Busy season is upon us. We are now running double shift 7 days a week for our co-packing/re-packing customers. Come and visit us for a tour of our Burnaby facility to see our operation.
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Canada is currently facing a serious heavy haul driver shortage. Despite the downfalls of such a future, the nation is adamant about encouraging younger people to give the lucrative career a shot; not only is the Trade and Transportation Corridors Initiative planning to invest $2 billion in Canada’s transportation infrastructure over the next decade, but they are also looking to push for more incentives that container trucking companies can offer new drivers. If you think the commercial logistics (or warehousing and distribution) industry could be a good fit for you, here’s what you can expect from your training.

• Classroom Training: The most important (and first) part of in-class training involves the air brake endorsement course; you will be required to pass a practical test in which you have to prove that you know how to properly measure the adjustments of your brakes. Following that success, you will watch a number of videos regarding defensive driving, trip planning, safety, and pre-trip inspections. In addition to homework assignments, you’ll need to pass plenty of knowledge tests to show that you’re learning.

• Truck Training: This course familiarizes you with your vehicle. You’ll learn how to perform that pre-trip inspection on the truck itself, and will be trained on the drive shift; with so many different transmissions in trucks, you’ll gain experience on the one you’ll be driving. The first time you get behind the wheel will most likely be to practice shifting in the yard.

• On The Road Training: In the beginning, you’ll simply be adjusting to the size of the truck’s cab. Once you’re comfortable driving in traffic, you’ll learn how to couple to the trailer. You’ll have plenty of time to practice backing up, both in a straight line and into an alley dock situation, as it is one of the hardest skills to master. Finally, you’ll be able to test your knowledge and abilities on city streets and highways.

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When you make it through these three phases, you’ll be required to pass a road test to prove your competency. After that, you’re officially qualified to offer your warehousing and distribution services to any business that need a driver! With demand so high, you should have absolutely no problem finding a job.

Managing your company’s commercial logistics is an extremely important part of owning a business. If you sell a product, you have to figure out all the details involved in the transportation and storage of that product to ensure it gets to your customers on time and in one piece. This is especially important if you sell perishables as food grade logistics have a much wider margin for error; if your warehousing and distribution services (including your heavy haul carriers) are not properly equipped with climate-controlled appliances, you will lose consumer loyalty and product in one blow. Let’s take a look at how warehouse management systems can smooth out the wrinkles from one of the most important aspects of business ownership.

Complex Supply Chains Your product needs to go through a number of steps before it finally reaches the consumer. From the assembly line to the carrier, modern supply chains have been growing more complex as the things being bought and sold have gotten more complex; the need to trust the nuances of such a situation to a quality management system has risen as a result. Warehouse management systems offer the following benefits.

• Reduced Manual Intervention: Well-oiled machines are described as such because they don’t need any external interference to keep them running. Warehouse management systems can turn your warehousing services into a system that rarely needs to be adjusted or changed manually.

• Increased Data Accuracy: Data tells you everything you need to know about how your business is doing. Unfortunately, it can be hard to sift through all the details to find the information that truly matters. Trusting a warehouse management system can help you more easily handle all the data collected by your business.

• Improved Communication: By keeping you up-to-date on the goings-on of your warehousing and distribution services, warehouse management systems allow you to share information quickly and easily.

At the same time, you’ll be able to focus on improving other areas of your business that might not be getting enough attention. Customer service and productivity often increase thanks to the added assistance and streamlined operations that warehouse management systems offer. Since the food and beverage processing industry is worth approximately $105.5 billion, it’s a worthwhile field to get into; as long as you use a quality warehouse management system, your odds of running into problems are significantly reduced.

Finding the right container trucking company can seem like a daunting task. You need to ask the right questions and be sure you can trust your carrier with your warehousing and distribution needs. But what exactly should you look for when navigating through a long list of logistics companies? 

Finding someone with valuable experience is the first step to finding a worthwhile business partner. Living in Vancouver BC gives you an advantage since Canadian for-hire trucking firms manage over 80% of cargo transported intra-provincially. 

But aside from looking into experience, you need to consider what you’ll gain from working with a reputable logistics firm. 

They’ll do the heavy lifting for you, upping your customer satisfaction and creating unmatched value for your big or small business. 

So what are some critical factors in making sure it will be a mutual transaction for both parties? 

Before you make your selection, consider asking these questions before settling on one of the many transportation companies out there. 
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1. Do they offer a multitude of useful services? A company like Vancouver based company 18 Wheels not only provides transportation but also conveniently provides co-packing, labeling, and warehousing services.
2. How does the logistics company keep up with demand? Do they incorporate modern day technologies to track and manage goods? 18 Wheels has implemented a system that combines barcode technology and radio frequency, converting their company into a well oiled modern day machine. Utilizing this tech allows them to cut costs by boosting their productivity and efficiency.
3. Does the container trucking company have a good range of coverage? You’ll need to make sure they be able to accommodate your shipping needs.
4. Does the company offer recovery services for damaged or lost goods? Having a recovery policy is a good indication of their customer service and how highly they value their clients. After all, you want to work with someone who takes your business as seriously as their own.
5. Finally, does the company work as a reverse logistics provider? To maximize your profits, you want to be sure that the company you choose will help you with any necessary returns.

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Going with a respected logistics business will help you meet demand and customer satisfaction. You’ll never miss an order or shipment again since they will take care of everything from warehousing, transport, and everything in between.