The initial concerns around the coronavirus pandemic were that restraints on importing and exporting would prolong a slump in domestic shipping that started late last year. Now, as everyone prepares for quarantine measures put into effect by the government, consumers are stocking up on essential items. Higher than usual demands in grocery store replenishments and home deliveries have created a call for urgencies in supply chains, and carriers are finding no shortage of shipment volumes. According to DAT, of the 100 high-volume van lanes, 63% of van lane rates rose in response to these trends. Below is an illustration on the rise in lane rates since February.
At Langham Logistics, we are committed to help navigate the challenges posed by these uncertain times by staying informed on current impacts of COVID-19 on our customers and our carriers. Specifically, we are proactively working with carriers to ensure they can meet capacity and rate requirements, and will continue to keep an open line of communication with our partners to ensure that they can meet the needs of our customers.
In order to help, we ask our customers to provide us any information on the following:
- Flexibility: Can freight sit? If not, what adjustments (if any) can be made to rates to ensure shipments are kept on-time?
- Volume: If volume is expected to increase, keeping our team informed will help us to plan accordingly.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us here.
