There are myriad benefits to a successful backhaul program that consistently finds and fills a truck on its return trip with paying freight instead of having it run empty. When it is done properly, it translates to cost savings not just for the carrier but also for customers and allows for a more streamlined and sustainable supply chain. Data and integration are vital components to making this a reality but so too are collaboration, planning, and effective metrics.Backhaul benefitsBoth shippers and carriers can benefit from a successful backhaul program in several ways. To illustrate, let’s consider one real-life example: a time-critical shipment that needs to move from Atlanta to Dallas to support a production plant. If that shipment can be matched with a truck that has just made a delivery in the Atlanta area or is traveling through on its way back to Dallas, then the following benefits can be realized:Cost improvements: In a dedicated contract carriage operation, filling that tractor-trailer on the return trip will lead to cost savings as it can eliminate the need for an additional truck or trip. The carrier would then share the revenue received from the second shipper with the initial dedicated customer.Risk reduction: When shippers and carriers participate in a backhaul program managed by a third-party logistics (3PL) provider or a fourth-party logistics (4PL) provider, they gain visibility into the provider’s entire network of freight under management. This access enables greater opportunity for backhauls versus relying on just their own organization’s supply chain,…
