Schneider is broadening its middle-mile shipping configuration to include its van truckload and intermodal assets in an effort to optimize the movement of freight through its 24 terminal networks across 48 states, the company said.
“The middle mile, which provides connectivity from and between local last-mile terminals, is equally as important as its first- and final-mile counterparts,” the transportation and logistics services provider said.
With its acquisition of Watkins & Shepard Trucking in 2016, Schneider became a leading provider in First to Final Mile delivery of over-dimensional goods for omnichannel retailers and manufacturers, the company said. Schneider now capitalizes on the full force of its broad network for the middle and final mile, with access to more than 10,700 trucks, 22,000 intermodal containers and a suite of technology tools for comprehensive freight management.
Throughout this process, Schneider said it is able to apply its proprietary network optimization system to freight within the middle mile to enhance consistency of the engineered network. An engineered network determines required departure and processing times, expected delivery times and regulates workflow through the terminals. Schneider’s engineering management tools apply data-driven recommendations to optimize operations and manage the movement of freight through the middle mile.
The overall engineered network also will contribute to standardizing pricing and transit, the company said.
Full incorporation of Schneider’s assets into the middle-mile service offering is intended to reduce the number of freight handlings through the terminal network, ultimately reducing product claims. This optimization also will help improve driver efficiency and increase consistency in service standards and delivery times.
Along with middle-mile optimization, Schneider is implementing a standardized delivery day for ZIP codes, improving predictability. Customers will be provided with the exact transit flow of their shipment, as well as a projected day and time for delivery from ZIP code to ZIP code for a holistic, end-to-end scheduled solution.
“A seamless delivery experience—whether it’s the first mile, the last mile or the miles in between—means there’s a consistent, reliable network working hard for a customer’s business,” said Rob Bulick, Schneider’s senior vice president and general manager of first to final mile. “Expanding our middle-mile strength to include Schneider’s owned assets and data-driven network optimizations ensures we’re constantly meeting the high expectations for final-mile delivery that customers and consumers can depend on and trust.”
