by
Diana Bradley, Staff Writer | December 28, 2011
From the December 2011 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
“From a U.S. security standpoint, domestic moves require the same amount of scrutiny as an international shipment,” said Stratton.
The voluntary Certified Cargo Screening Program was recently created by the TSA to enable freight forwarders, shippers and manufacturers to screen cargo away from the airport to minimize screening burdens.
“TSA understood the challenges in cargo screening and worked closely with the air cargo industry to develop procedures that secure passenger aircraft without impeding the flow of commerce,” William B. Jones, Office of Strategic Communications & Public Affairs, Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security, told DOTmed News.
According to BMI’s report, however, the TSA caught the airfreight industry off guard by issuing a directive that calls for increased surveillance of high-risk international shipments. This has been subject to criticism within the industry for its sudden implementation and lack of clarity. BMI believes the TSA will need to work more closely with the industry in the future to ensure the success of tighter security measures.
“Through various pilot programs, including CCSP and International Collaboration, the apparent hurdles to achieve 100 percent screening in the time frame initially mandated by the TSA were found to be unrealistic,” said Rodriguez. “There have been no significant statements by the TSA on program screening revisions; only that the current mandates on cargo screening are continuing to be strictly enforced.”
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Department of Transit’s hours-of-service changes, implemented this year, have also had repercussions on the trucking industry. The current limit is 11 hours, with further proposals to make it 10 hours, along with cutting the on-duty “work day” from 14 to 13 hours.
“These changes restrict the amount of hours drivers can work and consecutive hours that they need to be off duty in the same 24-hour period of time,” said South.
The U.S. port sector and ocean freight industry also looks set for a shakeup for the first time in a century, as highlighted by the Trans-Pacific Maritime Conference in March. A major focus of the conference was discussion surrounding preparations for the expansion of the Panama Canal, to be completed in 2014. To address this, major U.S. importers are diversifying port gateways and increasing East Coast port usage.
Advancements: Technology improves services
The freightage industry has come a long way from its humble horse-drawn beginnings. Even so, although the freight carried may have evolved over time, the basic steps involved in moving medical equipment from point A to point B have remained largely unchanged throughout the years.
Marshall Shannon
Moving Company Business down ?
January 05, 2012 10:46
We were over burdened with shipping costs in the the last 2009 year and we have invested in two trucks to move our own goods and can do so on an average savings of nearly 40% over private carriers and nearly 60% over so called MEDICAL TRANSPORT SPECIALISTS.
The fact is the MARKET could not bear shippers charging 8-300% times more than freight carriers for overnight shipping, but those days are gone as now we can hot shot our own loads and save 60% of the costs associated and during these times saving 60% of expense costs are a big deal.
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