Best of Logistics 2021: The Top 10 Posts You Don’t Want to Miss
For the general public, 2021 was the year "supply chain disruption" crossed over into the mainstream conversation.
But for logistics pros like you, it was another year to adapt, whether you we scheduling appointments, dispatching drivers, managing inventory, hauling freight, or leading your company’s entire shipping operation.
Through delays and shortages, backlogs and surges, weather events and more, you pushed yourselves to make it happen, keeping essential freight moving.
In 2021, shippers & carriers in the Coyote network worked together to:
- Ship, pick up and deliver nearly 2.5 million loads
- Across 271,886 towns, cities and villages
- In 35 countries worldwide
That’s an average of 5 shipments every single minute.
And you stepped up when it mattered most, helping to move multiple donated humanitarian shipments every day, including oxygen-producing equipment, PPE, cots, tents, lights, baby products, and food to places devastated by natural disasters.
But numbers don't tell the whole story.
Introducing the Best of 2021: Logistics Professionals' 10 Favorite Pieces of Content
Most Popular | Most Searched | Deepest Dive |
Carriers' Choice | Shippers' Choice | Editors' Choice |
Top Research | Top Infographic | Top Webinar | Most Downloaded
You did more than just move freight this year.
You learned more about your profession, read about the most urgent issues in the industry and watched transportation thought leaders give their expert takes on it all.
Let’s look back at the top logistics content that drove the conversation in 2021 to see what mattered most to you.
Without further ado, here are your winners:
Most Popular Post
Q4 Truckload Market Forecast: Spot & Contract Rate Trends
The quarterly Coyote Curve® truckload market forecast led the way as the most-read post. Whether you’re a shipper or a carrier, the Curve is where you go to see the state of the truckload market and set your strategy for the coming months.
In 2021, you faced record rate inflation, an unforeseen port backlog, unheard-of levels of consumer spending and ongoing delays in getting new trucks on the road.
The Curve helped you avoid being caught off-guard by these developments and let you plan proactively.
STANDOUT STAT: The spot market reached a record high inflationary peak of +68.1% Y/Y in Q2 2021.
Most Searched Post
LTL vs. Full Truckload: 7 Key Differences That Every Shipper Should Know
You searched for the differences between less than truckload (LTL) and full truckload shipping more than any other topic in 2021, and with good reason.
LTL shipping can be complicated, especially if you’re new to the mode. And it can be a challenge to know when it’s the right move for you to ship LTL rather than a full truckload.
More of your Google searches led you to this post than anything else in the Coyote Resource Center this year so you could be informed when you set your shipping strategy.
STANDOUT STAT: 12 pallets is the magic number when you should consider shipping full truckload instead of LTL.
Deepest Dive
Understanding the U.S. Truckload Market: The Complete Guide for Logistics Professionals
The post you spent the most time on page reading is one of our most vital.
Our comprehensive guide to the U.S. truckload market is a must-read for any shipper who wants to understand the forces at play in this dynamic space.
This guide is your key to understanding the cycles of the Coyote Curve and how they work together with factors like seasonality and market capacity to produce the rates you see. It’s required reading for every logistics professional.
STANDOUT STAT: There are 929,000 for-hire common carriers in the U.S., 97% of whom operate 20 trucks or fewer.
Master the Truckload Market >>
Carrier's Choice
Carrier’s Guide to Dedicated Freight: 6 Reason Smaller Fleets Are Hauling It
In volatile times like we’ve seen over the past two years, businesses often look for a measure of stability. The most-read post by carriers this year shows that trucking companies are no exception.
The guide to dedicated freight for carriers can teach you how to weigh the stability and consistency of contract rates against the high upside of playing the spot market.
Read it to understand how hauling dedicated freight can set you up for long-term growth and sustainable success.
STANDOUT STAT: Since most dedicated freight is drop trailer, carriers often need more trailers than trucks to handle it — a 2:1 trailer-to-truck ratio is ideal.
Learn About Dedicated Freight >>
Shipper's Choice
LTL Freight Class vs. NMFC Codes: What’s the Difference?
LTL shipping is complicated, and you wanted all the advice you can get to help you navigate it this year. This was the most-read post for shippers this year, and the second LTL article to appear on this list.
To control your costs, you must be 100% accurate with both your freight class and NMFC code when quoting an LTL shipment.
STANDOUT STAT: There are 18 different classes, ranging from Class 50 (least expensive) to Class 500 (most expensive).
Editor's Choice
Supply Chain Automation Research: How to Balance People & Technology in a Post-COVID World
The past year demanded a lot from people in transportation. We also couldn’t have made it through without powerful technology.
But balancing these two sides of logistics strategy is challenging — that’s why we dedicated an original research study to this issue for the second time in two years.
In the supply chain automation study, you’ll find out how both shippers and carriers value human expertise and technology for key supply chain tasks and how these preferences have changed in our new normal.
If you haven’t downloaded it yet, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
STANDOUT STAT: Supply chain decision-makers in 2021 want a balance of 58% technology and 42% people in their operations.
Top Research Study
Drivers Wanted: Using Data to Understand the Truck Driver Shortage
Your favorite study of the year zeroed in on an urgent topic: the number of drivers on the road. In fact, you cared about this issue so much that you made it the most-downloaded Coyote research study of all time.
We teamed up with labor market research experts EMSI to study the driver shortage with workforce data. The results cover the true dimensions of the shortage, likely causes and potential solutions.
Take a look to better understand how this factor played into a year of backups, backlogs and delays.
STANDOUT STAT: Only 20% of current heavy tractor trailer drivers in the U.S. are under 45 years of age.
Dive Deep Into the Driver Shortage >>
Top Infographic
2021 Logistics Trends: Top 7 Things Moving Supply Chains
Your favorite in-depth visualization took a deep dive into a wide array of topics that defined the year in transportation.
Our 2021 logistics trends infographic contains seven key insights about transportation technology, budgets, data and human capital strategy.
It’s a powerful look at the tough choices logistics professionals made in a difficult year, and it can help you see just how common your own challenges are.
STANDOUT STAT: Businesses are 20% more likely in 2021 than in 2019 to rely on manual or homegrown solutions than purchase logistics technology.
Top Webinar
People & Technology: Why Every Supply Chain Needs Both (& How to Balance)
The most watched webinar at our 2021 Digital Summit brought together some of the heaviest hitters in our presenter lineup to talk about the year’s dominant theme.
If you haven’t already, take an hour to watch Coyote CEO Jonathan Sisler and CMO Christina Bottis, UPS President of Supply Chain Solutions Philippe Gilbert, CSCMP Vice President Chris Adderton, and Ware2Go CEO Steve Denton weigh in on the tech trends we saw this year and those to come.
STANDOUT STAT: 2021 saw a 330% increase in logistics manager job postings with no experience required.
Most Downloaded Content
Freight Market Cheat Sheet
While the quarterly Coyote Curve offers the most in-depth details about the freight market, sometimes you need a quicker hit of more frequently updated intro.
The monthly Freight Market Cheat Sheet recaps of national and regional rate fluctuations along with trends to watch in truckload, LTL, intermodal, cross-border (Mexico and Canada), open-deck and refrigerated markets in one convenient PDF. If you’re not reading it, you’re missing out.
STANDOUT STAT: The Freight Market Cheat Sheet is the most downloaded item of all time on the Coyote Resource Center.
Download the Latest Cheat Sheet >>
Envision Where We’ll Go Together in 2022
Looking back at our learnings and achievements is meaningful and powerful. But it’s never too early to look ahead.
For Shippers
If you’re looking to move urgent end-of-year freight, request an instant spot quote now.
If your New Year’s resolution is to develop a more efficient supply chain, talk to a Coyote specialist today to see how we can help.
For Carriers
And if you’re a carrier who needs to find dedicated or spot freight now and in the coming year, speak to a member of our carrier team or create an account in CoyoteGO® to start booking loads on your own.