1199. #TFCP - DOT Blitz Week: Freight Trends You Need to Know!

In the last episode of this week, we've got Cody Koehler returning to the show to explain the impact of DOT Blitz Week on freight brokers and customers, and some trends in the market that you should know!   Here's What to Learn From This Episode: DOT Blitz Week Impact: Significant capacity crunches & rate spikes noted; brokers can leverage this time to solidify customer relations, even at a loss. Proactive carrier sourcing essential; reactive strategies expose operational gaps. Insights indicate future market volatility trends. Carrier Relationships & Rate Management: Premium rates are necessary during peak weeks to maintain capacity. Lack of support during tough weeks risks business loss to competitors. Key differentiators: tender acceptance & customer communication. Short-term losses viewed as long-term investments for relationship growth. Market Trends & Data Interpretation: Identify market shifts by tracking rate/capacity changes post-major events. Observations indicate weak fresh produce demand; diversification into dry, frozen, and dairy/deli sectors recommended. Notable muted demand in flatbed/open deck freight tied to construction commodities. Sales Strategy & Prospect Engagement: Consistency in prospecting, such as 50 cold calls/day, remains crucial despite high rejection rates. Establishing relationships early positions brokers for future opportunities. Increased cold call receptiveness observed; onboarding paperwork should be completed proactively. Final Recommendations: Proactively set up shippers with necessary documentation, even without immediate loads. Relationship building and preparedness against market shifts crucial for future success. Highlights contact info for Cody Kaler and encouragement to connect.   About Cody Koehler Cody is a 21-year veteran in supply chain/logistics. He has done just about everything in this industry minus holding his CDL (he did drive a yard dog though). In his current role, he oversees the sales and marketing teams for A&Z trucking, a 20-year old brokerage that specializes in produce and reefer freight, as well as cold storage and cross docking.   Connect with Cody LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cody-koehler-1a922b162/  Website: https://aandztrucking.com/  Email: [email protected]   📊📉 Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! 🌎 🎬🎯 #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!   🤝 Shoutout to my sponsors!👇 Denim | https://info.denim.com/chrisjolly   SPI Logistics | https://spi3pl.com/  Greenscreens | https://brokers.greenscreens.ai/partnership/chris-jolly Revenova | https://revenova.com/freightcoach/ NMFTA | https://nmfta.org/   🚚 Ditch your carrier packet, drive more carrier sales, and get better load coverage with seamless digital onboarding, TMS integration, and smart load coverage by visiting https://brokercarrier.com/.    To donate and contribute to the Have a Heart's purpose, visit https://www.haveaheartinc.org/donate.   🚀🔥 To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!👇 ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjrL70IEnCfDkNaiYMar3jw 📷 https://www.instagram.com/thefreightcoach/  🕊️ https://twitter.com/thefr8coach  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/