Tony, Author at Premier Global Transportation

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.

T is for Teamwork

Teamwork makes the dream work

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.

What does T.I.M.E. mean for you?

Rather than expand on it all in one way-too-long blog, we will be breaking it down each week for the rest of the month.

Today’s focus: T is for Teamwork.

Everyone knows the phrase “teamwork makes the dream work,” right? That’s definitely what we believe at PGT.

Each account manager has relationships he/she has built with customers. But what happens when an account manager wants to take a family vacation or has an emergency? Or what if they are in a meeting or stepped out for lunch briefly? At PGT, your service will not change. Our team jumps on board to ensure we don’t miss a beat. Still need freight moved or an update on a shipment? No problem! Our team will get the job done for you and provide any answers you need.

Success is measured many different ways. It is always important to have individual goals, but at PGT we put a larger focus on team goals. We believe our success is based on your success, so we will build a team in our office to support the team in yours. Together we can master any challenge thrown at us. This industry can often be like a rollercoaster ride, so keeping focus on team goals is what powers us through the challenging dynamic of the logistics world.

Our team goals are simple:

100% on-time pick up
Proactive, daily updates on all shipments based on customer needs
100% on-time delivery
24-hour paperwork collection and processing
Save our customers as much money as possible

Do we achieve those goals all day, every day? No, but we will die trying! It’s obvious some things are out of everyone’s control- weather, tire blowouts, traffic- but, if we can control it, we will!

What is happening in the market?

Will rates ever return to pre-covid trends?

The short answer- probably not. Like most industries, logistics and transportation still feels the seasonal trend changes it did prior to the COVID pandemic. The problem is, rates skyrocketed drastically when the pandemic hit and to think they will drop back down to a pre-pandemic level would be wishful thinking.

That doesn’t mean we won’t see the traditional dips in various seasons or markets. It just means, the dips likely won’t be as big as the climb. The good news? They may not drop, but they seem to be holding steady early in 2022 per DAT industry trends- depending on what you are shipping. Dry van and reefer rates have seen a slight decrease in spot rates, but flat beds have seen a significant increase.

DAT spot rates by equipment through the first week of March can be seen below.

What is that doing to the rates?

Well, it depends what location the freight is shipping outbound from. All areas have held fairly steady through 2022 so far, but the averages only paint part of the picture. Where you’re shipping from will show you the other part.

According to DAT, the average dry van rates are highest in the north, lowest in the south and in the middle on both coasts.

To top it all off, fuel continues to rise with the transpiring of the global events in Russia and Ukraine. National fuel prices have
increased 1% to $4.10 per gallon. This is going to drive rates up and will likely change the direction of the trends discussed above.

Long story short- expects rates to trend upward over the next several weeks due to fuel. If nothing else, they will flatline, but you need to be prepared for significant rate increases over the short-term.

Meet Our President

The man behind PGT

Premier Global Transportation is a third party logistics company that got our official start in June 2020 when president Tony Uhrina decided to take a leap of faith and branch out on his own. Tony started in the industry in 2006 and has since held various roles in sales, logistics, transportation and supply chain. Most recently, he was the vice president of operations at a trucking company in the Cincinnati market. He believes his experiences in various facets of the logistics industry will continue to be the foundation for growth at PGT.

When starting PGT, Tony put a lot of thought into what values he believed in and what he wanted to build the company foundation going forward. He determined that TIME would be the core of those values. For us, TIME stands for Teamwork, Integrity, Meticulous, & Excellence (we will go into detail about this later in the month). Tony takes a lot of pride in these core values and they are on the forefront of his mind every day with the team here at PGT and in his personal life.

Outside of work, Tony loves spending time with his family. He married his wife Katie in 2013 and together they have two young boys. Both boys keep them on their toes and do their best to keep them young, even if they are giving him a few gray hairs! They enjoy watching Browns & Bengals football and UC Bearcat athletics together, most recently celebrating the Bengals & Bearcats post-season accomplishments. They enjoy traveling the world together and exploring as much as they can. Tony enjoys meeting friends on the golf course and is always looking to meet new people to join in on the fun.

Why do you work?

The million dollar question: why do you go to work every day?

In a perfect world, you love what you do. You enjoy going to work, wherever that may be, and you are genuinely happy doing it. That doesn’t always pan out, but you do it because you need a job to pay your bills. What if we told you that having both was a very real possibility? Here us out.

The pay.

The atmosphere.

The benefits.

The growth potential.

People often save the best for last, but let’s be real- this is what most people care about first. We pay above the industry average. We are always hiring sales brokers. Why? Because we are always growing to better serve our customers. Our brokers make base + 40% uncapped commission! No, that’s not a typo. 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?

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?

Come join our team! Apply on Indeed 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. You can watch a short video about PGT by clicking the orange button below.

Can a 3PL save you money?

Can a 3PL help cut costs?

That’s a common question in the freight industry.

The answer is YES! Absolutely! 100% it can. But what’s the catch? Selecting the RIGHT 3PL for you and your business.

Insert Premier Global Transportation.

Our goal is to take as much off your plate as possible. We know our customers have plenty to do, so we want to take on as much as we can to allow them to focus on other aspects of the business. So, how can we save you money?

You know the saying- “time is money.” We can free up your time. It’s that simple. We will take on the difficult, time-consuming task of finding the right carrier to move your freight and we are very diligent in the process. We utilize many different programs and tools to vet our carriers to ensure the best service possible. We handle that so you don’t to. We believe your time is better spent on other areas of your business.

We are in the business of moving freight. It’s what we do. It’s who we are. This is what we specialize in. Let us do what we do so you can focus on what you do. We promise we won’t let you down. Our goal is always to provide you with a smooth, flawless, and impeccable service with our expertise and proactive communication. We promise to keep you informed with the most accurate status update available to build an honest working relationship with you. Our goal is complete satisfaction on every shipment.

How do we uphold that promise? Here are the top reason:

Resources.

We have invested in top of the line, customizable technology solutions. Do you want notified with an update every time it is entered in the system? Our system can do that for you. Do you require your paperwork to look a certain way with specific information included? Our developers can do that for us quickly and precisely. Do you have specific insurance, equipment, or load requirements? We can set our system to block any carrier that doesn’t meet those requirements for you to prevent service failure. Long story short- our system is customized for YOU.

People.

We pride ourselves on our top notch team of people. We hire intelligent, hard-working people who have the ability to learn, challenge themselves, and succeed in a very dynamic industry. We proudly have over 75 years combined industry experience, but at the same time, have a very diverse group of associates that aren’t afraid to bring new ideas to the table. Everyone has the same goal: help our customers be successful, no matter what it takes.

Cost.

It is no secret that freight costs have skyrocketed, specifically since the COVID pandemic. It is our mission to drive your costs down, but still pay carriers a fair wage (and make a little money ourselves, too). The key to that is our lucrative pay scale for our associates. They don’t have to worry about their personal finances through large margins on your freight. Instead, they can focus on driving your costs down knowing that they will be taken care of financially. We are only as successful as you are! Since the most common metric driving success in business is cost, let us help you save!

Let us prove it to you. Give us a call at 513-575-7645 or email us at info@premier-globallogistics.com