In today’s world, customers expect that goods will always be available and on shelves. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the supply chain struggled to keep up with these expectations, and many items were persistently out of stock, but that hasn’t changed customers’ appetite for on-demand things. In recent years, long-haul, expedited shipping has grown to fill that need for omnipresent availability by offering a faster, more secure way of getting items to the customer. The growth of expedited long-haul shipping provides new opportunities for delivering perishable items more effectively to stores. Expedited long-haul shipping can also address several other risks, including theft, spoilage, and delays. 

A Changing Industry Demands Innovation

Customers are increasingly coming to expect fully stocked shelves year-round. As shippers and retailers work to meet those expectations, they search for ever-faster means of transportation while refusing to sacrifice reliability. Many shippers and retailers are turning to expedited long-haul shipments to meet growing customer demands for constant availability. 

While expedited shipping has been an option for a while, it has historically been for the last leg of a shipment’s journey. As the demand for timely deliveries grows, long-haul, expedited shipping is becoming more common, and 3PLs are increasingly offering more expedited long-haul options. 

The Fast Lane for the Long Haul: 3 Reasons to Choose Expedited Trucking for Your High-Stakes Long-Haul Shipment

Long-haul, expedited shipping could make all the difference when your success depends on delivering goods in a timely, efficient manner. Here are three reasons why expedited shipping may be the right choice for your business needs. 

Minimized Risk of Delay

Typically, long-haul shipments make multiple stops and transfers. Each leg of the journey increases the risk of impediments such as traffic, weather, missed appointments, and more that threaten to delay your shipment. When you book expedited shipping, the truck and driver are allocated just for your shipment, reducing the delays caused by all those transfers and stops. 

Minimizing delays is especially important for perishable food shipments. The clock for your perishable items is ticking as soon as those foods are picked or leave the production facility, and time is of the essence. Expedited trucking could mean the difference between a shipment delivered on time and one that gets spoiled. 

Enhanced Security

Another benefit to expedited shipping is enhanced cargo security throughout the entire journey. Each time a regular long-haul truck stops to pick up or drop off cargo, there are additional opportunities for cargo theft. Food and beverages are among the most stolen cargo in the U.S., so reducing opportunities for theft can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost shipments. 

For perishable items, additional stops also mean refrigerated reefers are exposed to outdoor temperatures and can spoil more quickly. Longer transit times also mean more opportunities for equipment, such as reefers, to break, causing issues in maintaining proper temperature regulation. In these cases, expedited long-haul shipping means more temperature security and a lower risk that your goods will spoil. 

Long-Term Cost-Effectiveness

Although expedited trucking for long-haul distances may involve higher costs than standard shipping options, the benefits outweigh the expenses for time-sensitive shipments. While it may cost more to ship your goods with expedited trucking, it still costs less than the money you stand to lose if your shipment spoils, is contaminated, or is stolen. It’s just smarter business. Faster delivery across long distances can also prevent production disruptions, minimize inventory holding costs, and avoid penalties for missed deadlines. 

Additionally, partnering with expedited trucking companies can pay dividends in customer satisfaction, trust, and loyalty. The ability to meet customer demands promptly and ensure that desired items are on the shelf often leads to increased customer satisfaction and repeat business, which is priceless. 

Make the Smart Business Choice: Use Expedited Long-Haul Shipping to Meet Urgent Needs

In some cases, partnering with expedited trucking companies just makes sense from a business point of view. Expedited long-haul shipping can help you get desired goods on shelves faster, minimize the risk of spoilage, delay, and theft, and build consumer trust and loyalty. Ready to get started? Contact Entourage Freight Solutions today.