Why Transparent, Proactive, & Frequent Communications are the Hallmarks of Future Freight Brokers

adam • December 17, 2021

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Why Transparent, Proactive, & Frequent Communications are the Hallmarks of Future Freight Brokers

The need for reliable transportation and shipping services has never been more in demand. The impact of transparency in logistics is clearly evident with the continued focus on faster, more affordable shipping options. Shippers, carriers, and future freight brokers alike must continue to focus on transparent, proactive, and frequent communications within the supply chain. As highlighted by Plunkett Research Ltd.: “E-commerce has been booming, as online firms like Amazon became the preferred places for many consumers to shop. This means that local delivery services, e-commerce warehouses, and many other types of transportation services that support e-commerce are booming. At about 6% of global economic activity (GDP), transportation's core sectors add up to a remarkably efficient industry, considering the fact that transportation is a vital service to nearly every other sector of the economy.” And this all hinges on the ability of all team members and third-party partners to collaborate and communicate effectively throughout the entire supply chain network.

What Transparent, Proactive, and Frequent Communications Mean

Reliable transportation services rely on strong lines of communication, but what exactly does that mean in the practical day-to-day sense? Good communications within the supply chain focus on several critical aspects. Real-time inquiries and status updates, using technology to pull information, and maintaining end-to-end transparency in logistics are crucial, as well as performing proper training and onboarding. In short, successful companies embrace automation and machine learning, and take advantage of collaborative dashboards and online platforms. Transparency, proactivity, and regularity of communications can have a tremendous impact on supply chain operations and how future freight brokers operate.

Transparency Within the Modern Supply Chain Network

Transparency is vital in any workplace, but it is especially true when focusing on transparency in logistics. Having clear visibility into supply chain processes and maintaining open lines of communication between team members and partners are essential for transportation-related services. Carriers, shippers, brokers, and customers alike benefit from improved shipment visibility and better logistics collaboration. Future freight brokers, shipment managers, fleet managers, drivers and loaders, back-office management, and other team members can help ensure a better experience by maintaining high levels of transparency within the supply chain.

The Proactiveness of Team Members and Partners

Supply chain teams must collaborate effectively and operate proactively to improve efficiency and productivity.According to PWC: “Logistics companies are facing an era of unprecedented change as digitization takes hold and customer expectations evolve. New technologies are enabling greater efficiency and more collaborative operating models… And with an estimated US$4.6 trillion1 of revenues at stake, companies can’t afford to sit back and watch; they need to adapt to changing markets proactively.” A proactive approach that looks ahead is essential to achieving supply chain stability.

Regularity of Internal and External Communications

Reliable and competent communication can make every aspect of the supply chain faster, more efficient, and more effective than ever. When logistics professionals can uphold standards and maintain goals through effective collaboration, every touchpoint of the supply chain presents an opportunity to improve and excel. People are working smarter, not harder, thanks to automated tracking and monitoring, on-demand status reports, and machine-based pushed notifications. Without regular and reliable communication, the goals of optimal capacity, transparency in logistics, and reliable network performance will remain elusive.

Transparency in Communications Improves Brokerage Services

Shipment visibility is a critical aspect of modern supply chain management and logistics. It is something that all future freight brokers will need to consider, as transparency in logistics can impact every part of the supply chain. According to Supply and Demand Chain Executive, “Technology is a frustration point to trucking companies; the desire for digital transformation is also putting pressure on logistics to show greater visibility throughout the entire process.” Even when a company appears to be doing all that it can and is taking steps toward improving logistics and management processes, other issues seem to arise:

Shortfalls when it comes to sharing data with third parties or supply chain teams in a fast and reliable manner.
Limited transparency for real-time location and status updates about orders and shipments in transit.
Loss of shipment visibility through ineffective communications and notifications within the network.
Email fatigue and endless phone tag only adds to the stress and pressure team members experience.
Trying to compile and organize documentation for drivers that are necessary for load delivery or receipt.

Overcoming these and other common obstacles depends heavily on how efficiently management can embrace transparency in logistics and how effective their onboarding process can become. Future freight brokers must maintain clear and effective communications throughout the supply chain to maintain current levels of growth and remain successful and profitable in the years ahead.

How Future Freight Brokers Are Affected by Transparency and Proactiveness

Carriers, shippers, and brokers all benefit when shipment visibility and logistics collaboration are built into every step of the process.

Improved transparency and proactive measurements provide freight brokers with a distinct competitive advantage and greater access to shippers and carriers.
Now more than ever, customers' demands and expectations are more important. It is more vital than ever to ensure customers have the best possible experience from start to finish.
Transparency, automated data processing, and sharing are needed today to cut costs, reduce wasted time, and streamline the shipment process.
Streamlined supply chain processes ensure goods get delivered promptly and help streamline the process of managing goods, returns, and recalls if and when they occur.
Partnering with shipping and carrier experts makes collaboration easier when dealing with disruptions and problems, whether FDA-designated recalls and alerts or simply responding to customer and vendor complaints and issues.

When considering all aspects of shipping and transportation management, transparency in logistics is critical to effective broker operations and services.

Maximizing Benefits of Top-Notch Communications in Managing Freight

To truly understand and appreciate the benefits that effective communications and transparent processes can have on freight management, a closer look at some of the critical disrupting factors of the supply chain must be examined first. Everything from changing customer expectations, shifting market trends and processes, technological breakthroughs, new brokers and shippers and carriers joining the industry, and new ways to collaborate and communicate can present unique challenges future freight brokers will need to overcome.

Improving shipment traceability and enhancing transparency in logistics is key to improving overall supply chain success. According to Shipper and Freight Resource: “Customers today require authentic and visual data to see how their products are moving, identify bottlenecks in their supply chain, and correct for where avoidable costs like demurrage, detention, and storage are being incurred.” Here are some ways future freight brokers can make the many benefits of good communication and collaboration stronger within the shipping and transportation industry:

Embracing an approach to communications that makes it possible to automate specific processes so team member energy can go to other critical tasks rather than sending status reports and notifications of delivery disruption.
Setting up automated data systems that focus on efficiently collecting, processing, and sharing analyzed data and results between all team members, third-party partners, and customers.
Streamlining scheduling and appointment management to increase the efficiency of drop-offs and pick-ups with a fleet scheduling system that helps reduce delays and allows for real-time on-demand communication.
Responding faster and more effectively to freight claims or shipping disruptions thanks to improved lines of communication and interaction between supply chain team members, brokers, and customers.
Using innovative and collaborative platforms and an online system that brings all processes, systems, and people together with access to real-time data through a single transportation management system and platform.

The need for reliable transportation and shipping services has never been more in demand than today. Transparency in logistics profoundly affects day-to-day operations and processes, and the demand for faster and more affordable shipping options exemplifies its impact. Shippers, carriers, and future freight brokers alike must embrace transparent, proactive, and frequent communications to survive today’s volatile and ever-changing transportation industry and supply chain market.

Become a Future-Ready Shipper by Choosing a Future-Ready Brokerage Partner

Dependable transportation amenities depend on strong lines of communication day in and day out. For both routine status updates and urgent notifications about disruptions and delays, transparency in communications is key. Good communications within the supply chain focus on real-time push notifications, on-demand status updates, onboarding of innovative technology, collaborative transparency in logistics, and more. Transparency, proactivity, and regularity of communications can have a tremendous impact on supply chain operations and how future freight brokers operate. Contact Entourage Freight Solutions today to learn more and get started on the path to transparent, proactive, and frequent communications within your supply chain network.

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Tariffs, Trade Policy, and the Great Freight Fallout

By Nick Terry • April 28, 2025

In 2025, trade policy is no longer something that the freight industry can leave on the back burner. Trade policy today is shaping strategy at every level. From tariff escalations and retaliatory duties to sweeping regulatory changes and targeted maritime fees, supply chain leaders are navigating a freight market in which unpredictability is the only constant. Sourcing decisions are shifting, pricing dynamics are unstable, and long-standing operational models are being rewritten in real time. This edition brings together key stories highlighting the growing pressure across logistics channels. Each development points to an industry moving fast, and often reactively, to keep pace with volatile policy decisions. Tariffs Stall US Freight Recovery as Shippers Pause Orders The recent move by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to impose entrance fees on Chinese-built ships calling U.S. ports has only added to the confusion and uncertainty gripping global supply chains and freight operations. Shippers are pausing plans and slashing orders, with truckload volumes, containerized imports, and manufacturing output all showing signs of contraction. Ocean freight spot rates have collapsed: Asia-U.S. West Coast rates have fallen 61% since January to $2,050 per FEU, while East Coast rates have dropped 53.7% to $3,100 per FEU . Blank sailings are rising, with vessels leaving Asia half-empty. Amazon and Five Below are among the major retailers reducing orders from Asia. Container imports jumped 15.3% in 2024, but forecasts now predict a 20-27% decline through the summer. Exporters, particularly agriculture and forestry suppliers, are also squeezed, facing 125% retaliatory tariffs from China. Truckload and intermodal rates remain stagnant, while U.S. factory output fell sharply in March. US Apparel Importers Brace for Long-Term Volume Declines According to Trade Partnership Worldwide, a 124.1% tariff on Chinese clothing and footwear is expected to reduce U.S. apparel imports by 1.6% annually . China still accounts for 41.7% of apparel shipments, leaving limited flexibility for diversion. The American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) is warning of price hikes and mounting infrastructure stress as sourcing pivots toward Vietnam, India, and Indonesia. A looming May 2 deadline for de minimis exemptions could further complicate flows and delay deliveries. Even with a temporary 90-day pause in reciprocal tariffs, the policy uncertainty already affects long-term planning. AAFA CEO Steve Lamar calls the shifting policies “chaotic,” and warned that high tariff pressure will hit both importers and U.S. manufacturers reliant on Chinese components. Port and rail capacity limitations at larger gateways are adding to concerns. Retailers now face rising costs, shrinking margins, and operational delays — all while consumer demand continues to shift rapidly. Freight Pricing Gains Lose Momentum According to the TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index, Q1 truckload rates rose 5.9% above the 2018 baseline, but are expected to decline slightly in Q2. Shippers are responding to tariff threats with aggressive front-loading and shorter-haul routes, driving per-shipment costs to three-year lows. LTL carriers remain focused on profitable lanes and high-quality freight rather than chasing volume. The index forecasts a 0.7% year-over-year increase in LTL rate per pound for Q2 , despite sustained demand softness and macro uncertainty. A key driver behind the softening spot market conditions is a shift to shorter hauls and regionalized distribution, pushing per-shipment costs to their lowest point in more than three years. This trend reflects how retailers and manufacturers are repositioning inventory in response to tariff volatility, as NRF’s Jonathan Gold and DAT analyst Dean Croke noted. Meanwhile, the LTL sector is seeing a 4% rise in fuel surcharges, offsetting lower weights and shorter hauls. With the freight market still under pressure after 26 months of contraction, optimism remains subdued as we enter the midyear period. US Truckload Freight Spot Rates Continue to Fluctuate National benchmark rates have experienced a decline across all categories. As of April 18, dry van decreased by 4 cents to $1.62, reefer by 2 cents to $1.88 , and flatbed by 3 cents to $2.16. This marked the first overall decrease since late January, signaling potential shifts in market dynamics. These changes can be attributed to factors such as tariff uncertainties and tighter capacity, especially affecting the flatbed market. Flatbed rates rely heavily on manufacturing activity in the country, which has been particularly hard-hit by the ongoing trade war with China, and to some extent, with the rest of the world. US Finalizes Tiered Fee Plan Targeting Chinese Ships The U.S. is moving forward with a revised plan to levy voyage-based fees on Chinese-owned and Chinese-built ships calling at American ports. The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced the measure as part of a broader Trump administration effort to counter China’s dominance in shipbuilding and logistics while reigniting domestic ship construction and port infrastructure investment. Starting in six months, Chinese operators will be charged $50 per net ton, with an annual increase of $30 for three years . Non-Chinese carriers using Chinese-built vessels will face lower rates, beginning at $18 per ton or $120 per container, with annual increases. The USTR capped fee applications at five voyages per vessel annually, scaling back its original, more punitive per-port-call proposal after intense industry pushback. The fees are tied to findings from a USTR investigation, which concluded that China’s shipbuilding dominance — producing 29% of global fleet capacity and 70% of all container ships on order — stemmed from unfair trade practices. Exemptions apply to ships arriving empty, those in the Great Lakes or U.S. territories, and some bulk exports. LNG vessel transport restrictions will phase in over 22 years to support U.S. production. China’s largest container carrier, Cosco Shipping Lines, has sharply criticized the USTR’s plan. In a strongly worded statement, Cosco labeled the move as “discriminatory,” and warned it would disrupt global industrial and supply chain stability. Cosco denied allegations from that USTR investigation that claimed China manipulated its shipping and shipbuilding sectors to gain an unfair advantage. The carrier said it upholds “integrity, transparency, and compliance” in global competition and remains committed to ensuring the resilience of international trade. Walmart Investing $6B in Mexico, Central America Store Expansion Walmart of Mexico and Central America will invest $6 billion to open new stores across the region , reinforcing its long-term commitment to growth in Latin America. The expansion will include Bodega Aurrera, Walmart Supercenters, Sam’s Club, and Walmart Express formats, building on a robust network of 3,200 stores across all 32 Mexican states. This latest move echoes Walmart’s earlier $1.3 billion investment in 2016 for regional distribution and operational upgrades. The retailer entered the Mexican market in 1991 with a Sam’s Club in Mexico City. In a statement, Walmart said the new expansion reflects confidence in the region’s economic potential and consumer demand. Globally, Walmart continues to invest aggressively in infrastructure and store development. The company has pledged about $4.5 billion for its Canadian operations and $1.3 billion in Chile to build 70 new stores and a distribution center. In the U.S., Walmart is executing a five-year plan to build or convert more than 150 stores while modernizing 650 existing locations under its “Store of the Future” initiative. Experience Seamless Shipping with Entourage Freight Solutions Entourage Freight Solutions believes in total transparency in the shipping process. That is why we invest in tech solutions that track every shipment extensively, monitor every driver, and extract every bit of efficiency without sacrificing quality. Our state-of-the-art platform utilizes cloud-based GPS tracking to keep you informed, reroutes shipments on the fly to avoid delays, and even responds to real-time market changes to ensure you receive your shipment on time and as soon as possible. Our Services Full Truck Load (FTL): When you need a truck all to yourself. Less-Than-Truckload (LTL): Efficient solutions for multi-stop shipments or combining smaller loads to save on costs. Refrigerated Trucking: Keeping your temperature-sensitive products fresh and safe. Cross-Docking: Strategically located facilities in Shelby, Ohio, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Romulus, Michigan, for streamlined consolidation, storage, and distribution. Ready to experience a new level of service and control in your freight shipping? Request a quote today to see how Entourage Freight Solutions can help with your freight movement and other supply chain needs.