ATS Blog
What Happens to Freight Shipping During a Government Shutdown?
For shippers, a government shipping shutdown can introduce uncertainty into supply chains — especially if your freight depends on federal contracts, infrastructure projects, or regulatory approvals.
Confused By New USTR Port Fees? What Shippers Need to Know
How Should a Freight Brokerage Monitor the Safety of Its Carriers?
If you’re a shipper wondering what steps a freight brokerage will take to promote the safety of your cargo and all those involved in its transport, we don’t blame you. Without understanding the steps that can be taken to promote safety in the trucking industry, you may be left feeling uneasy about trusting a third party.
Trucking Industry Update October 2025: Key Insights for Shippers
Key Takeaways:
- October is busier than it looks — holiday freight, tariffs, and consumer demand shifts make it a high-impact shipping month.
- Dry van capacity tightens near ports, while Midwest supply is looser.
- Reefers shift west for harvests and south for cross-border produce.
- Flatbed and oversize freight face weather, daylight, and football-related restrictions; planning ahead is critical.
- Shippers can cut costs by booking early, considering trailer alternatives, providing accurate specs, and staying flexible with timing.
October brings the World Series, Halloween, and the start of the fourth quarter. And while it would be easy to write October off as the last month before the busy holiday season, experienced shippers know that this is actually one of the most action-packed shipping months.
Heavy Haul Shipping Rates: The True Cost of Moving Heavy Machinery
Key Takeaways:
2025 Mid-Year Transportation Market Update
U.S. vs. Mexico Cargo Insurance: Key Coverage Differences Explained
Key Takeaways:
What Shippers Should Know About Back-to-School Freight Season
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
What Is a Food-Grade Trailer?
Dry Van vs. Reefer Trailers: Which Is Best for Your Freight?
Summer Freight Outlook & Why Brokers Matter
10 Busiest U.S. Ports in 2025 (and How to Choose One)
In its 2024 Review of Maritime Transport, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) states that marine vessels carry a whopping 80 percent of global trade — a statistic which reflects maritime transportation’s overwhelming and ever-growing impact on international commerce.
What is a Conestoga Trailer?
What Is Nearshoring? Definition, Benefits, and Supply Chain Advantages
Key Takeaways
- Nearshoring definition: Moving production closer to the consumer market to reduce risks and costs.
- Why it matters: Improves supply chain resiliency, lowers transit times, and reduces shipping expenses.
- Industries adopting nearshoring: Automotive, aerospace, retail, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and more.
- Primary benefits: Efficiency, profitability, and adaptability in a volatile global marketplace.
International shipping is, by its very nature, risky business. So many things can disrupt a global supply chain, from sluggish port operations to geopolitical conflict to capacity shortages. Heck, even the weather can set a supply chain off its course, careening toward disaster!
4 Dedicated Shipping Myths, Debunked
- What is dedicated shipping, anyway?
- Myth #1: Dedicated shipping means managing a private fleet
- Myth #2: Dedicated transportation is always more expensive than OTR
- Myth #3: Signing a dedicated contract means losing control over your supply chain
- Myth #4: If the market changes, you might be stuck paying an above-market rate
Rumor has it that more shippers are interested in dedicated transportation service than ever before.
Which States Have Oversize Freight Restrictions for Memorial Day 2025?
5 Signs It’s Time to Upgrade Your Import/Export Cargo Strategy
DOT Blitz Week 2025: What to Know About CVSA International Roadcheck This May
- What the CVSA International Roadcheck (Blitz Week) is
- What happens during Blitz Week
- When is DOT Blitz Week 2025 will be
- The focuses of the 2025 CVSA International Roadcheck
- What happens if a driver is found to be non-compliant (And why shippers should care)
- How Blitz Week may impact your ability to find a truck
- How Blitz Week will impact freight rates
- Tips for avoiding supply chain disruptions during Blitz Week
If you’re a shipper wondering how this year’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck will impact your freight, you’re in the right place.
The Trucking Industry in May 2025: What You Should Know
- How the dry van and reefer marketplace shifts in May
- How open-deck capacity changes in May
- How over-dimensional freight moves change in May
- What to know about DOT Blitz Week
- Memorial Day weekend best practices for shippers
Where transportation is concerned, May signals a grand reopening nationwide. Produce season steadily ramps up across the southern U.S. and the construction industry’s freight demands are in full swing.
Everything You NEED To Know About Tariffs
8 Warehousing and Transloading Providers in Charleston, South Carolina in 2025
The 10 Largest Dry Van Full Truckload (FTL) Carriers in 2025
The Trucking Industry in April 2025: What You Should Know
- How dry van and reefer trailer capacity changes in April
- How the open-deck market shifts in April
- What to expect in oversize shipping this month
- 3 tips for successfully planning your April shipments
In the transportation industry, April is seen as a time of transition: Frost laws take effect, construction projects commence, and produce seasons kickstart.
Freight Market Volatility, Contracts & Risk Management: What Shippers Need to Know
Top 10 Heavy Haul Trucking Companies in 2025 (+ Tips For Choosing Yours)
Heavy haul shipments are some of the most complex loads to move. Most will require permitting and route planning, a specialized trailer, a heavy haul truck, an experienced driver, and a thorough plan for safe loading, transport, and unloading.
Why Cargo Theft Is Rising in the U.S. — and What You Can Do to Protect Your Shipments
You’re not imagining things: Cargo theft really is on the rise — and it has been for a while.
2025 Truckload Transportation Industry Forecast: Navigating Uncertainty in a Shifting Market
Trucking Industry Forecast for Shippers | 2025
How Tariffs Could Affect Produce Season For Shippers [Podcast]
Tariffs in 2025: What Shippers Need to Know About Costs, Supply Chains, and Strategy
Freight shippers are no strangers to uncertainty. And right now, tariffs are one of the biggest unknowns hanging over the industry.
Trucking Industry Update & Frost Laws Planning
The Trucking Industry in March 2025: What You Should Know
As winter fades and spring takes hold, the freight market undergoes seasonal shifts that can impact your supply chain.
Top 10 LTL Carriers in 2025 (and 4 Tips for Choosing Yours)
Practically every supply chain uses less-than-truckload (LTL) service in its transportation strategy. In the right situation, LTL shipping presents a convenient solution for shippers across industries.
2025 Freight Forecast: What’s Next for the Brokerage Industry?
Top 8 Global Freight Forwarders in 2025 (And How to Choose a Provider)
According to Statista, the volume of seaborne trade reached nearly 12.3 billion metric tons in 2024. With so much cargo to move (and so much profit on the line), who do shippers trust to safely shepherd their freight through international waters?
Vans Forecast 2025 | Trucking Industry Trends & Insights
15 Great Supply Chain and Logistics Conferences to Attend in 2025
You work in a competitive, complex industry. Success hinges on an ability to improve supply chain efficiency and overcome challenges.
Top 15 Flatbed Trucking Companies to Ship With in 2025 (& How to Choose)
- A list of the top 15 flatbed trucking companies in 2025
- Tips on how to choose your best-fit transportation provider
You don’t have time to troubleshoot supply chain slowdowns day in and day out — your company has goods to move, customer commitments to meet, and bottom lines to maintain.
Frost Laws: What to Know About Seasonal Load Restrictions This Spring
As someone who's responsible for shipping and logistics, you're well-versed in the many factors that can impact your ability to transport goods from point A to point B.
For example, during the winter months, blizzards and ice in the northernmost states may impact your shipping schedule.
The Top 15 Freight Brokerage Companies in 2025
Freight brokerage is a competitive business. We’d venture to say that providing this third-party transportation service is one of the nation’s most competitive jobs in one of the most saturated markets.
The Trucking Industry in February 2025: What You Should Know
As February 2025 rolls in, the trucking industry enters a dynamic period characterized by seasonal trends, regional challenges, and opportunities for optimization.
27 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Choosing Dedicated Transportation
There’s no shortage of challenges in today’s logistics landscape. Transportation costs are high, the market is flooded with inexperienced and inconsistent providers, and customers are demanding faster delivery of a higher volume of product than ever before.
The Trucking Industry in January 2026: What You Should Know
January is seen as the “reset” month for the trucking industry. After the fast-paced holiday shipping season, freight activity slows down, giving carriers and shippers time to recalibrate.
What Does Dedicated Transportation Cost?
For high-volume shippers constantly moving critical freight, juggling multiple active transportation providers at once can be as stressful as it is inefficient.
December 2025 Freight Market Outlook: What Shippers Should Know
The December freight market traditionally brings a complex mix of tightening and softening forces. In 2025, that pattern remains familiar but nuanced.
Christmas 2025 Holiday Oversized Freight Travel Restrictions By State
If your business regularly ships over-dimensional (OD) freight, you may find it harder to do so from the end of December through the beginning of January.
What is Dedicated Transportation? (Definition, Pros & Cons)
With hundreds of thousands of for-hire trucking companies in the U.S., businesses of all sizes don’t have to look far to find a suitable partner to manage their transportation logistics.
The Most Common Freight Measurement Mistakes (& How to Avoid Them)
Veterans Day 2025 Oversize Freight Travel Restrictions by State
Each year on November 11, Americans pause to honor and thank the veterans who have fought for our country.
How Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs) Help Shippers Reduce Tariffs & Cut Costs
Key Takeaways:-
A foreign trade zone (FTZ) allows companies to defer, reduce, or eliminate customs duties on imported goods.
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Using an FTZ warehouse or yard can reduce tariff costs by allowing assembly or manufacturing before duties apply.
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FTZs provide operational flexibility, especially for complex supply chains importing multi-component goods.
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Bonded warehouses offer simpler compliance but fewer manipulation options and limited storage duration.
Thanksgiving 2025 OSOW Freight Travel Restrictions by State
Moving oversize (OS) and overweight (OW) freight on and around a holiday can be complicated.
How Does Winter Weather Impact The Trucking Industry?
What Is Freeze Protection in Freight Shipping?
If you live in an area with cold winters, you undoubtedly know a thing or two about protecting yourself and your property from those seriously frigid temperatures.
Harvest Season in the Midwest: What Shippers Should Know
- Midwest harvest season timing and locations
- How truck capacity is affected by harvest season
- How shippers can more reliably find a truck during harvest season
As the leaves change color and the air takes on a chill, harvest season in the Midwest kicks into gear. This bustling time of year isn’t just a big deal for farmers — its impact ripples across industries, especially transportation and logistics.
OSOW Restrictions for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day 2025
In 2025, Columbus Day falls on Monday, October 13. The holiday shares this date with Indigenous Peoples' Day and Canadian Thanksgiving Day.
Is My Cargo Safe? Freight Security Tips for Global Supply Chains
The fear of cargo being lost, damaged, or otherwise compromised in transit is a common one. For shippers with international supply chains, these anxieties are intensified by unpredictable factors like war and geopolitical tensions, tariffs, piracy, natural disasters, and more.
What Factors Impact Warehousing Costs?
For those tasked with managing logistics budgets, “What will it cost?” is the question looming over every business decision — and warehousing is no exception.
Infographic: Transloading vs. Cross-Docking
Transloading vs cross-docking — what's the difference?
While both are commonly-used logistics methods, the difference between transloading and cross-docking is their purposes.
Transloading focuses on transferring goods between different modes of transportation, often with additional handling steps, while cross-docking focuses on quickly moving goods from inbound to outbound trucks with minimal storage time.
The Ultimate Guide to Warehouse and Distribution Services
- Warehousing and distribution definitions
- Warehousing costs explained
- Why shippers choose to store their freight
- Warehousing and distribution services
Warehousing and distribution are essential parts of many supply chains, but finding the right services can be overwhelming — especially with so many different options and providers out there.
2025 Retail Peak Season: What Shippers Need to Know to Stay Competitive
How Does an Election Year Impact the Freight Market?
It’s been all but impossible to ignore the fact that 2024 is an election year in the United States. As the race heats up and dominates the news cycles, shippers across the country are watching closely to see how the road to the ballot box might affect the freight market.
September 2025 Shipping Industry Outlook: Trends Shippers Need to Know
Key Takeaways:
When Canadian Railroads Strike: What Shippers Need to Know
In the early hours of Aug. 22, 2024, rail freight traffic in Canada came to a screeching halt as the country’s two main rail companies, Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) locked out 10,000 employees.
The Pros and Cons of Freight Shipper Customer Portals
In a world that increasingly relies on digital tools for . . . well, just about everything, the modern transportation industry has likewise adapted.
How Many Miles Is a Truck Driver Allowed to Drive in One Day?
Shipping to Alaska: What You Need to Know
For many in the transportation industry, Alaska is synonymous with unpredictability.
The Trucking Industry in August 2025: What You Should Know
- Enclosed trailer capacity in August
- Open-deck capacity in August
- How to plan around the Labor Day holiday
As summer winds down and fall looms on the horizon, August brings a complex blend of freight market dynamics.
How Do Freight Rates Affect Service Failures?
- How has the freight recession impacted the transportation industry?
- What causes service failures in the trucking industry?
- How are freight rates and service failures related?
- What can shippers do to make their freight more successful?
Does it seem like your freight shipments are failing more lately? You’re not alone — and you’re not imagining things.
What Is Managed Transportation?
- Managed transportation definition
- What makes managed transportation different
- How managed transportation works
- The shipper benefits of managed transportation
To say that freight shippers have a lot on their plates would be an understatement. The constant juggle of schedules, carriers, regulations, costs, and timelines can be overwhelming — not to mention a drain on valuable resources that could be better spent on core business priorities.
Conestoga Alternatives: The Best Options and When to Use Them
Finding a Conestoga trailer can be a real challenge for shippers — and for good reason. Thanks to their unique retractable tarping systems, these specialized trailers offer the perfect blend of accessibility and protection for a wide range of freight.
2024 Transportation Industry Mid-Year Market Update
It's hard to believe that we're halfway to the finish line of 2024, isn't it?
Detention Fees: Who Pays?
Why Are Container Shipping Rates So High?
The price of shipping containerized cargo across international borders has been trending upward — sometimes in dramatic fashion — for several years now.
What Is the Right of First Refusal in Transportation?
As a freight shipper, you’re always running into transportation-industry-specific terms, jargon, and abbreviations. Even if you’ve been in the industry for decades, the constant barrage of lingo can be confusing at best — and downright frustrating at worst.
The Trucking Industry in July 2025: What You Should Know
Port of Baltimore Reopening: What to Expect
The Port of Baltimore channel has fully reopened to all vessel traffic as of June 10, 2024, following 11 weeks of painstaking progress clearing debris from the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Enterprise Shipping Solutions: What They Are and How You Can Benefit
In today's globalized economy, efficient, strategic shipping solutions are more crucial than ever — especially for shippers moving a large volume of freight annually.
What Happens When Canada Border Agents Strike?
On June 11, 2024, the Canadian government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), the union representing over 9,000 Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) workers, reached a tentative collective agreement.
New of the agreement eased fears of a labor action that would have slowed activity at the border, including the movement of Canada-bound freight shipments.
What Are Incoterms? International Commercial Terms Meanings and Usages
The transportation industry is brimming with terminology, acronyms, and abbreviations that are unique to the business of freight movement.
To the uninitiated, the sheer amount of things to learn and variables to manage can be overwhelming.
Understanding Air Cargo Shipments: A Freight Shipper’s Guide
Shipping freight by air for the first time — or even the 101st time! — can feel overwhelming, especially for shippers unfamiliar with the many unique terms and processes involved.
Why Is Local Oversize Permitting So Hard?
Sending valuable freight across the country is a stressful experience for shippers — and that’s before factoring in the extra time, effort, and cost to obtain over-dimensional (OD) freight permits.
The Trucking Industry in June 2025: What You Should Know
Dedicated Lanes for Carriers: Pros, Cons, and How a Broker Can Help
In the ever-changing world of freight shipping, carriers constantly face the challenge of balancing stability with flexibility.
[Podcast] June 2024 Transportation Industry Update and Forecast
The Pros and Cons of Conestoga Trailers
As a shipper, the type of trailer you choose to haul your freight can make a significant impact on your operations. Without investing time and consideration into making an informed decision, you could end up with consignees receiving damaged goods — far from the ideal scenario for anyone involved.
Conestoga trailers, with their innovative sliding tarp systems, are a compelling alternative to traditional flatbeds and dry vans.
Known for providing the accessibility of a flatbed with the weather protection of a van, these specialized trailers can streamline your freight loading and unloading processes.
But Conestogas aren’t a perfect fit for all types of freight. That’s why it’s important to understand all the pros and cons before determining whether they’re right for your use case.
At Anderson Trucking Service (ATS), we’re in the business of matching freight with trucks — the right trucks for every load. That includes choosing the trailer type that will provide the most value to the shipper, which can occasionally mean branching out to a specialized trailer type like a Conestoga.
In this article, we'll delve into the advantages and disadvantages of Conestoga trailers, providing insights to help you determine if they align with your company's shipping needs.
Whether you're seeking to improve loading efficiency, protect your cargo from weather elements, or reduce the risk of tarp-related damage, we'll cover everything you need to know to make an informed decision.
4th of July Oversize Freight Travel Restrictions by State 2025
Landing at the perfect peak of summertime, the Fourth of July is an exciting time to be an American.
From Headlines to Headaches: How to Prepare Your Supply Chain for Disruptive Events
Whether it’s an infrastructure failure, an accident that shuts down traffic, or a Taylor Swift concert, changes to traffic patterns and volumes can interrupt your freight shipping plans in a big way.
What Are the Legal Axle Weight Limits for Commercial Trucks?
- How much weight each trailer type haul
- All about the federal maximum gross vehicle weight for trucks
- The legal axle weight limits for commercial trucks
- Legal axle limits by state
- Why axle weight limits matter
Every state has different regulations for the maximum gross vehicle weight (total weight of the loaded truck and trailer) allowed on their roads. These weight regulations are based on the state’s infrastructure and what the roads can safely support.
[Podcast] Flatbed Forecast: May 2024 Trucking Industry Update For Shippers
Comparing TWIC & TSA Certification: What’s the Difference?
- Comparing TWIC and TSA certification for truck drivers
- TWIC Card or TSA Certification: Which Is Better?
The average truck driver doesn't need special security clearances in their day-to-day — but what if you’re interested in hauling loads that will take you to places most civilians can’t tread?
A Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC, also called a TWIC card) and Transport Security Administration (TSA) certification are among the most sought-after security clearances for drivers looking to diversify the freight types they can haul and places they can go.
Faster, More Accurate Warehousing Quotes: What to Include in Your Request
- What a warehousing quote includes
- What shippers should prepare before requesting a warehousing quote
- Common warehousing value-add services
- How to vet warehousing partners
- How shippers can streamline their warehousing RFQ process
It’s a transportation tale as old as time: You know your freight needs a dry, secure place to hang out before it heads to its ultimate destination, but you’re at a bit of a loss when it comes to sending out requests for quotation (RFQs) for your warehouse project.
Same-Day Shipments: Do's, Don'ts, & Tips for Success
Let’s come right out and say it: Nobody wants to be in a position to need to ship same-day.
Which States Have Oversize Freight Restrictions For The 2024 Eclipse?
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
The path of totality — areas that will experience a total eclipse of the sun — will cross into the U.S. in southern Texas and travel through 12 additional states before entering Canada.
As a huge swath of the country braces for a major surge in tourist traffic, domestic shippers are wondering how the eclipse will affect their freight. Some states in the path of the totality have implemented eclipse-related travel restrictions.
How Port Closures Impact Domestic & International Shipping
Whether a port closes due to a worker strike, extreme weather, or an infrastructure failure, it represents a major hiccup in the supply chains of shippers around the world.
[Podcast] Trucking Industry in April 2024: Let's Talk About Open-Deck Trucking
Shrink Wrap vs. Tarps: Which Is Better For Your Freight?
Getting your freight to its destination safely and securely is a priority for all shippers. But there are a lot of options out there for protecting your freight in transit.
Police Escorts 101: What to Know About Patrol Requirements for Freight
You watch a shiny new patrol car blaze past you, lights flashing. You catch a glimpse of the officer behind the wheel. The focused determination on their face never wavers as they escort a VIP down the highway. Is it the President? A foreign dignitary? Beyoncé?
What Is a Moving Floor Trailer?
The transportation industry is always changing and evolving, developing new ways to make it easier to send and receive freight. Among the industry’s many creative solutions are moving floor trailers, a specialized trailer type designed to make loading and unloading freight more efficient.
What Is a Blind Shipment? The Top 7 Blind Shipping Questions, Answered
Just like Bon Jovi, blind shipping is misunderstood.
At Anderson Trucking Service (ATS), we’ve seen and heard it all when it comes to blind shipping.
“Hey, this load doesn’t have a delivery address; where am I supposed to drop off?”
“Did you mean to send that BOL without consignee information?”
“Is this even legal?”
You name it, we’ve answered it. We’ve become so familiar with the most common questions about blind shipping, it inspired us to put the answers all in one place — here!
What is an Asset Carrier with Brokerage Authority?
- Asset carrier with brokerage authority definition
- How asset carriers with brokerage authority, asset carriers, and freight brokerages differ
- Advantages of working with an asset carrier with brokerage authority
- Disadvantages of working with an asset carrier with brokerage authority
- The cost of working with an asset carrier with brokerage authority
- Choosing an asset carrier with brokerage authority: What to consider
How Can I Track My Freight? Load Tracking 101 for Shippers
It’s true: I’m a package-tracking enthusiast. I get a thrill when my email inbox pings with that all-important tracking information. I delight in watching my parcels move through the country, and I eagerly anticipate their arrival at my doorstep.
Headhaul vs. Backhaul: Definitions & Their Effect on Shipping Costs
Line hauls and tankers and BOLs, oh my! The transportation industry has a lot of lingo. As a shipper, if trucking isn’t your first language, you might struggle to keep up in conversations with your carrier.
Should You Use Multiple Freight Carriers in One Region?
- How many transportation options should shippers have for sourcing capacity out of one area?
- What are the advantages of using more than one provider for capacity from one location?
- What are the disadvantages of using more than one provider from one location?
- How many providers should shippers solicit for a shipment out of an area?
- What should shippers consider when choosing trucking companies to add to their network?
Everyone likes convenience. Americans like it so much we named a whole genre of stores after it!
Dry Van vs. Flatbed Shipping: Which is More Expensive & Why?
Chocolate vs. vanilla. The Rock vs. Stone Cold. Dry van vs. flatbed shipping. Life is full of tough calls! Among the toughest for shippers? Choosing the right method of moving freight for your shipping needs and your bottom line.
[Podcast] Trucking Industry in March 2024: Let's Talk Freight Rates
Freight Shipping To and From Dallas, TX: A Closer Look
Dallas. Home of the Cowboys, the Mavericks, the Rangers, and 6.5 million people. The Dallas-Fort Worth metro area is one of the largest in Texas, not to mention the entire U.S.
Freight Shipping To and From San Antonio, TX: A Closer Look
Remember the Alamo? The rallying call for Texan freedom looms large in the history of the state and the wider nation.
Freight Shipping To and From Houston, Texas: A Closer Look
If it’s true that everything’s bigger in Texas, that’s certainly true of Houston. It’s the nation’s fourth-largest city in terms of population. Geographically, it spans 655 miles. And it’s considered the nation’s most diverse metropolitan area, with at least 145 different languages spoken by residents.
Draying a Container to Its Final Destination vs. Stripping It at a Warehouse First
The deeper you look into the transportation world, the more complexity you’ll find. While no aspect of your job is easy, per se, overseeing your business’ transportation supply chain can be overwhelming.
[Video] Paul Pfeiffer's 2024 Truckload Transportation Industry Forecast
[Video] Top 5 Logistics Conferences in 2024
6 Certifications a Truck Driver May Need to Haul Your Freight (and Why)
All truck drivers are equipped with a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). With a CDL, they can legally and safely operate a semi-truck.
[Podcast] February 2024 Trucking Industry Update: What You Should Know
Truckload Transportation Industry Forecast 2024
As predicted in my forecast article twelve months ago, 2023 was a trying year for trucking companies, truck drivers and transportation industry stakeholders of all kinds.
[Video] ATS' Tarps Explained (General-Use Tarps vs. Drop Tarps)
How to Make Handling Requests to a Freight Carrier
In the trucking industry, there are very few loads that don’t have some degree of special requests, such as:
[Podcast] January 2024 Freight Market Forecast: How to Prepare as a Shipper In January
Tarping Flatbed Freight In Winter: Problems, Alternatives and Other Ways to Protect Your Freight
Floor-Loaded vs. Palletized Freight: A Pros and Cons Comparison
In the world of transportation, there are many variables to consider with each shipment. How the truck will be loaded is one of them.
Private Fleet vs. Outsourced Trucking Services: A Head-to-Head Comparison
In this age of companies doing more and more in-house rather than relying on vendor partners to provide specialty services, many companies prefer to have a private fleet of trucks and drivers rather than outsourcing these services to a trucking company or freight brokerage.
[Video] Hazmat Freight Shipping: 3 Key Insights
[Video] How to Avoid Freight Fees
Why Does Freight Get Rejected Upon Delivery? (And Tips for Avoiding Rejected Cargo)
It’s a worst-case scenario for most shippers. Your freight arrives on location with the consignee, and they refuse to accept it.
When Freight Shipping Goes Wrong: How to Avoid and Address Problems
All industries are susceptible to changes, delays, opportunities and problems. The transportation industry is no different.
Using Multi-Axle Trailers for Heavy-Haul Freight
Roads and bridges are engineered to support a specific amount of weight. Exceeding this weight limit can have disastrous consequences, including bridge collapse or permanent road damage.
[Video] Tips For Avoiding Jobsite Pick-Up and Delivery Problems
What Drives the Price of Freight Shipping?
In any business, understanding pricing is critical. Is it okay to go with the cheapest option, or will that cause more problems down the road? Why is the price from last week different from the price today? And why is everything so dang expensive?
Shipping Freight To and From Atlanta: A Closer Look
Peaches. Coke. OutKast. Atlanta’s exports are well known.
How Long Weekends Impact Freight Shipping
The price of shipping varies based on several variables: the amount and type of freight, the origin and destination, additional driver tasks, and more.
[Podcast] December 2023 Trucking Industry Market Update
Protect Your Freight with Cargo Insurance: How Much You Need and How to Get More
Transportation providers have cargo insurance to protect themselves and customers in the event something happens to freight during transit.
[Video] Max Heights for Shipping In the U.S.
Shipping Freight To and From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: A Closer Look
Since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Philadelphia has been an important city in American history and commerce.
[Podcast] Freight Rates 2023: A Pricing Manager's Transportation Market Analysis
Shipping Freight To and From Charlotte, North Carolina: A Closer Look
The largest city in North Carolina, Charlotte is a buzzing hive of activity (it’s no wonder the Hornets are their NBA team).
Freight Measurements Matter: Dimensions and Piece Count in Freight Shipping
In some senses, the trucking industry is an information industry. Not an information technology industry (although trucking companies rely on world-class technology). Not a research industry. An industry that relies on complete, accurate information.
Shipping To and From Columbus, Ohio: A Closer Look
Ohio’s capital and the largest city in the state, Columbus, has a bustling economy centered around industries like education (The Ohio State University), government, insurance and more.
Chain Laws By State: What Are Tire Chains, and How Do They Impact Trucking?
No matter where you live, it’s likely that your supply chain is impacted by winter weather. Shipments are delayed, trucks get stuck and sometimes main roads close completely.
[Podcast] November 2023 Transportation Industry Update
Local Carriers vs. Over-The-Road Carriers: Which Is Right for Your Freight?
In the ever-evolving business world, choosing the right transportation provider for your freight can be an overwhelming decision. It has a major impact on your business operations, shipping costs, efficiency and customer satisfaction.
[Video] What is a Step-Deck Trailer?
Trucking Industry Outlook November 2025: What Shippers Must Know
November is a bridge between seasons — and an on-ramp to holiday shipping pressures. For shippers, it’s a month of tight capacity, shifting demand, and scheduling complexity.
Dry Van Trailer Floors: Wood vs. Aluminum Flooring
You see it on every house flipping and DIY show: Wood flooring dominates the housing market. Homeowners love it because it is easy to clean, doesn’t hold dust and is suitable for most rooms.
Why Carriers Decline Multi-Stop Shipments
Every day, millions of trucks travel the nation’s highways bringing goods to store shelves and customers.
Freight Held Hostage: What to Do & What Shippers Should Know
Hostage situations are serious, whether they're in the news or playing out in your supply chain. Freight is considered to be "held hostage" when a party stops the transit or delivery of a shipment until certain demands are met.
Winter Freight Shipping: What Changes and Tips for Effective Preparation
Winter comes every year, bringing with it fun things like snowmobiling, skiing and ice skating. It also brings snow, freezing temperatures and wind to many parts of the U.S., which creates treacherous roads.
Can I Save Money with a Digital Freight Broker? An Overview of AI and Tech in Trucking
Artificial Intelligence, also known as AI, is a buzzword in most industries these days. Whether you’re wondering how AI can make your job easier or worrying it will eventually replace you, the impact AI is having and will continue to have on nearly every industry is hard to overstate.
How to Successfully Ship Critical Freight
Your most important shipments — high-value goods, tight deadlines or sensitive cargo — need special care and attention from your shipping provider.
How to Avoid Jobsite Pick-Up and Delivery Problems
Active construction jobsites are dynamic and busy places. With tight timelines and budgets, it’s vital that everything goes well…and often, they don’t. Multiple trades, weather, budget changes, supply chain issues, worker shortages and more keep things busy and evolving.
Max Heights for Shipping In the U.S.
Every shipment takes planning and coordination to get from A to B. Shipping open-deck freight is uniquely challenging — especially when load dimensions edge into the oversized realm.
Best Practices for Shipping Hazmat Freight
Shipping hazardous freight requires attention to detail and strict adherence to regulations. Whether you're transporting chemicals, flammable materials or other dangerous goods, complying with legal and safety requirements is the only way to keep the roads and the public safe.
[Video] 2023 Transportation Industry Mid-Year Market Update
[Podcast] October Transportation Industry 2023 Forecast and Planning Tips
How to Evaluate a Transportation Provider
Before you load your valuable assets onto a truck, it’s important to know who is behind that truck. Who is the broker or carrier? What are their values? What experience and qualifications do they have with your type of freight?
How to Deal With Point of Contact Changes at Your Freight Carrier
One of the things you may have adapted to when working with a carrier or broker is your point of contact. Your point of contact is the individual you communicate with at the provider, often a salesperson or customer service representative.
What Are Step-Deck Load Levelers? Definitions, Uses, Pros and Cons
The trucking industry is responsible for hauling an incredible number of goods every day — everything from refrigerators to fiber optic cables to gallons of milk.
Cargo Theft: What It Is, How to Prevent It, What To Do If It Happens to You
Cargo theft. It’s rare, but its impact is wide. While porch pirates grab the attention of the average consumer, logistics professionals and shippers are seeing a sizable increase in both old-fashioned and high-tech theft of entire truckloads of commodities including food and beverage products, household goods and electronics.
Truck Driver Appreciation Week: How to Thank Drivers
Freight Rate Spot Quotes: How to Get One, How to Compare Them and Negotiation Tips
The first step in arranging a shipment is to reach out to a carrier or broker and receive a rate. With just that information, you can decide which provider is best for you based on the competing interests of cost, timing and customer service.
3 Common Freight Shipping Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Freight shipping is a complex operation with a lot of variables. Basically, you are trusting some of your valuable assets to a carrier to load, transport and unload them at your final destination.
How Much Does Short-Haul Freight Shipping Cost? What Sets Rates, How You Can Save
In the trucking industry, shipments are classified according to the distance they need to travel. The general guidelines are:
How to Prepare Freight for Shipping: Specify and Measure
In the transportation industry, size matters. If you’ve got flatbed freight that is 8 feet, 5 inches tall, it will drive safely under a bridge. And if that freight is 8 feet, 7 inches high, it requires a permit and a special route to avoid colliding with that bridge — potentially damaging the freight, the truck, the bridge and other vehicles, and possibly closing down a major road.
How to Ship a Forklift: The Options and Challenges
Forklifts are incredibly useful tools in warehouses, on construction sites and in manufacturing plants. While they are great at lifting and moving heavy items, they are too slow to drive down the road.
First Come, First Served (FCFS) vs. Appointment Freight Scheduling
- First come, first served (FCFS) definition, pros & cons
- Appointment scheduling definition, pros & cons
- How to choose a freight scheduling method
In the transportation industry, there are an infinite number of goods to pick up or deliver: toilet paper, apples, couches, industrial air conditioners — the list goes on.
Legal Freight Limits: Trucking Industry Weight, Width, Height, and Length Limits
- Oversize load definition
- Legal limits for weight, width, height and length
- Permitting requirements
- Your role in successfully moving oversize freight
In the trucking industry, size matters. Freight size determines what type of vehicle will be used, the route it will travel and what additional costs and permits will be needed.
[Video] How to Prepare for Shipping During Hurricane Season
Are you ready for hurricane season? Even if you're in a land-locked state, hurricane season is likely to impact your supply chain. Now is the time to prepare so you aren't worrying about shipments when you should be worrying about getting out safely.
Watch this video to learn how hurricane season can affect your business, how to plan and prepare ahead of time, and what to do before the storm hits.
Want more? Here's some related content to explore next!
Do I Need a Loading Dock? Definitions, Options, Alternatives
When arranging a shipment, one of the first questions you may be asked is if a loading dock will be available at the origin and destination points. Including this information in your initial specifications can help determine how long it will take to load or unload the trailer and give the driver guidance on where to park.
Labor Day Oversize Freight Hauling Restrictions by State 2025
Transportation Industry 2023 Mid-Year Market Update
2023 has been an interesting year in many respects. I mean, can you believe Aaron Rodgers won’t be a Packer this season? Strange times. Sad times.
Everything You Need to Know to Transport Freight In and Out of a Port
- Requirements for trucks entering ports
- Working with a customs broker
- Loading the truck
- What drayage is
- Possible timelines for port pick-ups
- The cost to move freight through a port
In a global market, there will always be demand for goods from overseas — everything from toys and clothes to fruit and furniture. No matter the commodity, all freight traveling via marine vessel has one thing in common: It enters the U.S. via a port.
[Podcast] September 2023 Trucking Industry Update
What Is Ship Chartering? (How and When to Use International Vessel Charters)
Overseas shipping is a complex operation that requires multiple forms of transportation: typically at least one mode to get to the shipping port, one mode to get to the receiving port and one mode to get to the ultimate destination.
Cargo Securement: How Carriers Keep Your Freight Safe
Truck drivers are tasked with getting your freight safely from its point of origin to its final destination. Protecting your cargo also keeps the driver, the vehicle and others on the road safe. It’s the driver’s primary role, and they take it seriously.
LTL Freight Claims: How to File One and How to Avoid LTL Cargo Damage
You’ve heard the horror stories: a friend of a friend’s cousin ships a valuable item cross country. The package gets lost for weeks, your friend’s friend’s cousin finally gives up on ever seeing their valuables again, and finally they receive a box of broken pieces.
[Video] Construction Season Freight Shipping Tips
Safely Shipping Metal Coils: Eye to the Sky vs. Eye to the Side Securement
Long strips of metal, including steel, aluminum and fiber optic cable, are often wrapped around a coil or spool for shipping. Coiling this type of material saves space and keeps it manageable during transportation and storage.
What Is a Step-Deck Trailer? Definition, Alternatives, Pros and Cons
So you’ve contracted with a freight carrier, and they have indicated that they will be using a step-deck trailer. What does that mean? Will the freight arrive safely to your destination? How does the carrier determine which type of trailer is best for your particular freight?
What Is Transloading? How to Do It, When to Do It, How to Choose a Provider
Shipping goods across the country, and especially from overseas, is rarely as simple as loading the material once at the origin point and then unloading it at the final destination.
Dry Van Shipping: The Pros, The Cons, The Alternatives
Dry vans, those rectangular trailers with a double door in the back, are a common sight along roads and highways. They are one of the most popular vehicles used in the trucking industry, making them readily available and generally affordable.
Freight Shipping in Hurricane Season: Best Practices for 2025
Truck Breakdowns: Why They Happen, What Shippers Can Do If They Happen
The Best Way to Avoid Additional Charges in the Trucking Industry
When contracting for any service, you want to avoid as many unexpected charges as possible. This helps keep the overall project budget in check, and it means you don’t have to justify extra costs to your boss later.
Dry Van Shipping vs. Rail Shipping: A Pros and Cons Comparison
[Video] Why do Freight Brokers Fall Through?
Construction Season: When it Starts and How it Impacts Open-Deck Freight Shipping
It’s frustrating when your freight rates change — especially on short notice. Freight transportation isn’t your company’s only expense, but the more you pay these bills the more you realize how volatile they are. They might even be your most unpredictable expense each period.
[Video] 3 Tips for Choosing a Transportation Provider
[Video] What Are Incoterms?
How to Ship a Crane (4 Things to Prioritize)
One of the most intriguing things about working in the transportation industry is the sheer diversity of products transportation companies, like Anderson Trucking Service (ATS), get to move. In fact, every product on earth is touched by the transportation sphere in some way during its lifecycle.
The Pros and Cons of Using a Freight Brokerage to Ship Your LTL Freight
Shipping less-than-truckload (LTL) freight can be kind of nerve-wracking. There are a lot of variables at play every time your LTL freight is ready to move.
[Video] What is Roll-On/Roll-Off (Ro/Ro) Shipping?
[Video] Pros and Cons of Working With a Small Freight Brokerage
[Video] Pros and Cons of Working With Large Freight Brokerages
[Podcast] May Trucking Industry Market Update: What Shippers Should Keep in Mind This Year
[Video] Container Detention and Container Demurrage: What Are They?
How Does a Trucking Company Determine Your Shipment’s Route?
It’s your job to understand the intricate details of the trucking marketplace: its cycles and the factors influencing freight rates. This knowledge helps you adjust your logistics strategy, better collaborate with external stakeholders (like carriers) and explain the cost of shipping to your boss.
[Video] What is a Food-Grade Trailer?
How Many Shipments Can a Freight Broker Handle Out of One Location in a Day?
Each of your shipments is important to the success of your business. That’s just a fact. Over the years, your company has developed systems for finding, vetting, selecting and tendering freight to transportation companies.
The Pros and Cons of Shipping Freight Using a Small Trucking Company
Your freight making it to its destination on time hinges on decisions you made well before it ever loaded. Prime among these decisions is which transportation provider(s) you trust to handle your freight needs.
