The following finding from a recent DHL Express survey speaks volumes about the lingering effects of the pandemic on small and medium-sized businesses:
Global supply chains are still feeling the effects of countries and economies shutting down during the height of COVID-19. Over half of respondents said supply chain delays have been their biggest business challenge so far in 2021.
New technology has reshaped the freight and logistics market by enabling better efficiency and collaborative operating models. It’s clear that transportation is a major component of supply chain management, and there’s pressure to stay at the top of your game while trying to save on costs in a rapidly evolving industry.
Securing reliable and on-time trucks to pick up your organization’s freight is a difficult task as the market faces increasing challenges of dwindling transportation capacity and skyrocketing shipping costs. Freight carriers continue to bump up their rates and report capacity constraints across all modes of transportation.
Delivery trucks often wait hours for a load. Some backlogs remain so severe that warehouses are forced to store rows of containers in parking lots. It’s not uncommon for shipping containers to sit for days at our largest U.S. ports.
