subject: Do You Really Need A Traffic Manager To Handle Ltl And Your Other Transportation & Logistics Needs? [print this page] Is you company growing, and along with it, is your need for LTL and other transportation and logistics services also growing? Have you recently widened your distribution network? Have you expanded your supply chain? Are you doing more business globally and have a need to import or export more goods? If so, you may be considering adding a Traffic Manager to your team. Before you post that job listing, have you considered all your options?
The median expected salary for a typical traffic manager in the United States is more than $72,000 per year, according to Salary.com. Combined with a typical benefits package, thats a significant commitment of your resources. Some may consider it ideal to have someone on staff whose main focus is the development and maintenance of transportation and distribution procedures to ensure that the efficiency of your shipments is maximized and that costs are minimized while customer satisfaction is also maximized. However, there are other ways to address these areas and have access to the logistics expertise you need.
If you partner with a logistics provider, you arent paying to have a traffic manager on staff 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year (or 50 weeks per year if you factor in his/her two-week vacation). You are only paying for the logistics support you actually need and use. That means flexibility to scale up or scale down quickly and efficiently. In addition, you have easy access to your logistics providers entire team. Maybe you primarily need LTL (less-than-truckload) service, but several times per year, you also need intermodal or international freight shipped. Using a logistics partner, you can access their team members who handle intermodal on a daily basis or who are licensed custom brokers and can help you sort through the details required to import or export goods in the U.S. as well as other countries around the world. In addition, a logistics partner has the systems and software and the training to match your shipments to the best transportation modes and carriers to meet your requirements including deadlines and budgets, as well as shipment tracking and load visibility.
The Bottom Line: For many companies, the use of a logistics partner rather than an in-house traffic manager will result in lower costs and more efficient shipping. Youll have access to not just one logistics professional, but an entire team of logistics experts when you need them. And, you only pay for them as you need them and the overhead costs related to their specialized logistics systems and software are also shared among that logistics providers other clients.
