second day, Friday, Sept. 24, will kick off at 10:00 a.m. with a recap of Thursday’s ideas. Interactive sessions will include:
The conference will conclude with a wrap-up at 2:00 p.m.
A complete agenda is available here and background on the speakers is here. Follow the conference on twitter at #CLDAELS20.
Sessions will be live and offer participants the opportunity to take active parts in the workshops including individual break-out rooms so participants can practice the skills they learn in the sessions.
Registration is still available and is open to all in the industry with a discount for CLDA members. Non-members who register for the conference will receive membership to CLDA for the remainder of 2020 and all of 2021 at no additional cost.
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) is a non-profit professional association that is the voice of the time-critical logistics, delivery and express air cargo logistics industries. The association serves the needs of its 3,500 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3 PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. Since 1987, CLDA has provided business opportunities, advocacy and education.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston aobston@aomc.com
(860) 243-1447 – office
(860) 803-1155 – cell
WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug. 13, 2020 – The CLDA’s annual Executive Leadership Summit will be a virtual event on September 23 and 24. Called “Strategic Survival,” the event will offer executives and their up-and-coming leaders targeted training and tools to improve their company’s sales leadership, drive strategic thinking and planning and understand the advantages of an inclusive and diverse leadership approach.
This is the third year for this CLDA’s skills development boot camp for c-suite executives, young professionals and managers in the leadership pipeline.
This year’s summit will include working sessions on:
“Given the impact of COVID-19 on our industry and the economy and the changing dynamics of the industry, we felt it was particularly important to continue our development of the up-and-coming members in our industry with this bootcamp,” says event co-chair Errol Cvern from Select Express & Logistics. “We are excited to be able to offer insights from expert presenters who are well-known throughout the industry.”
Sessions will be live and offer participants the opportunity to take active parts in the workshop including individual break-out rooms so participants can practice the skills they learn in the sessions.
The Executive Leadership Summit will be led by management trainer, consultant and author Ed Eppley. Eppley will moderate and present throughout the two-day workshop. His clients include a “Who’s Who” of business category leaders such as BMW, DSW, Sara Lee, Bloomberg, Battelle, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Speedway, Steamboat Ski & Resort Company, Value City Furniture, PSA Airlines, Emerson Electric, NECCO, Safelite Auto Glass, and others. He is the author of Let’s Be Clear: 6 Disciplines of Focused Management Pros
Registration is now open to all in the industry with a discount for CLDA members.
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) is a non-profit professional association that is the voice of the time-critical logistics, delivery and express air cargo logistics industries. The association serves the needs of its 3,500 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3 PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. Since 1987, CLDA has provided business opportunities, advocacy and education.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston aobston@aomc.com
(860) 243-1447 – office
(860) 803-1155 – cell
WASHINGTON, D.C. June 22, 2020 – Matt Mantione has been appointed Executive Director of the Customized Logistics & Delivery Association (CLDA). He brings almost two decades of association management experience to the position. The CLDA is the voice of the time-critical logistics, delivery and express air cargo logistics industries.
Before assuming the leadership position with CLDA Mantione was the Vice President of Membership Engagement at the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA). In that role he oversaw various departments and functions responsible for sales, membership services and development, affinity programs and marketing and communications.
“Matt brings a great combination of strategic planning, membership development and on-the-ground experience to his position with the CLDA. We are pleased to have him aboard as we position the association to provide leadership and knowledge to the members of the supply chain during these challenging times,” said Steve Howard, CLDA’s president. “This is an exciting time for CLDA and we will continue to work hard to provide the value that our member’s deserve, to help their business grow and be more successful.”
Mantione is Certified Association Executive (CAE) and Professional Certified Marketer (PCM). He was honored by the Association Forum & USAE with their Forty Under 40 award. He is an active member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and has spoken and written several articles on association management.
Mantione earned his BA in Corporate Communications at Radford University where he was also a part of the University’s Division – I baseball team.
He lives with his family Springfield, VA.
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) is a non-profit professional association that is the voice of the time-critical logistics, delivery and express air cargo logistics industries. The association serves the needs of its 3,500 essential service members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3 PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. Since 1987, CLDA has provided business opportunities, advocacy and education.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston aobston@aomc.com
(860) 243-1447 – office
(860) 803-1155 – cell
WASHINGTON, D.C. April 1, 2020 — Couriers must be declared essential service providers in every state for the sake of public safety. Because of that need, today the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) charged each of its members and all members of the industry with contacting their governors to declare their companies Essential Service providers. “Members of this industry must contact their governors immediately to get this declaration before they issue Emergency Orders to shelter in place,” urged CLDA President Steve Howard. “If they wait, it might be too late and the services we provide to keep the supply chain moving could take days or even weeks to start up again. Once governors issue Emergency Orders to shelter in place, they will be shut down and the supply chain will grind to a halt.”
Because of the pleas of couriers in Florida and Washington, state governors of those states have already declared their work as essential services. CLDA members in Minnesota, New York and California have already contacted their governors and expect to get that designation within the next few days.
“We are asking governors in all 50 states to use their offices to declare the courier industry as an “Essential Service” under your peacetime emergency authority,” said Howard. “Courier services throughout this country are absolutely critical to both our current pandemic crisis and our supply chain.”
He pointed out that couriers are already actively engaged in delivering supplies to cope with the current crisis including delivering:
COVID-19 test samples from clinics and testing facilities to labs for diagnosis
Tissue and blood samples to diagnose and treat COVID-19 related illnesses
Pharmaceuticals to residences, assisted living facilities, hospitals and pharmacies.
Diagnostic testing for all other non-pandemic related illnesses
Blood and blood products from blood banks to hospitals and clinics.
In addition, Howard pointed out that courier companies are the essential last-mile delivery providers that support people working at home. “Our members are helping these workers by delivering to homes laptops, printers, offices supplies and needed documents that can’t be emailed,” he said.
The courier industry serves a unique need that national delivery services can’t provide – deliveries in hours, not overnight. “Our customers need our services 24/7/365 for deliveries on an immediate, as-needed basis. Due to the urgent nature of these deliveries they cannot be made by national carriers such as USPS, UPS and FedEx that deliver in days, not hours,” said Howard.
CLDA is offering help to couriers in all 50 states – whether or not they are members of the association – with guidance on how to approach the governors of their states. Any courier may contact CLDA’s Government Affairs Director, Michael Taylor at Michael@clda.org or (703) 623-8995.
“Please contact your governors now,” urged Howard. “The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be and the more likely that the supply chain isbrought to a halt leaving medical providers and consumers in desperate need of critical supplies.”
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) is a non-profit professional association that is the voice of the time-critical logistics, delivery and express air cargo logistics industries. The association serves the needs of its 3,500 members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers, air cargo logistics providers, 3 PLs and vendors servicing today’s supply chain companies. Since 1987, CLDA has provided business opportunities, advocacy and education.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston aobston@aomc.com
(860) 803-1155 – cell
WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 21, 2019 – “Delivering World-Class Customer Service: Lessons from The Mouse” will be the keynote presentation at the CLDA’s second Final Mile Forum & Expo February 19-21, 2020. The three-day expo and educational forum will be held at the Hyatt Regency Miami Sheraton Grande.
Dennis Snow will be the keynote speaker. He spent two decades with the Walt Disney World Company and is now a speaker, trainer, consultant and author who helps organizations achieve goals related to customer service, employee development and leadership. “Customers have more choices than ever, with the result that most products and services are increasingly seen as commodities,” he says. “So, in today’s market, what can an organization do to stand out from the crowd? Differentiating your service is the key to attracting and retaining customers – while driving bottom line results.”
Based on his 20-years with the Walt Disney World Company along with many years of consulting with organizations around the world, Dennis Snow will provide Final Mile Forum participants with a “how-to” program for creating a service-driven culture. This program will provide strategic tools that conference participants can use to raise the bar of service throughout their organizations.
Those who attend the Final Mile Forum will learn:
Dennis launched a division of the Disney Institute responsible for consulting with some of the world’s largest companies including ExxonMobil, AT&T, General Motors and Coca Cola. During this time, he presented to audiences in diverse locations around the world, such as South Africa, Australia, Mexico, England and Argentina. This division quickly became the fastest growing venture of the Disney Institute and experienced repeat business of nearly 100 percent.
He also spent several years with the Disney University, teaching corporate philosophy and business practices to cast members and the leadership team. While there, he coordinated the Disney Traditions program, which is universally recognized as a benchmark in corporate training. In his last year with Walt Disney World, Dennis’ leadership performance was ranked in the top three percent of the company’s leadership team.
The Final Mile Forum’s three-day agenda is designed to give leaders in the time-critical logistics, delivery and express air cargo logistics industries a front row seat on current trends and previews of the future in the supply chain. Along with the educational presentations and exhibits, the Forum will feature opportunities for business development and one-on-one networking. Participants will come away with tips on enhancing company performance with new concepts as well as new contacts with shippers and others in the final mile industry.
Registration is now open through clda.org. A discount rate is available for current CLDA members renewing for 2020. There are opportunities for sponsorship and exhibitors. Discounts are also available to members and those who join the CLDA when they register. \
Media Contact
Andrea Obston aobston@aomc.com
(860) 243-1447 – office
(860) 803-1155 – cell
WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 16, 2019 – The CLDA Final Mile Forum & Expo will kick off the trade show season with a move to February 19-21, 2020. The three-day expo and educational forum will be held at the Hyatt Regency Miami Sheraton Grande at Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix, AZ.
“The CLDA Final Mile Forum is more than just about education and networking. It is about meeting new people in the industry and creating long lasting relationships with like-minded individuals, sharing knowledge and experience, and making life- long connections,” says the meeting’s co-chair Thomas Jowers, Chief Operating Office, ADL Delivery. Julie Thomas, President of Priority Logistics Group co-chairs the event with Jowers.
The forward-looking agenda will give leaders in the industry a front row seat on current trends and previews of the future in the supply chain. Along with the educational presentations and exhibits, the three days will feature opportunities for business development and one-on-one networking. Participants will come away with tips on enhancing company performance with new concepts as well as new contacts with shippers and other in the final mile industry.
Registration will open on Oct. 21. A discount rate is available for current CLDA members renewing for 2020. There are opportunities for sponsorship and exhibitors. Discounts are also available to members and those who join the CLDA when they register.
About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association
The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) is a non-profit professional association that is the voice of the last-mile, time-critical logistics and delivery industries. The association serves the needs of its 3,500 members who are logistics professionals, carriers, shippers, drivers and 3 PLS. Since 1987, CLDA has provided business opportunities, advocacy and education for those involved with the time-critical and last-mile customized delivery industry.
Media Contact
Andrea Obston aobston@aomc.com
(860) 243-1447 – office
(860) 803-1155 – cell
