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in this issue
· Transport Forum Open for Discussion
· Back to Basics:
Ways to Save Fuel Costs
· What's Up Dock?
· SPOTLIGHT ON: BTS
Byers
· Tip of the Month
· HOLD THE DATE
· Personnel News
· DLTL Carriers
Association Annual Meeting
· Calendar of Events
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Welcome to
the October/November edition of the CLI newsletter. This edition features
some exciting news about an addition to the CLI website, an announcement
regarding a spring conference, and a spotlight on a CLI customer and how they
creatively solved a problem. Plus there's an article on how to save fuel
costs, the calendar of events, Tip of the Month and CLI personnel news.
Communication
is critical no matter what business you are in. Good communication is
important between management and staff, service provider and customer, and
business partners. This newsletter, in fact, was created as a tool for better
communication between CLI and its clients, partners and prospects. Now, CLI
is pleased to announce the launch of another communication tool that will
allow you to "talk" to your business peers. The Transport Forum is
now open on the CLI website. This LTL industry bulletin board will allow you
to post questions, share knowledge and generally stay on top of industry
trends. For details on signing up for the Transport Forum, please see our
feature article below.
And while
communication via the Internet allows everyone to participate and get answers
quickly, there is still no substitute for face-to-face communication and
learning. This is why we are excited to announce that CLI will host a User
Group Conference in Tarrytown, NY on March 9-11, 2005. Please mark these
dates on your calendars and read the article below for more information.
Finally, by
communicating with each other on how we solved a business issue we all can
learn. Please note the "Spotlight On" article featuring a story on
CLI customer BTS Byers and how they creatively solved a business issue. Do
you have a story you'd like to share with our readers regarding how you
solved a business issue or concern? Contact Craig Lis at
clis@carrierlogistics.com if you do.
Enjoy the
issue and Happy Holidays.
Transport
Forum Open for Discussion 
Want to
exchange ideas with industry peers? Would you like to know how another
trucking company solved a problem you're currently experiencing? Then head to
the newly launched Transport Forum located on the CLI website. This forum,
open to anyone involved in the trucking and transportation industry, is a
place for discussions, idea exchanges and even humor.
"We're
hoping the forum becomes a valuable meeting and exchange site on the
Internet," said Ken Weinberg, CLI vice president. "We believe this
will become a place where people in the trucking industry can go for answers,
guidance and solutions to their business challenges," he continued. The
Transport Forum is an open place where people in the industry can exchange
ideas, opinions, and information about such issues as the cost of diesel
fuel, driver safety, traffic congestion, hours of service, capacity
constraints in the LTL industry, and computer system training options.
The forum
is easy to use and navigate. Just post your question, concern or news and
then visit the site later to read what others in the industry have to say.
You can make the forum part of your daily routine to read the latest buzz in
the transportation world. And if you need a laugh, visit the humor section
for a quick pick me up.
Though you
can enter as a guest, we strongly recommend that you register for the forum
so that you can post your own messages. Registering is fast, simple and free.
Carrier Logistics' customers will also have access to additional forums about
software enhancements, Out to Lunch sessions, and tips. Click the link below
and get started today. The CLI Transport Forum is your source for the latest
news, resources and information for the trucking industry.
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Back to Basics:
Ways to Save Fuel Costs
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by Ken Weinberg, vice president, Carrier Logistics Inc.
Considering
the skyrocketing costs of fuel, now is a good time to examine your P&D
productivity. You can't control the price at the pump but you can control
the amount of fuel you use. Looking at your P&D routes and even how you
load your trucks could result in significant savings.
By
streamlining your pick up and delivery routes you can save miles. And miles
mean money when it comes to fuel. We've found that when we re-engineer a
route structure for a customer, we end up saving one stop per truck on
average. The industry-wide average is one stop equals five miles. So by
re-examining your route structure you can save five miles per day per
truck.
Though at
first glance, five miles may not seem like a big deal, when you multiply it
across your entire fleet over the period of a year it can really add up.
If, for example you had 50 trucks, you'd save 250 miles per day. Multiply
that over a year (220 work days) and you'd be saving 55,000 miles a year.
Now how much fuel are you saving? If you're getting 7 miles per gallon,
assuming gas costs of $2 a gallon, you're saving $15,715 a year. Suddenly
that insignificant five miles has become a big number for your bottom line.
And in
addition to the fuel it's a dollar a mile to run your trucks. I'm just
trying to illustrate the point that we're talking real dollars here. That
55,000 miles also represents wear and tear, increased maintenance, and, of
course, additional man hours. And if you use those extra man hours to add
one more stop, you could add conservatively $175 a day in incremental
revenue to your bottom line. Again, to be conservative add it up and you
end up with an increase of $1,925,000 a year. If you disagree with my
calculations take half - it's still a huge increase to your bottom line.
So get
back to basics. Take a look at your P&D routes. Streamline those routes
and start saving. The sooner those five miles a day are conserved, the
faster your company will begin to not just save but really grow.
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What's Up Dock?
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Keeping Track with the Enhanced Dock Module
CLI's
enhanced Dock Module makes dock management a breeze, giving you clear
control over all aspects of your dock activity. With this addition to the
FACTS™ suite of software, you can now know where your freight is located
and who put it where and when. You'll also be able to keep track of when
freight location has changed. The Dock Module makes monitoring loading and
unloading freight a simple task whether you're looking to see what freight
has been unloaded, where it is stored, or who loaded it and when. There is
also a system-wide option that allows freight to be added to an outgoing
manifest "on-the-fly" if desired.
The Dock
Module increases worker productivity as well. It assigns strip and/or load
assignments to a particular worker, keeps a record of who unloads or loads
a particular pallet, and knows if a worker is currently working on an
assignment. You can also review reports on a worker's productivity.
FACTS'™
enhanced Dock Module allows you to run your dock more efficiently and
profitably. It also supplies you with a complete scanning history of a
particular pallet; from unloading to storage to moving to loading. In
short, the Dock Module provides the who, when and where in dock management.
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SPOTLIGHT ON:
BTS Byers
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 When CLI customer
BTS Byers needed to cut expenses, they came up with a unique and clever way
to save money. The Edmonton-based carrier was spending a lot of money on
bill inputting. The clerical workers were making high wages, as their work
time was during the overnight hours. John Assman, president of BTS Byers,
discovered he could outsource the bill-inputting department to a company
located in the Philippines. Due to the time difference, the Philippine
workday was the same time as the BTS Byers' nighttime.
With CLI
software the information flowed seamlessly and in real-time over the Web to
the Philippines and back to BTS Byers so that at the start of the workday
in Edmonton, all of the bills from the prior day had been input.
BTS Byers
found a way to be more efficient while cutting costs and FACTS™ software
made this a reality.
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Tip of the Month
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 POD by Manifest
Overview Many times there
is a delay in getting an entire manifest delivered. This delay can be
caused by different circumstances such as weather or accidents. There are
also times when a status update is needed for an entire manifest, such as
giving the freight to an interline partner. There is a program that can be
used to update every pro on the manifest with a particular result code.
How it
works
This option is located on the bs.manifest menu #19 or cust.special #24.
This program first prompts for a manifest number, trailer, or a load
number.
Next the
pros on the manifest are displayed. If all of the pros should be updated,
hit F1 and the POD screen appears where you can enter the type of result
code that applies to the circumstance. If any of the individual shipments
show delivered, there is a prompt for you to change that delivered status.
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HOLD THE DATE
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CLI will be holding a User Group Conference on March 9-11,
2005 at the Hilton Hotel in Tarrytown, NY. This is an excellent opportunity
to get up-to-speed on aspects of CLI software. You'll learn not only from
CLI expert trainers but from your business peers as well.
The
program opens with a reception on Wednesday evening where you'll have the
opportunity to meet other attendees. Training begins first thing on
Thursday morning. There'll be structured sessions, and opportunities to
meet one-on-one with CLI experts to get answers to your most pressing needs
and questions. The program continues through Friday at noon.
So hold
the date: March 9-11, 2005. Space will be limited so watch your e-mail for
further updates and opportunities to register.
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Personnel News
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 After twenty years
of excellent and loyal service to CLI and CLI's customers, Sam Bird has
announced that effective at the end of this year, he is retiring. Many of
you have had the opportunity to work with Sam as he managed the MIS team at
CLI. Over the years he has cheerfully and competently answered your
questions.
We're
sure you join us in wishing Sam a happy and healthy retirement. Sam plans
to spend time at his Poconos getaway lodge, and playing with his
grandchildren.
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DLTL Carriers
Association Annual Meeting
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The Distribution & LTL Carriers Association will hold
their Annual Meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on January 30 - February 2,
2005. The meeting will be held at the Lago Mar Resort. Among the activities
scheduled will be educational seminars, social and networking opportunities
and an exhibition area for trucking industry suppliers.
Educational
topics will include seminars on Costing for the LTL Carrier, Estate and
Retirement Planning for Business Executives, Explanation of the Benefits of
Health Savings Accounts, a Review and Forecast of Economic Conditions, a
Legislative and Regulatory Policy Review, among others.
The
program will also feature an exhibit of products and services offered to
member carriers by the premier suppliers to the trucking industry. In
addition, an Exhibitors Roundtable has been scheduled to provide an
opportunity for all exhibitors to directly address the association in
regard to their products and services. There will be several networking
opportunities on the program including social events, a golf tournament as
well as spouse activities. 
For more
information contact Jeff Michalson at 816-753-0411 ext. 233, or send an
email to dltlca@dltl.org. You can also get additional information on the
association and its activities on its web site - www.dltl.org.
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Calendar of
Events
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Date
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Program
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Location
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Nov. 13 - 17
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NITL Annual Meeting & TransComp
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San Antonio, TX
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Jan. 30 - Feb. 2
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The Distribution & LTL Carriers Association 2005
Annual Meeting
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Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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Feb. 3 - 5
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Mid-West Truck Show
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Peoria, IL
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Feb. 15-18
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2005 ATA Technology & Maintenance Council Annual
Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition
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Tampa, FL
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Feb. 22 - 24
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Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Conference
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La Quinta, CA
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March 31 - April 2
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Mid-America Trucking Show
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Louisville, KY
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Oct. 15-19
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2005 ATA Management Conference & Exhibition
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Boston, MA
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Quick Links
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