I know, I know, I finally got around to starting a thread about my latest adventure. But, I have been a bit preoccupied with orientation and my 1st load (3015 miles in 4.75 days).
As some have speculated, I started with Smokey Point Distributing, or SPD. @BoostedTeg was the 1st to guess correctly, and @Lonesome was a close 2nd. And based on the votes on my survey thread, 41 guessed right (@kylefitzy knew ahead of time when I sent…
Musket Transport has awarded the 2025 Hamilton/Halton Region Resident A/Z Grant for Women to Alexis C. She begins her six-week training in June at the carrier’s Commercial Heavy Equipment Training […]
While parked yesterday morning…
First issue I noticed was that my radio was off, meaning the stereo head unit – it normally always stays on as long as the truck is running. I pressed and held the power button and it came back on.
Next I noticed the AC was blowing but not cooling. I messed around with it, turning it up, etc. No change.
Got empty, drove 45 miles to Love’s. Radio turned off a couple more times, always turned right back on when I pressed power.
Checked voltage on dash…
Do you support the new out service criteria for non english speaking drivers?
How do you feel about the new English speaking requirement being enforced?
In an era of global uncertainty regarding international trade policies and escalating tariffs, businesses are increasingly exploring creative solutions to manage costs and maintain competitiveness.
A solution gaining traction is the use of customs bonded warehouses. These specialized facilities offer importers a way to defer import taxes, which could potentially reduce their tariff obligations.
But how exactly do bonded warehouses work?
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office, “A Customs bonded warehouse is a building or other secured area in which imported dutiable merchandise may be stored, manipulated, or undergo manufacturing operations without payment of duty for up to 5 years from the date of importation. Upon entry of the goods into the warehouse, the warehouse proprietor incurs liability for the goods under a warehouse bond.”
Simply put, these warehouses are where imported goods can be stored without immediately paying duties or tariffs. This arrangement gives importers more control over when, and if, they pay those tariffs.
This liability is generally cancelled when the merchandise is: exported; withdrawn for supplies to a vessel or aircraft, destroyed under U.S. Customs and Border Protection supervisions; withdrawn for consumption within the United States after payment of duty.
Andrew Wallen, ITF Group Director of Distribution said in an interview with FreightWaves, “essentially, when you put goods in bonded warehouses. You’re delaying tariffs in a way. If you’re putting them into a bonded warehouse today, you’re not paying your tariffs now, but if you start pulling out goods out of it right now, you’re able to pull out small quantities and still service your customers and pay tariffs as you’re pulling them out.”
This flexibility can be particularly valuable for businesses facing cash flow challenges or uncertain market conditions. Rather than paying a large tariff bill upfront for an entire shipment, companies can strategically release goods from the bonded warehouse as needed, paying tariffs only on the portion they’re ready to sell or use.
However, using a bonded warehouse isn’t without risks. The tariff rate applied is based on the date goods leave the warehouse, not when they entered the country. “It’s kind of a gamble,” Wallen says. “People that are already putting goods in bonded warehouses that were protecting themselves or didn’t want to pay tariffs, wanted to protect their cash flow. Tariffs were at 30% but now they went to 145%. Importers are paying 145% as they’re pulling those goods out of the warehouses.”
This means if tariff rates increase while goods are in storage, importers could end up paying more than they initially anticipated. Conversely, if rates decrease, they could realize significant savings. It’s a calculated risk that requires careful market analysis and forecasting.
Goods can typically be stored in a bonded warehouse for up to five years, providing ample time for businesses to adapt to changing market conditions or wait out temporary trade disputes. However, this extended storage comes at a cost. Bonded warehouses generally charge higher rates than traditional storage facilities due to the additional compliance requirements and security measures involved.
“You’re going to end up paying a higher rate just because of all the service fees, the compliance, the complexity of it, all the things the warehouse man has to do to be compliant with the government,” explains Wallen. These additional costs need to be factored into any decision to use a bonded warehouse as a tariff mitigation strategy.
The types of goods most commonly seen in bonded warehouses tend to be those with longer shelf lives or seasonal demand patterns. “I would think you would see more goods that are, you know, maybe apparel,” suggests Wallen. “Sometimes you’ll see some seasonality, and with it, maybe things that are made for Christmas or labeled for Christmas, or toys that are labeled for Christmas so they know they’re not going to sell until those months start getting closer.”
For businesses considering using a bonded warehouse, proper documentation and coordination with freight forwarders are crucial. The process of directing goods to a bonded warehouse needs to be initiated before the shipment arrives in the U.S. to avoid complications and potential delays.
As global trade tensions persist and tariff policies remain in flux, interest in bonded warehouses has grown. “I think the longer this [trade war] has gone we’ve seen higher interest in bonded warehousing,” notes Wallen.
While customs bonded warehouses can offer a valuable tool for managing tariff exposure, they are not a one-size-fits-all solution. Businesses must carefully weigh the potential benefits against the additional costs and complexities involved. Factors such as the nature of the goods, expected storage duration, market forecasts, and overall supply chain strategy all play a role in determining whether a bonded warehouse is the right choice.
In an increasingly uncertain global trade environment, staying informed about options like bonded warehouses can give businesses a competitive edge. By understanding and strategically utilizing these tools, companies can better position themselves to weather trade disputes, manage cash flow, and maintain flexibility in their supply chains.
The post How do bonded warehouses work? appeared first on FreightWaves.
Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) celebrated recent electric vehicle milestones at the ACT Expo show last week in Anaheim, Calif. The company says its zero-emission trucks have now traveled 15 […]
Two men have been arrested on suspicion they were part of a criminal enterprise to steal, move and sell stolen cargo in the Los Angeles area valued at over $3.9 million.
Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Cargo Theft Unit partnered with the Los Angeles Port Police, Union Pacific Police Department and the Los Angeles World Airport Police to make the arrests, according to a news release Tuesday by the LAPD.
Oscar David Borrero-Manchola, 41, and Yonaiker Rafael Martinez-Ramos, 25, were arrested by detectives after a long investigation with various search warrants at storage unit facilities in the San Fernando Valley.
The release stated that the two men are “prominent members” of the South American Theft Group.
Detectives recovered over $1.2 million in stolen tequila, speakers, coffee, clothing, shoes, body wash and pet food. They also recovered a stolen shipment of bitcoin mining computers, valued at $2.7 million, from LAX airport as the shipment was about to be loaded onto a plane headed to Hong Kong.
Photos published by LAPD show six storage units filled with boxes containing the stolen cargo.
Both suspects were booked at the LAPD’s Van Nuys Jail. Borrero-Manchola was arrested on a charge of receiving stolen property and was cited then released. Martinez-Ramos was arrested on a no-bail warrant.
“This case highlights the ongoing collaborative efforts among law enforcement agencies to combat cargo theft and protect the integrity of commercial transport operations,” the release stated. “The investigation remains ongoing, and additional arrests may follow.”
The post Los Angeles police recover over $3.9M in stolen cargo appeared first on FreightWaves.
A compact and agile AirRob automated storage system by Libiao Robotics has been installed in the Shanghai warehouse of a specialist lean supply chain management service company.
Founded in 2001, Shanghai Shine-Link International Logistics (SLC) services the specific storage and distribution needs of precision-driven, high-end industrials, from medical devices to advanced electronics, and chemical reagents to mechanical parts. It offers a wide range of services, including supply chain management, international transportation, and various value-added activities.
With a client list comprising international brands such as Coty, Siemens, Pioneer, and Leica, SLC’s services are highly sought-after by companies whose exacting supply chain and fulfilment standards are considered above the normal needs of the average industrial customer. It has recently added a major medical devices, disinfection and hygiene products manufacturer to its list of prestigious customers.
SLC’s stated focus is on providing lean supply chain management services to international multinational companies based on accurate, timely and personalised IoT and digital services. It has developed a “smart logistics” business model with IT at its core, the goals of which include visual management of logistics processes, intelligent traceability management of products, intelligent warehousing and distribution management, and smart supply chain coordination management.
A significant element of this smart philosophy lies within the four walls of its warehouse facilities, where it embraces cutting-edge systems and practices to attract and retain customers requiring a 3PL that can go above and beyond the average SLAs for the sector. Therefore, to best service the medical device company’s particular storage and global distribution requirements, SLC converted a small area of its Shanghai distribution warehouse to a high-density, highly efficient Libiao AirRob storage system.
The system Libiao designed for SLC comprises an arrangement of standard warehouse racking serviced by just three hard-working AirRob robots which travel vertically and horizontally on the racking to store and retrieve goods quickly and efficiently. These are serviced by a small fleet of nine ‘floorbots’, which transport the goods to one of seven workstations, where the items are then readied for dispatch.
The multi-award-winning AirRob system offers significant advantages over traditional automated warehouse systems. Its modular design enables rapid installation on existing standard racking within one-to-four weeks without the need to alter existing infrastructure or flooring, making it ideal for retrofits or brownfield developments. AirRob operates in aisle widths as narrow as 0.85 meters, enhancing storage density by up to 30%. Each bot consumes just 150 watts per hour – lower than a microwave – reducing energy usage by one-third compared to similar systems. Its scalability allows for quick and easy expansion to meet growing demands. Additionally, AirRob’s efficient operation can triple throughput efficiency, offering a typical return on investment (ROI) within 12–24 months.
Ding Ling, General Manager of IT BU at SLC, commented on the project: “After going out to the market to compare the different systems and solutions that were available, we decided to select AirRob primarily for three main reasons. Firstly, the fact that Libiao Robotics is the inventor of this type of solution; secondly, the solution represents a good ROI for us; and thirdly, we were attracted by the potential energy savings we can make with AirRob.”
“We’re particularly proud to have been chosen as a supplier to such a prestigious and demanding customer,” said Ronan Shen, Libiao Robotics’ VP of Global Sales. “Not only have we provided a system that meets the precise needs of SLC, but we have managed to successfully achieve this in a particularly space-constrained area of a busy warehouse, without disruption to its ongoing operations. Furthermore, the project represents the first AirRob installation in the medical supplies sector, an industry that lends itself well to the characteristics of AirRob, such as high efficiency and accuracy, a high density of storage, low energy usage, and the careful handling of delicate or valuable items.”
This smaller-than-usual AirRob installation at SLC’s Shanghai facility perfectly illustrates that companies can automate some repetitive tasks or part of their operations at a relatively low cost point, yet still make significant gains in efficiency and accuracy.
The post Compact Robotic Solution Optimises 3PL appeared first on Logistics Business.
2015 Cascadia w/DD13. Truck lost air and wouldn’t build air. Turned key off and re started. Everything went back to normal. Aside from an unloader problem and total coincidence, is there any other known reason? Anything electrical? Also, where’s the compressor located? I see everything, ( alt, ac comp. Ps ) but not an air compressor.
I recently graduated CDL Driving School. I feel in love with driving semi trucks while in school and was excited that i graduated. After graduation I applied to TMC after watching videos on youtube and talking with a recruiter that came to the school I was attending. I quit smoking ganga a month before attending school and passed my physical drug test. before starting school. MY girlfriend is a heavy smoker and would smoke in the house or room with me while I was still in school and before I…