Schneider delivers unique solution to Canadian cross-border capacity crunch

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Background: Manufacturer needed new Canadian cross-border solution

A global food manufacturer that ships freight several times a day from Dayton, Ohio to Toronto, Ontario was going to lose its carrier for the lane due to capacity issues. The manufacturer needed a solution that would work for its Canadian carrier while keeping transit time to a single day.

Food manufacturer needed new Canadian cross-border solution

Crossing the border adds complexity — and time — to your shipping process, which can be especially frustrating when your freight has an expiration date. A global food manufacturer that ships freight several times a day from Dayton, Ohio, to Toronto, Ontario, was going to lose its Canadian carrier for the lane due to capacity issues. The manufacturer needed a solution that would work for its Canadian carrier while keeping transit time to a single day.

Tightening capacity in Canadian market makes original strategy obsolete

The manufacturer used a Canadian carrier to run the entire route on the Dayton to Toronto
lane. Following the United States’ electronic logging device (ELD) mandate implementation, what had traditionally been a single-day transit for the carrier became a two-day transit, with time spent at the border crossing eating into the carrier’s hours of service. The increase in transit time made the manufacturer’s freight much less desirable to Canadian carriers, many of whom had started to favor intra-Canada freight.

Schneider leverages carrier relationships to deliver seamless cross-border service

Schneider identified an opportunity to create a shuttle program for the manufacturer’s drop and hook freight. Using the Canadian carrier’s trailers already dropped in Ohio, Schneider utilized its vast network of carriers to leverage its relationship with a Detroit-based carrier to bring the food products from Ohio to Detroit as a Power Only load. The U.S. carrier dropped the freight at a secure relay site in Detroit for the Canadian carrier to pick up and deliver to its destination in Toronto.

Schneider developed a shipping solution to maintain capacity in a tight market

The manufacturer’s drop and hook freight was an ideal candidate for this kind of shuttle solution.

Delivery did not skip a beat, and the manufacturer’s process did not have to change to accommodate the change in pickup carrier. By tapping into its network, Schneider maintained the company’s current cross-border capacity in a market that had been becoming increasingly constrained.

Cross-border food and beverage shipping is complex, and regulations have further complicated the process. With more than 25 years of experience in U.S./Canada cross-border shipping and a large asset and non-asset network, Schneider is uniquely positioned to offer end-to-end multimodal solutions for shippers on both sides of the border.

Read more about how Schneider can help your business navigate food and beverage logistics at our food and beverage shipping services page.