The frozen food aisle is quickly adapting to meet the ever-changing dining habits of consumers. There are over 3,700 frozen options for beginners, parents, chefs, and foodies to choose from.

Being a shipper in this logistics environment is difficult to say the least. That’s why at Pyramid Transport, we suggest shippers make it a priority to be a shipper of choice. The most simple definition of “shipper of choice” is the shipper carriers most want to work with!

If so, you understand just how important it is that your cargo arrives at its destination the perfect temperature. Taste, texture, and safety are all considerations when shipping frozen or refrigerated freight. Your temperature-sensitive freight is going to need a reefer!

Strict temperature requirements, energy dependence, specialized equipment along with forever changing government regulations concerning food safety have always made cold chain logistics challenging. But 2018 has been a year of many changes with the enforcement of the ELD rule and rising rates due to tight capacity and a driver shortage that just won’t quit.

Here at Pyramid Transport, we get it! We’ve been in the business of frozen food shipping for over 25 years. We understand the hassles businesses face in getting their temperature-controlled products to customers, and we’re here to help!

 LTL shipments are even more tenuous to manage. While a truckload frozen shipment is picked up and delivered by the same driver, an LTL shipment is almost always transported by two or more drivers and often warehoused, loaded and unloaded more than once as it makes its way through the cold chain.

 A shipper using the wrong carrier or the wrong 3PL will experience nothing but headaches.

We understand that pain. That’s why we suggest shippers find, create, and cultivate great partnerships with an experienced third party logistics provider (3PL). We believe this is a shipper’s best defense against the capacity crunch in the ever-changing logistics ecosystem.

When looking for a logistics partner, most shippers try to balance a need for cost-efficient shipping with an equal--or often greater--need for high levels of service. This is nowhere more true than in the shipment of temperature-controlled goods. This attempt to find a good balance is known in the shipping business as cost vs. service level.

So what exactly does it mean--cost vs. service level?

Meet Sal! Sal’s a busy frozen seafood executive with a lot on his plate. The past six months have given Sal a headache. If you’re in logistics, you know what we’re talking about. The massive hurricanes in the fall; the continuing driver shortage; the growing economy; consumer confidence and expectation due to the Amazon effect--all creating a perfect storm of rising transportation rates.

Everyone’s talking about the many challenges shippers face in a volatile market. The driver shortage is contributing to the capacity crunch. The economy is good and freight rates continue to soar. In an era of disruption, logistics experts are focusing on the value of real-time freight visibility.

Most shippers don’t take into account this simple truth: bad service in the form of late or damaged freight results in a loss of customer respect and continued business.

We understand that a good shipping partner can be a shipper’s best defense in a volatile market. What does a smart shipping partner offer shippers?

Trucking companies face unique challenges. The driver shortage, new regulations due to the ELD Mandate, along with the accompanying tight capacity are only the tip of the iceberg for carriers.

At Pyramid Transport, we partner with shippers and carriers to efficiently and cost-effectively move freight. We’re especially good at temperature-controlled freight; in fact, it’s our specialty. And we know that capacity is tightening particularly in the temperature-controlled segment of the transportation industry. According to DAT Solutions, loads outnumber trucks by 15 to 1 in temperature-controlled freight.

 What’s going on?

Here at Pyramid Transport, it’s our job and our passion to work with carriers and shippers during this volatile time. We’ve been following the driver shortage and have compiled a short list of ways to address the growing driver shortage.

Quality delivery of refrigerated and frozen LTL (Less Than Truckload) shipments demands a higher level of expertise from your shipping partner. While frozen and refrigerated FTL (Full Truck Load) shipments typically pick up and deliver without multiple stops, warehousing and divided temperature controlled units, LTL shipments can and do require these additional steps resulting in a more sensitive and complicated cold chain. 

Pyramid Transport has nearly 25 years of experience with refrigerated and frozen ltl shipping. We have grown a large network of refrigerated and frozen ltl carriers.

Shipping perishable or frozen items requires a specialized approach in order to assure the stability and safety of products as they make their way from points of origin to destinations. The consistent temperature of any supply chain is called a cold chain. Cold chains are necessary in the shipment of fresh foods or produce, frozen goods, some pharmaceuticals, and seafood.

We took some time and interviewed Pyramid Transport's "The Camel" to find out why it's the perfect choice for the refrigerated freight broker leader

Fact: We all eat. Unless you live in Eden, we all rely on logistics to get our food to us. A great deal of that food is frozen. Have you ever stopped to think... How does it all work?

FTL (Truckload) and LTL (less-than-truckload) are two totally different modes of transportation. Do you know the difference? If you're an LTL shipper, a little knowledge may save you a lot of money. Consolidating your LTL freight may be the way to go. Let's compare these options.