Tony, Author at Premier Global Transportation

Our First LC

Meet our first LC

There are many pieces to the puzzle at PGT. One of those vital pieces are our Logistics Coordinators. The first LC that joined our team was Kandra Dauwe. She has been with us for over a year and has proven to be a valuable asset to the company.

Who is she? Kandra gave us the short version and we decided to share it with you for our Staff Spotlight!

My name is Kandra Dauwe. I am born and raised in Ohio and have enjoyed living out in the country my entire life. I have been in the transportation and logistics industry for over 15 years. I work and live each day for the amazing family that God has blessed me with.

My family is my world. I married DJ over 20 years ago and together we have two awesome children- an 18-year-old daughter and a 16-year-old son. We spend most of our time watching and supporting both of them in their many sporting events throughout the year. My daughter plays basketball at the collegiate level, so my husband and I are enjoying traveling across the country to support her. My husband runs an AAU team and our son plays AAU basketball, so we definitely stay busy! They both keep us on our toes, however, we wouldn’t trade it for the world! It’s true what they say: don’t blink because it goes by fast!

I’ve enjoyed working at PGT over the last year. It is a family atmosphere. We all mean business when we walk through the doors, but our management team also understands that we have life outside of work. They are willing to be flexible with us because they understand that life can hit hard at times.

For those on the fence about joining our PGT team, my advice to you is simple. Take the leap! We go hard every day, but each person is treated as a valued team member. The entire team wants everyone to be successful and is willing to help make that happen. It really is like a family.

Who are we?

Who is Premier Global Transportation?

If we are being honest, that’s a loaded question.

At a very high-level, we are a non-asset based third-party logistics provider. But what does that mean?

We’ll explain.

We develop custom solutions for your supply chain challenges. It could be as simple as scheduling trucks to pick up your shipments. It could also be as complex as routing, cost analysis, cost savings, scheduling, data analysis and much more. Our team has a proven track record of delivering superior customer service in all of those areas.

With over 75 years combined industry experience, we are confident we can make your job easier! At PGT we provide exceptional logistics services that result in strong partnerships with our customers and carriers built on trust, reliability and professionalism.

Our account managers take pride in being able to solve problems and our operational staff loves executing those solutions. We want to be partners and create win-win situations for everyone. We tackle your business challenges as if they are our own.

We’ve been breaking down our core values one by one in other blogs this month, so we won’t go too far into that here. Our values are based on the foundation of T.I.M.E.- our most valuable asset- Teamwork, Integrity, Meticulous, Excellence. In every interaction, we strive to uphold our values to keep or team and your business on track.

Open, honest communication is key. We believe in 100% transparency. We will always have open lines of communication to build strong sustainable relationships with our customers, carriers and employees.

It is important to invest in ourselves as well. This allows us to better serve and understand our customers. We have adopted several new technologies that are easy-to-use by our carriers and customers to improve overall experiences. Our software systems are customizable to your needs and requirements. It gives us a different insight into the industry that allows our team to maintain a forward-thinking attitude every day.

Find out how we can help you by calling 513-575-7645!

St. Patrick’s Day

The history & fun of St. Patrick's Day

Let’s change things up a bit today. After all, it is a holiday known for Irish cheers, parades and lots of green!

But, did you know it wasn’t always that way?

St. Patrick’s Day has been around for centuries, however, it wasn’t always the traditional celebration we see in America.

The holiday originated in Ireland as a religious holiday. It falls during the Christian season of Lent, so it was seen as a break from everything that came with the Lenten sacrifices. The Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and then celebrate in the afternoon. The Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived so they would dance, drink and feast. The go to meal? Irish bacon and cabbage.

Who was St. Patrick?

In case it isn’t clear, he’s the patron saint of Ireland and its national apostle. He was actually born in Britian, but what most people don’t know that he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave when he was a teenager. In his six years as a slave, he spent his time working alone and afraid as a shepherd. During his time of loneliness, he turned to his religion, becoming a devout Christian.

He did eventually escape the country, but later returned to Ireland and is credited with bringing Christianity to the Irish.

The holiday is celebrated on what is believed to be the anniversary of his death around 460 A.D.

St. Patrick’s Day has grown into much more over time. In America, green is everywhere on March 17- food, drinks, rivers, lights, clothing. People use it as a chance to celebrate, regardless of their heritage. Popular meals include corned beef and cabbage and common attire includes leprechaun hats and green from head to toe. For many, the day also includes green beer and the Cincinnati locals love to enjoy green noodles from their favorite Cincinnati Chili restaurants.

The holiday at PGT

At PGT, we jump at any opportunity to celebrate anything- big or small! Our team enjoys having fun together and isn’t afraid to entertain crazy ideas.

I mean, would your entire staff dress up in crazy props just because they were asked?!

And do you have your own personal leprechaun on staff? WE DO 😉 (he forgot his pot of gold, though!)

Want to join our crazy shenanigans?

Check out all of our open positions on Indeed.

We are confident you’ll find one that is perfect for you!

Outside Sales Opening

Do you like sales, but don't like being in an office?

Do you prefer face to face interactions in sales rather than over the phone conversations?

If so, we have the job for you!

You may have seen our posts about our open sales broker and logistics coordinator positions. This one is slightly different- it’s an outside sales role that covers the Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky tri-state area. It is perfect for those that enjoy sales AND face-to-face interactions.

That’s all good, but what comes with it?

Let’s break it down.

The pay is structured the same as the inside sales position. This means a couple of things:

We pay above the industry average.
It is structured as a base + 40% uncapped commission! No, you didn’t read that wrong. FORTY PERCENT UNCAPPED COMMISSION! Why? Because we want you to join our team and stick around for the long-term. What better way to do that to pay you what you deserve?

The benefits continue to grow as we grow, but this role is already built with a good list of benefits. This list is a great start for a company less than two years old. The good news is that there are more benefits in the works!

401k with company match- our goal is for you to retire with us, so we want to help get you there!
Cell phone stipend
Paid time off effective on hire date
Medical, dental and vision insurance options.
Mileage/fuel allowance

What else does PGT have to offer?

Endless growth potential. New company = endless opportunities. We have a solid staff that has laid the groundwork for success, now we just need you to help build the foundation of our future. As we grow, so do the opportunities. The potential to move up into various other roles is endless. You can do as much as you want with us and go as far as you want to go. You control your destiny when you work at PGT.

This role won’t spend much time in the office, but it’s always good to know what you’re getting into when you are in the office. A few words we use to describe the atmosphere of our office: relaxed, casual, fun. Sound good yet? PGT is all of those things and then some. We want everyone to enjoy coming to work. Sure, there are always going to be bad days, but we believe there are more good days than bad here. There are TVs going, music in the background, and often jokes and stories flying back and forth. We enjoy simple things like casual attire, walks around the building, flexibility, and team events outside of the office.

Come join our team! Apply on Indeed or just give us a call at 513-453-6046 to set up an interview.

I is for Integrity

Doing the right thing

Every company has core values. When PGT was started, having the right core values was vital. Those values had to drive honest success and bring values to everyone involved in our business.

We determined that T.I.M.E. was our most valuable asset. In every interaction, we strive to uphold our values to keep our team and your business on track.

But what does T.I.M.E. mean for you? We continue this discussion with today’s focus: I is for Integrity. (Did you miss last week’s article on “T is for Teamwork”? If so, check go check it out and then come back to this one.)

According to Merriam-Webster, by definition, integrity is (a) the firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values; (b) an unimpaired condition; (c) the quality or state of being complete or undivided.

What does integrity mean to PGT though? The easy explanation: doing the right thing.

We pride ourselves on making the right decision, even if it is a hard decision. No one likes to be the bearer of bad news, but rather than sugar coat it, we promise to be honest and informative regardless of how difficult it may be to hear (or say).

No one likes to make mistakes, but the reality is, we are all human. While our focus is always to minimize error, we will be the first to admit we aren’t perfect. (But we’re close 😊) We will own up to our mistakes, be honest with you, and then do everything in our power to correct it as quickly as possible.

Doing the right thing is the PGT standard. If that sounds too good to be true, we can assure you it isn’t- and we will prove it to you.

Freight Market Size

How big is the freight market?

In one word: HUGE!

The United States truckload freight market alone is worth over $212 billion. And that’s just the US. Add in the Canadian market and it’s over $225 billion.

The chart below from Statista shows the trend over the last 4 years. The growth was fairly significant from 2018-2019, but then COVID interrupted that growth trend in 2020. The good news is, the industry rebounded quickly and made up most of the ground it lost in 2021.

All of this means different things to different groups of people.

For all of us at PGT, it means our growth potential is endless. There’s plenty of freight that needs moved which presents many opportunities for us to jump in and save companies money. We won’t go into all that again (you can catch that in our previous blog about how a 3PL can save you money).

More importantly, for our carrier partners, there’s a good chance that no matter where you end up, we will have freight to take you somewhere else. The $200+ billion dollar industry isn’t localized to a few spots- it’s nationwide! With endless freight opportunities, we can build a long-lasting relationship. It does mean, however, that we are going to need new drivers to enter the transportation industry to keep the freight moving. Afterall, there’s no doubt truck drivers are the backbone of the industry- they take on over 70% of the freight!

For our customers, it’s simple. The endless amount of freight just means it is likely you will need someone to help balance it all. Keeping track of every shipment you have going in and out of your facilities is only one piece of the puzzle. Scheduling and rescheduling appointments, tracking and tracing drivers, handling unforeseeable problems, and everything in between should be left in the hands of someone that specializes in those tasks. That someone? PREMIER GLOBAL TRANSPORTATION!

Our First Associate

He's here for the long haul

At PGT we want our associates to be around for the long haul. The only way that happens is through proven success and growth opportunities. We definitely have both of those, in large part due to today’s Staff Spotlight. He’s been with PGT since day one, so it’s only fitting that we let him introduce himself!

My name is Jake Garn and I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. I graduated from the University of Cincinnati (Go Bearcats!) with a bachelor’s degree in Communication. I have been in the transportation industry for the last three years and I honestly enjoy all aspects of the business.

My wife and I have two boys, ages 6 and 2, and we enjoy spending time together. One of our favorite pastimes is going to Cincinnati Reds games. There is nothing I love more than my family, so if I have the opportunity to spend quality time with them, I jump at it every time.

I pride myself on hard work and helping others achieve their goals. I am motivated by my family to give them a better life than I had. One of the most important professional goals I have is to make my teammates around me more successful. If our team is successful, I am successful.

I enjoy the atmosphere and the people at PGT amongst many other things. We are a tight knit group of professionals who are willing to do whatever it takes to service our customers and win as a team.

If I were to give advice to someone thinking about joining the PGT team, I would tell them to be prepared to work hard, but it will all pay off. PGT will bring out the best in every individual and inspire you to be this best version of yourself daily.

Don’t just count your blessings, be the blessing other people count on!

Equipment Shortage

Another shortage, another challenge

We talked about how the driver shortage and federal regulations impact the freight industry, but what other challenges are there? One of the major challenges that has come about since the COVID pandemic is an equipment shortage.

We’ve all seen the empty lots at car dealerships over the last year or two. We’ve heard about the delay in receiving chips to make the technology inside the vehicles function properly.

The transportation industry is no exception to these issues.

According to the American Trucking Associations, about 72% of America’s freight is transported by truck. They estimate that we are currently dealing with a shortage of about 80,000 truck drivers and predict that number could double by 2030. But what good are truck drivers if we don’t have the trucks to put them in?

In January, some semi-truck dealers reported they were already sold out of new 2022 trucks, according to The Business Insider. Being sold out for the year has already created a year long waiting list. The global shortage of computer chips has cut production levels for semi-trucks.

Like everything else, costs continue to rise. The costs of component parts are so high it has created problems when quoting a good price. This is proving difficult for companies to make money on the equipment but provide a cost that customers can handle.

The Business Insider also indicated that the shortage has made semi-trucks increasingly valuable. They stated, “In August (2021), J. D. Power reported that Class 8 truck sales prices climbed over 86% compared to the first seven months of the previous year. And prices are expected to continue to rise in 2022.”

The fact that this problem is only getting worse doesn’t bode well for the freight market. A truck you could have purchased for about $40,000 a year ago will cost every bit of $60,000 today. Yikes!

Is anything being done to combat this problem? Maybe, but not much (if anything) that will have a short-term impact. One of the most talked about changes- electrification/automation. But we will wait to discuss that in a future blog.

Want a career change?

Is it time for a change?

Have you been thinking of a new career path? Or maybe you like the path, you just want to revisit who you work for at the moment?

The logistics industry isn’t only for those in sales. Some would argue that one of the most important people in the industry are logistics coordinators (LC). They are the ones that keep things moving between customers, brokers and carriers.

Guess what? You’re in luck! We are hiring for the LC role. We’ll explain what’s in it for you.
Most people care about the pay first, so we will start there.

We take pride in our work here at PGT and want you to as well. This role offers a base salary plus a lucrative incentive package. The incentive package could include commission, bonuses, performance-related awards, etc. It’s really up to you and how hard you choose to work. Ultimately, how much you get paid is entirely in your own control.

What else does PGT have to offer? Let us break it down for you by highlighting some of the most important parts.

Relaxed. Casual. Fun. Sound good yet? PGT is all of those things and then some. We want everyone to enjoy coming to work. Sure, there are always going to be bad days, but we believe there are more good days than bad here. There are TVs going, music in the background, and often jokes and stories flying back and forth. We enjoy simple things like casual attire, walks around the building, flexibility, and team events outside of the office.

Our list of benefits continues to grow as we grow. We currently offer a 401k with a 401k match! We want you to be with us until you retire, so let us help get you there. We pay a cell phone stipend and paid time off at time of hire. In addition, we can get you set up with medical, dental and vision insurance. Not bad for a company less than two years old, right?

New company = endless opportunities. We have a solid staff that has laid the groundwork for success, now we just need you to help build the foundation of our future. As we grow, so do the opportunities. The potential to move up into various other roles is endless. You can do as much as you want with us and go as far as you want to go. You control your destiny when you work at PGT. How far do you want to go?

Sounds good, right?

Come join our team! Check out the job description on Indeed and apply while you are there! You can find all of our openings at: https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Premier-Global-Transportation/jobs or just give us a call at 513-453-6046 to set up an interview.

DOT Regulations

What impact do DOT regulations have?

We touched on it briefly in our “Is there a Driver Shortage?” blog. Today we will give you a little more insight into the specifics of government regulations and the impact it is having on the freight industry.

About 85 years ago, the first hours of service (HOS) rules were released. The Interstate Commerce Commission allowed 10 hours of driving time, 8 hours off duty time, 60/70 hours in 7/8 days, and drivers could run a split sleeper in two break periods. Since then, HOS laws have been through numerous court challenges, Congressional interventions, and countless changes.

Starting in the 2000s some major changes were set in motion- some of which were fought in court and were ultimately denied by the court system; others were implemented over the years. One significant change was to the number of hours allowed in each driver status. The hours changed to 11 hours of driving in a 14-hour window and 10 hours of off duty time. At the same time, the 34-hour reset was implemented. This allowed a driver’s hours to reset after 34 consecutive hours off duty. There were many other rule changes added, modified and removed throughout the decade.

The next, and most recent, major law change was the requirement of electronic logging devices (ELD). In December of 2017, the ELD rule went into effect with a two-year grace period for fleets using automatic onboard recording devices to monitor HOS. The requirement of ELDs made it easier to track HOS and increase compliance with those regulations.

That’s a lot of information, but what does that mean to you?

To keep it simple: it means more rules trucks have to follow that could impact the speed in which freight is delivered.

But, it’s not all bad.

These regulations were put in place to improve the safety of truck drivers and the public. While there is a lot of controversy surrounding these changes, the intentions are in the right place. However, it’s had an impact to the freight industry.

Drivers, who once pushed their limits with driving as many miles as possible over the course of a week, are now limited to whatever they can do in 11 hours of driving time. But they only have a 14-hour window to do it in. What does that mean? If it takes 4 hours to get loaded at a shipper, the driver now only has 10 hours to drive. They are also required to take a 30-minute break after 8-hours of work, which means they really only have 9.5 hours to drive. Add in the pre-trip inspection and they are likely down to 9 hours of driving time. The amount of miles you can drive in 9 hours is obviously less than 11 or 12 hours.

It also means drivers tend to have less patience. Most get paid by the mile, not by the hour. So when they are at your dock asking when they will get loaded multiple times, it’s because most aren’t getting paid to sit around and wait. Unless their wheels are moving, their bank accounts aren’t growing.

It’s important that everyone in the industry understands this. If we all work together and understand the barriers drivers face, it will improve the flow of the supply chain for everyone. After all, we need the trucks and drivers just like they need all of us.