KSM & McLeod Software OPERATIONS PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKING PROJECT

Transcription

1 KSM & McLeod Software OPERATIONS PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKING PROJECT Benchmarking the Trucking Industry: Year Two Executive Summary Certified Public Accountants

2 Benchmarking the Trucking Industry: Year Two

3 Larger Carriers Lead on Rates, Driver Retention and Revenue Per Driver Freight rates, driver retention and revenue per driver are primary concerns for every carrier, and the results of the second annual Katz, Sapper & Miller (KSM) & McLeod Software (McLeod) Operations Performance Benchmarking Project may shed some light on these three topics. The data reveals that it s possible to have the best rate per mile (RPM), despite having the longest length of haul (LOH). Our analysis also shows that carriers can have the highest churn of driver turnover in the first 12 months and still be the best at retaining drivers who stay at least one year. In both cases, it s the large carriers who are mastering the game. How do they obtain the best rates and driver retention? Benchmarking data can t always provide definitive answers, but we can look more closely at some of the other results for clues. In terms of having the best RPM, study data shows that large carriers also avoid concentrating too much of their business in a small handful of customers or in a limited set of lanes. Being less dependent on any one customer may make it easier to decline the less profitable freight. Perhaps the large carriers are doing a better job of selecting the freight that fits their needs. The takeaway here may be that small and medium carriers would gain from negotiating more aggressively on rates and being more willing to decline freight if the rate is too low. Large carriers are losing more drivers than small and medium carriers in the first 12 months, but they still find ways to retain more over the long term. As we mention in the Key Findings section that follows, one possible correlation would be the fact that large carriers have the newest equipment. Driver pay, which is outside the scope of this study, is likely to be another vital factor. Large carriers may be acting more aggressively to raise the bar on driver compensation. The benchmarking data also shows that large carriers are getting the highest revenue per driver and have the best trailer-to-truck ratio. Is this a result of greater efficiency? Other industry research indicates that carriers with higher revenue have significantly better operating ratios. The larger trucking companies are clearly finding better ways to conduct business. In the years ahead, we hope our benchmarking project will be able to shed additional light on these topics and more. Participation is simple for most McLeod customers. As the survey matures, a broader and more detailed picture of trucking practices will emerge. Executive Summary 1

4 Study Methodology and Challenges This year s study was based on data covering 215 data elements from the 2014 calendar year. Data was in part obtained through the participation of individual carriers that use McLeod s LoadMaster Enterprise. The process of retrieving the data from LoadMaster Enterprise was automated, making study participation simple and painless for the companies who took part. In last year s inaugural study, we explained that the primary hurdle for success with benchmarking is reaching the required levels of data volume and density. This year, we have expanded both volume and density, but only incrementally. Moving forward, we re optimistic that the number of participating carriers will grow substantially given that all new releases of LoadMaster Enterprise include an automated benchmarking project download option. One challenge for the study arises from the fact that participants do not all enter and manage data in the same way. All data retrieved from carriers is carefully evaluated to ensure valid metric calculations. In some cases, data was discarded, so not every carrier contributed to every metric. Participant Overview Data was collected from 51 carriers with a total of more than 63,000 trucks. Of this truck total, 85% were company assets, with 15% owneroperator assets. All combined, these companies ran close to 5.3 billion miles, and generated more than $11.9 billion in total revenue. Large carriers played a more dominant role in this year s study; the number of participating van carriers almost doubled as well. The analysis was refined by sorting data with respect to carrier size and fleet type. The breakdown of carriers in these two categories can be found in the chart below: Carrier Size Fleet Type (Based on primary trailer type for mixed fleets) Small (100 trucks or less) 18 carriers Van 42 carriers Medium ( trucks) 21 carriers Flatbed 2 carriers Large (501 trucks or more) 12 carriers Refrigerated 7 carriers 2 Benchmarking the Trucking Industry: Year Two

5 Revenue Per Driver $211,395 $223,075 $235,605 Small Carriers Medium Carriers Large Carriers Key Findings Large carriers are getting the highest revenue per driver. Revenue per driver is one of the most significant metrics for carrier success. Large carriers in the study averaged $235,605 per driver, while for medium and small carriers, the figures were $223,075 and $211,395 respectively. Large carriers have the most diversified customer portfolio and most varied set of lanes. No one likes to put all of their eggs in one basket, and for carriers that means not having too much business concentrated in a small handful of customers or lanes. For small carriers, 63% of their revenue is from their top five customers, and for medium carriers, the figure is 65%. Large carriers have only 28% of their business in their top five customers. Large carriers also led on a second metric, trailerto-truck ratio, which demonstrates another way in which this group is making better use of assets. The trailer-to-truck ratio for large carriers was 2.61, compared to 3.82 for medium carriers and 3.91 for small carriers. A similar story appears in the metrics that track the top five states for origin and destination in terms of revenue. Here again, the large carriers posted numbers that reflect more diversification and less concentration with not as much of their business tied to specific lanes. Despite having the longest length of haul (LOH), large carriers are getting the highest rate per mile (RPM). The average LOH was 600 miles for large carriers, 506 miles for medium carriers and 388 miles for small carriers. A common correlation in trucking is that the RPM goes down as the LOH goes up. Yet despite the longer LOH, large carriers posted a RPM of $2.28, compared to $2.00 for medium carriers and $1.96 for small carriers. Clearly, the large carriers are doing a better job in some way. Perhaps they are managing their freight selection with greater care or negotiating rates more aggressively. Large carriers are doing a better job of retaining drivers after the first year. Large carriers have more driver turnover, but a closer look reveals that this is only in the first year. After that they retain more of their drivers than both medium and small carriers. Efforts by many large carriers to increase pay may be a factor, but our study does not track those metrics. An additional metric that may be relevant is equipment age which could assist large carriers in retaining drivers. The average age of tractors for large carriers was 2.02 years, while it was 3.21 years for medium carriers and 2.90 years for small carriers. Executive Summary 3

6 Participation Is Easy and the Payoff Is Big Carriers that participate in the benchmarking project gain valuable new insight into their operational performance. Any carrier using LoadMaster Enterprise version 15.1 can participate with only a few clicks. For those using version 10.0 or later, McLeod will provide a free report that can be installed to generate the benchmark template data quickly and accurately. This is a great opportunity to understand how your business practices stack up against other truckload carriers. You can see your strengths and weaknesses, and use this information to support efforts to learn and improve. Trucking is a highly competitive industry with tight profit margins. Information is the key to making the changes that will help you become more efficient and profitable. Benchmarking has a crucial role to play, so we encourage every carrier to join this vital effort to bring solid and comprehensive information to the freight transportation industry. Information is the key to making the changes that will help you become more efficient and profitable. 4 Benchmarking the Trucking Industry: Year Two

7 About Katz, Sapper & Miller As one of the top 65 CPA firms in the nation, Katz, Sapper & Miller (KSM) has earned a reputation as a leader in the areas of accounting, tax and consulting services. KSM has provided tax and business consulting services to the trucking industry since its founding in Through the firm s experience with 100-plus trucking and logistics clients throughout North America, KSM has become a national service provider to the trucking industry. Certified Public Accountants Katz, Sapper & Miller 800 East 96th Street, Suite 500 Indianapolis, IN ksmcpa.com About McLeod Software Since 1985, McLeod Software has provided powerful transportation management and trucking software solutions to the trucking industry. These solutions, developed entirely by our company, are comprehensive and support integration with a broad array of complementary logistics products. We are the leader when it comes to software for trucking dispatch operations management, freight brokerage management, fleet management, document imaging, workflow, EDI, and business process automation solutions for trucking, freight brokerage, third-party logistics, and shipper companies in the United States. With an established base of more than 800 active customers throughout North America, McLeod Software is dedicated solely to the transportation industry. This focus means we have a deep understanding of the needs and intricate details involved in carrier, broker, and freight management businesses of all types. McLeod Software 2550 Acton Road Birmingham, AL McLeodSoftware.com 2015 KSM Business Services, Inc McLeod Software

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