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Photography by Ed Zoller,
Owner-Operator, Optimus Transport, Inc
John & Jenni BourdonJohn & Jenni Bourdon
Optimus Transport, Inc.Optimus Transport, Inc.
Arrow Industries – Arrow Industries – Warehouse & TransloadWarehouse & Transload
Transportation Transportation Issues Issues and the Hardwood and the Hardwood
IndustryIndustry
How Smaller Fleets fill the NichesHow Smaller Fleets fill the Niches in Regional Transportation -- in Regional Transportation --
What’s a “niche?”What’s a “niche?” “The expression niche is borrowed from ecology and implies a situation or an activity perfectly suited to a person, a given type of personality, a business model . . . …the process of finding and serving small industry segments and designing custom-made products or services for them. . . . …big companies find those market segments too small to serve profitably as they often lack economies of scale; …niche fillers are often reliant on the loyalty business model.”
Etymology – by Wikipedia.org
What “niches” do smaller fleets What “niches” do smaller fleets fill?fill?o LogisticsLogistics – “one call does it all” Regional carriers : Know their traffic lanes Have built relationships with industry partners Can more effectively plan freight movement into, out of, and within their area
o LiaisonLiaison Familiar with regional mills, shippers/receivers, transloads, Ports-of-Entry, etc. Better control over trucking – work directly with their own drivers/Owner Ops
o LoyaltyLoyalty Able to more effectively prioritize shipments for established customers Give preference to and make allowances for the needs of established customers
And what And what constitutes a
constitutes a “smaller” fleet?
“smaller” fleet?◊◊Transport Topics Weekly says – Transport Topics Weekly says –
Less than 150 tractor unitsLess than 150 tractor units
◊◊ Jenni B says –Jenni B says –
For a Regional Carrier, less than 30For a Regional Carrier, less than 30
What to expect from your What to expect from your “Niche” filler --“Niche” filler --
o CommunicativeCommunicative Accessible, attentive, attuned
Competent Competent They do what they say they’ll do when they say they’ll do it Capable of facilitating seamless freight movement& communicating progress
CompetitiveCompetitive Provide real-life rates that help you stay competitive and trucks stay on the road
““How can I help?”How can I help?”
WeeklyWeekly Retail Retail Diesel Diesel PricesPrices
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/wohdp/http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/wohdp/diesel.aspdiesel.asp
April 2004
Oct 2004
April 2005
Oct 2005
April 2006
West Coast West Coast AveragesAverages
23+% increase over
past 12 months
Dec 2003 $1.60
Challenges for OTR Challenges for OTR transportation --transportation -- Across the board increase in all
types of expenses
Soaring fuel costs (nearly 70% annually - previous three year period)
Shortage of qualified, competent drivers
Reduced highway capacity – increase in traffic volume and density for most regions
Increased regulations & security measures including Homeland Security rules, etc.
Driver shortage – issues that Driver shortage – issues that impactimpact
LifestyleLifestyle
Driver PayDriver Pay
Increased Cost of Truck Increased Cost of Truck OwnershipOwnership
Skyrocketing Fuel PricesSkyrocketing Fuel Prices
Changes to Hours-of-serviceChanges to Hours-of-service
Aging WorkforceAging Workforce
How can How can we we help?help?Optimus Transport, Inc - -Optimus Transport, Inc - -
8 years serving the Northwest 8 years serving the Northwest (WA, OR, ID, MT)(WA, OR, ID, MT)
2020+ + maxi curtain vansmaxi curtain vans
Platinum Fleet Safety Award WinnerPlatinum Fleet Safety Award Winner
Arrow Industries - - Warehouse & TransloadArrow Industries - - Warehouse & Transload Indoor railcar and container load/unloadIndoor railcar and container load/unload
Centrally located to the region at the Port of Centrally located to the region at the Port of Olympia, WAOlympia, WA
(just south of Tacoma/Seattle & north of (just south of Tacoma/Seattle & north of Vancouver/Portland )Vancouver/Portland )
OOptimus Transport, Inc.ptimus Transport, Inc. Phone: 360-570-0090Phone: 360-570-0090
Fax: 360-570-8808Fax: 360-570-8808
Email: Email: [email protected]@optimustransport.com