Summer is quickly approaching, and everyone soon will be hitting the road heading towards their favorite vacation spot. I can feel the excitement already as people anticipate plans for some rest and relaxation this summer. However, as you route your course, perhaps, you should also allow extra time in your agenda for some unexpected delays. With Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan stimulating road construction, facing the dreaded orange barrels will be inevitable.

Patience will be a definite virtue you will need as you head out on the road. However, dodging the orange barrels is not the only time you will need to exercise some patience. On occasion, you may find yourself behind a truck hauling an oversized load. Vacationing drivers more than likely view these trucks as a hindrance, a barrier they have to get around in order to reach their destination.

As an employee of HG Logistics LLC, a Cincinnati, Ohio freight broker, I encourage drivers to respect these trucks and the load they are transporting. HG Logistics has extensive experience in hauling heavy haul and oversized equipment and therefore, can attest that being patience and courteous will help ensure everyone’s safety. Heavy haul and oversized loads are carefully planned: they must travel preplanned routes, must use certain lanes, and travel at certain speeds. The drivers of these trucks are not purposely trying to annoy you. They are just abiding by the predetermined restrictions they are required to follow.

If you are having trouble maintaining your road rage as you sit behind an oversized load, taking up two lanes of traffic, and traveling at a measly speed of 25 miles per hour, think about the truck driver. Before you honk your horn and give him the finger, put yourself in his shoes and think of the awesome responsibility he has of hauling 150,000 pounds across U.S. highways. One slip up, one distraction is all it could take for him to lose control of that load and produce catastrophic results.

Please do not try to zip by them, swing around them, or cut in front of them. If you do, someone could be seriously injured. Practice some patience and common sense, and the worse thing that could happen is you arrive a few hours late to your favorite vacation spot, but at least you will arrive there alive and in one piece.

In this economic turmoil and with the “me, me, me” attitude so evident in the society we live today, it is good to know that there are still companies that stress accountability to their customers. HG Logistics LLC, a third party logistics company located in Cincinnati, Ohio, understands the need to stand accountable to each and everyone of our customers, whether it is doing our due diligence when selecting a trucking company to move our loads, or by trying to find new and more cost effective ways to help our customers save money.

Trying to “do right” for our clients is a continuing goal of HG Logistics. It is what keeps us on our toes, keeps us competitive, and it keeps us at the top of the heap. What we are talking about is the search for the fastest and most economical way of shipping. We are not willing to settle for business as usual without looking into new options each and every time to help reduce our client’s cost. Sure, we know how we usually ship. However, each time we present a proposal, we need to satisfy our own curiosity. For our own peace of mind, we research all possibilities to know that in our proposal, we have fulfilled all services.  We want to know that we are not only shipping the quickest, but also the most economical way so our clients can achieve the highest profit margin possible. Period!

It is time again today to review our shipping methods to see if we can seek out an avenue we have never explored before. You just never know. Sometimes doing something a little differently can open up whole new worlds. Yes, we know, it is a little scary and strange, isn’t it? But in the end, it is what keeps HG Logistics an accountable, top of the line company.

 At HG Logistics LLC, a Cincinnati based 3^rd party transportation and logistics company, we diligently investigate our contracted carriers. We ensure that they are in compliance with all safety regulations and have maintained proper authority status and insurance requirements.

Through Carrier 411, an insurance and authority monitoring service, we are alerted daily of any changes in insurance, authority, and safety ratings for our contracted carriers. We require all carrier files to maintain a Certificate of Due Diligence and a Certificate of Insurance with HG Logistics LLC listed as the certificate holder.

If at any time a carrier’s safety rating reports a “conditional” or “unsatisfactory” rating, HG Logistics LLC conducts its own investigation to ensure they are performing all necessary steps to reverse this rating. Our procedure includes receiving copies of the FMCSA’s inspection reports and contacting the carrier to complete a Safety Questionnaire, which requires responses to the following:

1.  Do you have a safety program in place?
2. Is your recordkeeping in compliance with DOT regulations (medical exams, accident reports, etc.)?
3. Who audits your driver logs and how do you handle violations?
4.  Do you have a vehicle safety program?
5. Who makes repairs on your equipment and do they sign off on their repairs?

HG Logistics LLC makes SAFETY a priority.

HG logistics is proud to be part of the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), a professional organization of the $162 billion third-party logistics industry. TIA is the only organization exclusively representing transportation intermediaries of all disciplines doing business in domestic and international commerce. TIA is the voice of transportation intermediaries to shippers, carriers, government officials in Congress and the Administration and international organizations. TIA is the United States member of the International Federation of Freight Forwarder Associations (FIATA).

TIA members include brokers, forwarders, intermodal marketing companies, Non Vessel Operating Common Carriers (NVOCC) and international forwarders, airfreight forwarders and freight audit/payment companies.

TIA is the voice of the U.S. third party logistics industry before Congress, the Administration and international organizations. TIA conducts an annual convention and trade show; an annual marketing conference with leading shippers and carriers; and provides education, research and services to help our members succeed.