Steve Stirling

Special Guest Blog Post written by Brittany Caskey, Chief Commercial Officer – Logistics with DP World Americas   I was recently invited to speak with students in the Supply Chain and Logistics Organization at Georgia Tech, and it reminded me why I still find this industry so energizing. I walked them through my own path — starting in logistics right out of college, building my foundation at UPS in sales and sales management, and eventually stepping into my role today as Chief Operating Officer at DP World in the Americas. What I shared with them is something I still believe deeply: logistics keeps life interesting, because no two days are ever the same. Customer expectations change. Geopolitical realities shift. Trade lanes evolve. Weather, labor, technology — everything is in constant motion. That constant change is what keeps logistics professionals sharp and solutions focused. It’s also why customer experience has become the true differentiator in today’s supply chains. Because while disruption is unavoidable, how you manage it is a choice.   Customers Don’t Care Why — They Care That It Works One message I emphasized with the students is the same one I reinforce with customers and teams every day: customers…

The U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index for 3Q 2021 has been released, and one thing remains clear: spend is up. More specifically, year over year, quarterly freight spend showed the second largest increase ever – rising 32.6% from 3Q 2020. What’s driving the dollars, and what can this increase tell us about the state of the supply chain across the country? Supply Chain Now co-hosts Scott Luton and Greg White recently sat down with Bobby Holland, Director, Freight Data Solutions at U.S. Bank, and Patricia Gabriel, Vice President US Customer Service & Logistics, at Mondelez International, to find out. Let’s review highlights from their discussion of the report – and take a look at what you need to consider moving forward. But first, what is the U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index? The U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index is a free report you can download each quarter to keep your finger on the pulse of freight shipping volumes and spend from both a national and regional perspective. The report uses actual transaction payment data, de-seasonalized and calendar adjusted for maximum comparability. How do I use it? When you’re asking the question, “What happened last quarter?” the U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index…