Companies seeking sustainability and more predictable rhythms in operation often turn to Cleveland dedicated trucking, a system of transport that ensures a truck is always there when you need one.

What is Dedicated Trucking?

Dedicated trucking, also known as dedicated freight or dedicated transportation, refers to a business arrangement where a company utilizes a fleet of trucks exclusively for its transportation needs. With these agreements, trucks are dedicated solely to serving the transportation needs of that particular business or entity.

This type of service is typically contracted through a third-party logistics (3PL) provider (such as On Time Delivery & Warehouse) or established through an in-house logistics department.

Any industry that relies on efficient and reliable transportation of goods can benefit from dedicated trucking. Some examples include:

• Manufacturing and distribution
• Retail and e-commerce
• Food and beverage
• Automotive
• Construction & heavy equipment
• Healthcare & pharmaceutical
• Hazardous materials

It allows businesses to streamline their supply chains, optimize delivery schedules, reduce costs, and ensure customer satisfaction. Shippers can work toward eliminating unreliability, which gives carriers time to eradicate those empty miles – not just for a single load, but on an ongoing basis. In some cases, shippers are reducing transportation costs, while improving customer service.

Upside of Dedicated Trucking

• Exclusive Use. With Cleveland dedicated trucking, rigs are reserved solely for the company that hires them. You won’t have to share with other businesses or general freight transportation. The benefit here is there’s always a truck available to serve the specific needs of your company, affording greater control & flexibility over transportation operations.
• Long-Term Commitments. Dedicated trucking services are in it for the long-haul. Partners in these arrangements typically sign long-term contracts between the company and transport provider. These can span weeks, but more often are months at minimum. Annual contracts are the most common. This helps ensure consistent, reliable services for your firm’s transportation needs.
• Customized Operations. Another upside to this type of trucking service is that it can be tailored to the precise needs of your company. The transport provider is working hand-in-hand with your operations manager to gain a full grasp on your delivery schedules, handling requirements, and route preferences. From there, your trucking services can be customized in a way that optimizes efficiency and meets your firm’s logistical demands.
• Predictable Capacity. When you choose Cleveland dedicated trucking, you have a dedicated truck (or more likely, fleet of trucks) – at your disposal, readily available, whenever you need. You have guaranteed, fixed access to a certain capacity for transport, which means you’re able to accurately and effectively plan transportation. Your team won’t have to worry as much about the availability or capacity of trucks that many other firms relying on LTL (less-than-truckload) must consider.
• Heightened Control & Visibility. Companies that rely on dedicated truckers tend to have better transparency within their transportation operations. When trucks are dedicated solely to serving your needs, you can more closely monitor and manage the movement of goods, track delivery times, and ensure adherence to your service level agreements and customer expectations. This is particularly important for companies bound by strict delivery requirements, tight time limits, or transport of sensitive/high-value goods.
• Improved Cost Efficiency. There’s no way around the fact that dedicated trucking services will cost more upfront. The benefit lies in long-term savings. Dedicated fleets allow shippers to identify optimal routes, eliminate empty miles, and offer their customers consistency. Plus: You aren’t paying for the investment and maintenance of your own in-house trucking fleet.

Most drivers entrusted to dedicated routes have at least one year of experience, if not more, plus a clean driving record. These jobs tend to be competitive because they offer drivers greater stability and more time at home. All this increases driver retention – which offers you additional peace of mind that your goods are in good hands.

Additional Resources:

Outlook: Shorter hauls, specialized services coming, Jan. 12, 2022, Journal of Commerce

More Blog Entries:

Faster Last Mile Delivery Logistics Should Be One of Your First Priorities, June 21, 2023, Northeast Ohio Dedicated Trucking Blog