Reliable, Innovative Solutions Transform the Delivery Process

Old Dominion continues to adapt as shipping requirements evolve

It‘s no secret: the lightning-fast nature of e-commerce has caused companies in a variety of business sectors to enforce tighter freight delivery times. This is especially the case with retailers. These narrowing delivery windows make selecting an efficient freight carrier critical for transborder shipments. Enter Old Dominion Freight Line. 

Over the past 85 years, Old Dominion has earned a reputation as one of the most reliable and innovative LTL freight leaders both nationally and globally. Many customers can speak to the company’s consistent on-time delivery rate of more than 99 percent, a number few other carriers can claim. 

Old Dominion’s 235-plus service centres and more than 44,000 tractors and trailers are the backbone of their success. In turn, each service centre relies on a well-trained workforce and the latest technology–Radio Frequency Identification, Dock Yard Management, Electronic Data Interchange and Freight-Handling systems. 

Regional director, Todd Dayley, explains how Old Dominion’s premium service addresses the fact that many retail clients are regularly increasing shipping consistency requirements.

 “The stakes have never been higher for customers,” says Dayley. “Suppliers who ship to Walmart using an LTL carrier must hit a 70 percent on-time threshold, which is a 40 percent increase from the previous target of 50 percent. This is the way brick-and-mortar retail is heading, in order to try and compete with online shopping; and if suppliers miss the required delivery time, they can be hit with chargebacks or fines of three percent or more of the value of cost of goods sold.”

Must Arrive By Date (MABD) service is one of the tools Old Dominion provides to meet the new standards of compliance. Simply put, customers state when a shipment has to arrive, and Old Dominion will do the rest. A customer service representative becomes the single point of contact for every detail about the shipping process.

Every MABD shipment is flagged in the Old Dominion system. From special delivery dates to status emails regarding delivery timing, everything is monitored by project co-ordinators to ensure real-time shipment visibility. The customer is able to easily track their shipments online.

Dayley describes Old Dominion’s premium service as a mechanism “that cuts delivery times down to the shortest possible time frame, in accordance with exactly what the customer needs.”

He adds: “While these services come at a higher price, the extra cost is more than offset by the fines and potential lost business avoided by being on time and in full. Plus, we take away the stress associated with the delivery process, which allows our clients to focus on other issues.”

With a host of other delivery options, such as guaranteed, on demand and guaranteed service by noon, Old Dominion is ideally suited to help improve vendor scorecards and build stronger retail relationships. “Our strength is working closely with customers,” says Dayley. “Even though delivery windows are tightening, we have the solutions.”