Dive Brief:
- Ryder System is expanding its freight brokerage business with a new office in Nashville, Tennessee, and two others set to open next year, the company announced June 16.
- The company chose Nashville because of its “talent pool as a logistics hub and its ability to draw additional talent as a destination city.” Ryder has not disclosed the locations of the two additional offices opening in 2023, but a spokesperson told Transport Dive regions in the Pacific and Mountain time zones are being considered.
- The new locations underscore Ryder’s heightened focus on its brokerage business among its transportation management offerings. Freight brokerage gross revenues soared more than 175% YoY in 2021, according to the company.
Dive Insight:
The Nashville office, which opened in April, joins Ryder’s freight brokerage network alongside existing outposts in Novi, Michigan, and Fort Worth, Texas. The next expansion will likely be westward, “due to lack of brokerage presence in those areas,” Ryder spokesperson Anne Hendricks said in an email.
“Also, it brings us closer to our critical customers and carriers and allows us to tap into that talent pool,” Hendricks said.
The talent pool was a major factor in choosing Nashville. In a tight labor market, Ryder seeks “experts in using technology to drive strategy and create added value for customers while also quarterbacking the lifecycle of each load to ensure a smooth experience for both customer and carrier,” Kevin Clonch, group director of transportation management, said in a statement.
Ryder’s freight brokerage technology includes features that assist with real-time visibility, collaboration, digital freight matching, backhaul opportunities, automated load booking, payment cycle improvements for carriers, and business intelligence and analytics. But the company requires customer service of its employees as much as technical skill, Clonch said.
“Even with the best technology and the best laid plans, there will be times when customers and carriers need to pick up the phone — and we answer 24/7/365,” Clonch said.
