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U.S. Traffic – NEWSAugust 26, 2008 Presidents MessageMany people today still believe that the only proper purpose of a corporation is to make a profit for benefit of the shareholders. They say "If the shareholders wish to spend their share of profits on good causes that is their choice to make, not the corporation's". As CEO of US Traffic I disagree. I think today's company has a broad set of secondary obligations - to provide opportunity of career growth to our employees, to be a contributing member of the communities we have offices in, to conduct business in an ethical and safe manner. Perhaps the most important of these secondary duties is to protect our world for the generations as yet unborn -- the so-called "green initiatives". US Traffic is essentially in the information business. As our slogan says, Connecting Cargo, with Carrier, with Confidence is what we do. At first it might seem that there is very little to help protect our environment that we can do -- but that is not the case! All businesses have options that can collectively make a difference. In our US Traffic offices almost all of our lighting use low voltage solutions, reducing our energy demand. We converted to electronic imaging for document storage and now consume tonnes less paper. Extensive use of internet and EDI to receive and send bills of lading and other transport information has reduced our use of courier and postal service and therefore the fuel burnt by their vehicles. Our most recent environmental action is becoming a member of the Smartway Transport Partnership program. This is a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that encourages members to not only use less energy directly, but also to give preference to business partners (in our case the motor carries that haul goods for us) that have also committed to improved energy conservation by becoming Smartway members. We are committing to an action plan that should substantially lower our energy use and thereby reduce our negative impact on our environment over the next three years. I ask all our many customers and suppliers to do whatever you can to help -- there is a small cost to shareholders, but the returns to the world at large are huge! John A. McDonald, CMA, CIT, CTB U.S. Traffic August 26, 2008 US Traffic Guarantees PaymentDespite the easy access to credit reports many motor carriers continue to do business with financially weak (or simply dishonest) transport brokers -- and when they don't get paid they blame all "#*@!!" brokers. Once upon a time, advertising ourselves as a “Broker” would have been the ‘kiss of death’, we down played our non-asset based status. Today, we proudly proclaim ourselves a “Professional Broker”. What has changed? To help identify US Traffic as one of the best players in the business we have joined the TIA Guaranteed Payment Program. In addition to agreeing to adhere to strict ethics and good business practices we have added a $100,000 bond to provide comfort to motor carriers that they will be paid for their services. John A. McDonald, CMA, CIT, CTB U.S. Traffic December 18, 2007 Identity TheftIt is often assumed that identity theft only affects individuals. The following case study proves that this isn't true. A carrier was contacted by a transport company to update his insurance information so he could pickup a load. The driver told the company that he had not booked a load from them and he was at home in Tennessee. Upon further investigation it turned out that a freight forwarder had been using copies of the carrier’s operating authority, W-9 and was having certificates of insurance issued to various companies directly from the insurance company. They had even setup a bank account under the carriers name at a Credit Union using a social security number from one of their accomplices. This drives home the point of knowing who you are doing business with. Whether you are a shipper, broker or forwarder, ensuring that all documentation received is correct and authentic is very important. U.S. Traffic always goes the extra-mile to know our carriers. We check authorities, insurances, safety records and have them monitored on a continual basis for any changes. As we say… Connecting Cargo, With Carrier, With Confidence. Phyllis Bousquet, CTB U.S. Traffic August 18, 2007 25 Years in BusinessAfter over 25 years in business, U.S. Traffic has seen some dramatic changes in our industry. Once upon a time, advertising ourselves as a “Broker” would have been the ‘kiss of death’, we down played our non-asset based status. Today, we proudly proclaim ourselves a “Professional Broker”. What has changed? Brokers have steady volume year round available to many premium carriers that rely on them. Today’s successful Logistics Managers recognize that partnering with a reliable Broker means access to more capacity regardless of season. They have moved away from the once popular “Core Carrier” strategy, and included Transportation Brokers in their short list of reliable, professional, cost effective suppliers. After all, over 81% of all trucking companies operate 6 trucks or less, why keep detailed databases of the many truckers needs to handle their varied destinations, when all that is really needed is one supplier that can do it all. If you already use U.S. Traffic, thanks for including us on your short list. If you are only considering us as a supplier, let us show you how calling us first can replace your long list of “core carriers” with just one reliable solution. Kathy Talaska, CTB U.S. Traffic August 8, 2007 Shippers responsible for due diligenceShippers hiring carriers direct must now be able to prove due diligence to the same extent that third parties do. Companies hiring carriers direct must understand what the courts look for when determining negligent hiring. A ruling by the New Jersey Supreme Court states that “An employer may be charged with negligence in hiring an independent contractor where it is demonstrated that he should have known, or might by the exercise of reasonable care have ascertained, that the contractor was not competent.” This law is similar in most states and has been upheld in the courts in the case of accidents involving hired carriers causing injury or death. How much do you need to check out a carrier before hiring it? In the case of a 2006 New Jersey accident, the shipper was charged with negligent hiring because it hadn’t proofed a carrier’s registration, insurance, or licenses to determine that they were in order. These standards are difficult for shippers, but the courts are not sympathetic in dealing with these cases so shippers need to assess their carrier hiring procedures to determine how they will testify if and when they are sued. Shippers need to have risk specialists review their truck-hiring operations. They can also subscribe to a variety of monitoring services that provide details on carrier insurance, authorities and safety records. Having these services can help shippers prove that they monitor their truckers daily in the event that they are sued. At U.S. Traffic we take due diligence very seriously and have departments that specialize in ensuring that all the necessary checks have been made – and made often. As the hiring party, we take all responsibility for ensuring that a carrier has all the necessary documentation for every move. Just one more way you’ll see we mean business when we say “When it comes to transporting your freight, the U.S. TRAFFIC team goes the extra mile – no charge!” Kathy Talaska, CTB U.S. Traffic |
"We have been J.T. Kobelt "On behalf of GE Plastics, we wish to express our appreciation for the "extra step" service U.S.Traffic provides to us each and every day." "...exemplifies the relentless pursuit K. Laurie-Seuters " ... our time sensitive shipments from New Jersey, Florida, Texas and California are usually booked at the very last moment, yet your dispatch personnel have been able to come through with on-time scheduled deliveries time and time again." D.R.Fulton ""I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the terrific job your company has done for Ashland. You have helped us handle many emergency situations, which in turn have helped us to satisfy our customers". P. Abend "Anyone with misapprehensions about dealing with a "transportation broker" would do well to try U.S.Traffic’s brand of service." J.T. Kobelt |
