TTS, LLC, a leading agent-based supply chain and logistics provider headquartered in Frisco, Texas, honored four exceptional providers with the 2015 Carrier of the Year Awards at a celebration dinner on July 12, 2016.
This year's top carriers were identified in four distinct categories: Rail, OTR, LTL, and Drayman. They were selected by their:
• 2015 activity and volume
• Quality of service and customer service
• Value provided to their customers
• Claims processing procedures
The selection was narrowed down to the top ten carriers in each category and the TTS national agent network voted for the "Best of the Best."
TTS President Andy Cole presented the 2015 Awards to the following recipients:
Rail Carrier of the Year: Union Pacific
OTR Carrier of the Year: Knight Transportation
LTL Carrier of the Year: SAIA
Intermodal Drayage Carrier of the Year: SoCal
Union Pacific is the largest intermodal rail provider to TTS, in terms of both dollar and container volume, providing a number of the 3PL's agents and customers with carload services throughout the western United States and Mexico.
"During fall peak season in 2015, Union Pacific stepped up to the plate and provided TTS with a 100% box commitment to our retail customers on the West Coast, serving the largest container ports in the U.S.," said Jeff Brashares, Vice President of Sales and National Accounts at TTS.
Knight Transportation has been a loyal truckload carrier for TTS since the company's founding in 2006. With a solid understanding of the market and how to cultivate long-term partnerships, they work with TTS agents on rate, and often negotiate rates that other carriers won't. With approximately 23 terminals in the U.S. and a company model that focuses on employee relations and getting drivers home more often, Knight Transportation has also been largely unaffected by the driver shortage.
"Knight Transportation is the carrier for the everyday call for large capacity projects that you can count on," said David Lyles, the Director of Capacity Procurement with the Redden Group, an independent agency of TTS. "Their operations staff is always willing to help us, even on those last minute projects that require large amounts of equipment to be dropped on a Friday evening."
To service the needs of its customers, TTS is contracted with 40+ national, regional, multi-regional and niche market LTL carriers nationwide. SAIA stood out among the rest by maintaining impeccably high service standards.
"SAIA maintained a 98% on-time pickup, 95% on-time delivery, and a .34% claims ratio for the year," said Kevin Housley, Director of LTL at TTS. "They are one of our best business partners because of their commitment to keeping their promises."
SoCal was selected as the 2015 Intermodal Drayage Carrier of the Year for their continued services for TTS' largest retail customer. They assign TTS agents 30 pickup spots a day without needing to be asked, or negotiating an allotment. SoCal takes pride in accomplishing as many stops on pickups or deliveries as needed, without question. They provide same day transload services using their own warehouse facility. And, they make customer service their number-one priority with 24/7 support.
"Few dray companies in southern California will provide multi-stop vendor pickups, yet SoCal does this each and every day with a 100% on time record and zero cargo failures," said Joe Kilgo, Intermodal Director at TTS. "Their commitment to customer service starts at the top with their owner, Pablo Montalvan, who will roll up his sleeves and work on loading trucks himself."
Cole addressed the winners of the 2015 Carrier of the Year Award, saying "These carriers represent the best-of-the-best in terms of quality service and customer care. It is through their efforts that our agents are able to fulfill their customers' needs every single day. As we push our 2016 initiatives forward, we expect to continue this year-over-year growth, giving us even more power to move."
