Two More Ways to Save Thousands (or Millions) on Freight Shipments
As part of our mission to lower the freight total cost of ownership (TCO) for our clients, we are always looking for new ways to save.
We started with our standard seven ways to drive down outbound freight costs, then added the “van or reefer” option for dry van backhauls, how to avoid hidden freight costs, and then turned our attention to four ways to drive down inbound freight costs.
Today, we are sharing two additional ways to lower freight TCO and save numerous bills with Woodrow Wilson’s face on them.
Spring Ride Instead of Air Ride
When onboarding one of our F50 clients, we discovered they were using air ride on 25% of their shipments but only needed it on 1%. Air ride uses a system of air lines, valves and air-spring bags to raise the trailer chassis from the axle. Because it costs more to purchase and maintain, air ride is much more expensive than the standard spring ride, which uses multiple layers of flexible steel strips joined together in what is called a “leaf pack” to provide cushioning for the trailer.
Had this client used spring ride for the 24% of shipments that had traveled using costly and unnecessary air ride cushioning, it would have saved approximately $1.6 million in freight costs. Over the next 12 months, our discovery will save an estimated $2 million in freight costs.
Tiered Solutions
Tier 1: Power-Only
If you own your own trailers, LiVe can provide both a driver and tractor to haul your equipment as a “power-only” option.
Since the power-only option requires LiVe to bring your trailer back to the pick-up location, it’s most cost-effective for shipments that return the same or next day.
Tier 2: Hybrid
For mid-range trips, power-only could be used, though at a reduced frequency with the remaining loads shipped “full service.” We can manage this process to provide the lowest cost of ownership based on the delivery schedule.
Tier 3: Full-Service
For longer trips, LiVe offers our regular service that prevents need for a deadhead (empty return).
Get a Freight Quote Today
Speak to one of our freight experts today or get a quote and see how much we can lower your freight costs.