News

January 23, 2006

Transportation Effects by Recent Hurricanes

The effects of both Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita are being felt throughout the nation. In addition to the physical devastation which is hindering the transportation of goods throughout the area, the situation has also caused a shortage in the availability of freight carriers in the Midwest and coastal areas of the US.

Trucks for large shipments (10,000 lbs) and more are becoming more and more difficult to find. Many of them are being used for shipments to the gulf states with food and supplies for hurricane relief. Upon arrival in the affected areas, many are not being unloaded for days and then are unable to find shipments to haul out of the region. The result is that they have to drive many miles empty to find loads to bring back to the Midwest. This has created a severe shortage of trucks for the Midwest.

For those trucks that are available in this region that are not under contract, demand is exceeding supply and causing rates to increase. Also, fuel will most likely see another increase because of Hurricane Rita. The situation may worsen as we get into the fall harvest and Christmas. In addition, hurricane season doesn’t officially end until late in November.

We recommend that publishers stay informed on the situation and plan accordingly when placing orders. Higher freight costs and shipping delays may become the standard for the remainder of the year. According to our Warehouse Manager, this is the worst availability he has seen in his over 20 years of experience in shipping freight.

We will do our best to make sure that your product arrives in a timely manner. Ganging shipments, pre-planning and creative alternatives are all being employed in order to minimize the effect this has on our customers. If there are any procedures you would like us to consider regarding a specific title or project, please let us know and we’ll work together to meet those needs.