Transportation Services Buyers

Based on our proprietary datasets, economic forecasting models, and transportation industry expertise, we answer specific questions facing trucking, railroad, air freight, maritime, consulting, and financial organizations. Clients rely on our expertise to:

• Develop strategic plans
• Determine the impact of policy changes on infrastructure
• Size and benchmark markets
• Source cost & service efficient routes and modes
• Allocate sales, marketing, and fleet resources
• Determine the types and the number of commodities moving on US roads
• Identify point of origin and destination for commodities
• Pinpoint those ports that need to expand to meet growing trade
• Choose the optimal region for sourcing materials
• Benchmark transportation costs across all modes

With IHS Transportation Consulting, clients gain:

• More mode, commodity, and geographical detail than anywhere else in the industry
• Unbiased, transparent results substantiated by data and facts
• Our backing and assistance in presenting results to stakeholders
• Access to the largest commercially available collection of economic and financial data
• Reliable intelligence from the most consistently accurate economic forecasting firm
• Access to the expertise of over 325 economists, industry analysts, statisticians, and data experts who cover more than 120 industries in over 200 countries

Contact us for an exploratory meeting.

Transportation Cost Management -- IHS consultants will assess your inbound and outbound transportation spending to assure that you are receiving the best service at the most affordable cost. You will be able to:

• Benchmark freight rates across all modes
• Get true freight costs from goods moving pre-paid from the shipper
• Identify collaborative efficiency improvements with your carriers

See Case Study #1 & #2

Outsourcing Transportation to Third Parties -- IHS consultant you will assist in a thorough evaluation of your transportation network to determine the most logical functions for outsourcing to third-party logistics providers. Collaboration, we will: 

• Identify the functions that provide the biggest return from outsourcing and quantify potential savings
• Compile a list of suitable RFP recipients and prepare an RFP that describes the functions to be outsource
• Evaluate the RFP responses and select a small group of finalists
• Select the final candidate and facilitate implementation

See Case Study #1 & #2

Private Fleet Design and Optimization - We will assess the true cost of operating your private fleet, determine optimal fleet size and evaluate the potential for dedicated contract conversations. Our services will help you:

• Evaluate and quantify each cost element of your fleet operation
• Perform own vs. lease assessments based on the operational, financial and marketing needs of your company
• Determine if all or parts of your fleet are candidates for outsourcing and select a dedicated contract provider

See Case Study #1

Contact us for an exploratory meeting

Case Study #1: Carrier Sourcing and Private Fleet Management

Challenge: A multi-store retailer needed to streamline an unwieldy supply chain and address the poor management of its private fleet.

Solution: IHS Consulting compared transport rates against cost of goods and discerned embedded transportation costs in prepaid shipments. We identified vendors closer to the client's distribution centers and alternative shipping modes. Then, we implemented a core carrier group and established communication between procurement and transportation. Finally, we advised the client to outsource its private fleet to a dedicated contract carrier.

Results: The client obtained an intermodal transport and core carrier plan, leading to a reduction of over 12% on a total transport spend of $25 million and savings in excess of $3 million. The sale of private fleet assets resulted in income of $2.5 million and the removal of liability. See Transportation Cost Management, Outsourcing Transportation to Third Parties and Private Fleet Design and Optimization.

Case Study #2: Costs Reduction and Management of Trans-Border Issues

Challenge: A major electric motor manufacturer with plants in the United States and Mexico had excessive transportation costs, but lacked the internal personnel to make the needed changes. The client also owned a costly fleet and faced cross-border issues.

Solution: IHS Consulting helped the client to outsource procurement, routing and scheduling to a third-party provider. We secured a core carrier group in the less-than-truck-load segment and advised the client to eliminate their private fleet.