Rolling into 2025

Sweeping 2024 Under the Rug

Well, that was some year. Forget politics. Let’s focus on that air conditioning unit you had to get replaced. The new tires. The price of milk.

The state of third-party logistics. Driver retention. Hours of Service. Parking spots. Disaster recovery. And the price of diesel.

It’s always something. Here, then, at the cusp of a new year, we try to clear the plate of a tumultuous 2024. Impossible, yep. But let’s give it a try.

We started the year with wheels, condensing 4,000 years into 300 words, from the potter’s wheel to plans for wheels on Mars (think interlocking, load-bearing springs).

We’re fascinated with artificial intelligence and its possible effect on how we live in general and, in this space, how we drive in particular. All the potential benefits and pitfalls of letting our brains do other things (yeah, or nothing at all) gives us some pause, especially when we remember that all Dave really wanted was for Hal to open the pod-bay doors.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, we have some choices to make. It’s how we power our vehicles that’s set the competition into aggressive motion. While there’s a lot of chatter about electronic vehicles right now, the jostling for dominance of emerging alternative fuels (biobutanol, dimethyl ether, methanol, etc.) continues.

Sometimes success hides in plain sight. This year, NATCO proudly pulled back the curtain on our process. The five questions we want our customers to ask:

1. COMPLIANCE.
Does the company know the specific federal and state regulations to deliver safely and legally into and through any given state, or multiple states?

2. KNOWLEDGE.
Does the company know the difference between types of trailers, including double-drop RGNs, reefers, flatbeds, and dry vans?

3. EXPERIENCE.
Does the company have a history of handling my type of shipment? Does it have experience with commodities, construction, Hazmat, oil, gas?

4. COMMUNICATION.
Is the company prompt and straightforward in phone calls, text messages, emails regarding delivery windows, offloading scenarios, payment methods?

5. TRANSPARENCY.
Is the company sharing accurate, honest information about the market? Does it proactively share news about fluctuations in fuel, bottleneck delays, availability?

So much more in our portfolio. So much more to come. Put it all together, and we’re ever more proud to be part of this dynamic, challenging, and rewarding logistics industry.

Team NATCO wishes you and yours a peaceful, healthy, and happy holiday season.